Triple Crown Staff Spotlight: Olivia Damge

Name: Olivia Damge
 
Job title: Fastpitch Event Director
 
Email: olivia@triplecrownsports.com
 
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO.
 
Family: I was raised by my parents, Walker and Sally Damge. I have one sibling, an older sister, Emerald Damge. I have no human children, but I do have a fur child - my dog, Eris, who is an almost 3-year-old Siberian Husky mix. Yes, she's a handful.
 
College attended/graduation: Valley City State University (ND)/2017.
 
Sports background: Growing up, I played a variety of sports starting with basketball. Within a few years, I was playing basketball, softball, and volleyball. Softball ultimately stole my heart and ended up being the sport I would carry on with in college. Over summer breaks through college, I started my own coaching career as an assistant to my dad, Walker Damge. After college, I joined Dave Philop and his coaching staff at Fossil Ridge High School where you will still find me coaching every fall.
 
Proudest sports moment: Funny enough, my proudest moment and most humbling defeat in my sports history haven’t come from my own playing days. In fact, both have come from coaching at Fossil Ridge. My proudest moment came in the state quarterfinals against Smoky Hill in 2020 – the season Fossil would take home its first state title. The moment came in the top of the 8th when our defense doubled off a runner on third, who could have been their winning run – there is video footage of me bouncing out of the dugout (literally bouncing) and then doubling over in…well...relief... pain...or maybe I just realized I hadn't taken a breath in a few too many minutes. I will always be proud of that team, their resilience, and their determination to win so clearly demonstrated in that game.
 
Most humbling defeat: Losing to Columbine for the state title in 2019. I’ve lost my fair share of games, and I can honestly say no loss compares. Humility is built in that moment. It's not so much the loss, rather reflecting on the road to get to that game, knowing how hard it is and to almost have it...that was the hardest part for me. On the positive side, that humbling defeat was what brought the fire to both the coaching staff and the team to win it all the next year.
 
Hobbies/Interests: I am a Colorado native, so put me outside and I am a happy camper. I particularly like to hike, year-round of course. I am overall a fan of physical activity, which does include lots of workouts. I am currently rebuilding my great-grandfather’s 1938 sedan with my dad. I have always enjoyed spending time in the garage. I practice Tarot (yes I have been known to do readings). I also practice calligraphy, and I love to read.
 
Favorite Trip: In July of 2016, I went to Australia where I played my last official softball games representing the U.S. with a team of fellow college players from across the country. The experience was incredible; not only did we get to play softball against teams from around the world, but we also learned how to surf, explored Gold Coast and Sydney, fed kangaroos, held koalas, saw the Sydney Opera House, etc.
 
How you became associated with Triple Crown: I have been around Triple Crown since I played, becoming more involved with Triple Crown events in my 2012 Travel Ball season. While I did not play for Triple Crown, the team I did play for was regularly part of Triple Crown events and often met them on the field as well. Fun fact, I was recruited for college out of the Mountain Magic Steamboat camp/tournament.
 
What intrigues you about Triple Crown?:  have always been intrigued by the attention given to each Triple Crown event as not just a tournament or camp, but rather as a full experience for athletes and coaches alike. The quality of Triple Crown events, teams, coaches, staff and so on is well known and I am very grateful to be a part of it now.