The phrase “speak softly and carry a big stick” was made famous by President Teddy Roosevelt over a century ago.

Roosevelt used it to describe his foreign policy - but the words could also be used to describe the policy of Northern Lehigh’s Jordyn Hemingway on the softball field.

Hemingway isn’t the most vocal player, but she sure carries a big stick.

This past season, Hemingway led the Bulldogs in almost every offensive category the team compiles, including batting average (.579), on-base percentage (.634), slugging percentage (1.026), on-base plus slugging (1.650), hits (44), home runs (4), doubles (16), RBIs (25), and runs scored (33). In addition, she struck out just one time in 21 games.

Those “big stick” numbers - combined with her fielding and base running (she led the Bulldogs with 14 steals) - made Hemingway the 2022 Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Softball Player of the Year.

Anyone wanting to know about Hemingway’s softball talent is fortunate that her numbers speak volumes, because she doesn’t - at least when it comes to herself.

“It’s an honor to win this type of award with so many great players on my own team and across the area,” Hemingway said. “I was really happy with my season.

“But I’m not someone who likes talking about what I did individually. I prefer to talk about what we accomplished as a team this season. I try to let my play on the field speak for itself.”

Hemingway’s team-first approach is just one of the many things that make her the “ultimate teammate” according to Northern Lehigh coach Kate Farber.

“Jordyn’s talent and skill are second to no one,” Farber said. “But for as great of a player she is, she’s even a better person. She’s the ultimate team player and teammate. She’s never concerned about her numbers and statistics. She just wants to win.”

Farber said that Hemingway is popular with her teammates not only because of how she performs on the field, but also because of how she acts on the field.

“Jordyn never wants the credit, never acts better than anyone else, never blames a teammate when something goes wrong,” Farber said. “I’ve been coaching softball for 12 years - the last five at Northern Lehigh - and I’ve never coached a player quite like Jordyn in terms of her numbers and her humility.”

Hemingway explained that she has her own way of being a good teammate and team leader.

“I’m not someone who typically will do a lot of talking about what needs to be done,” said Hemingway. “My preference is to lead by example. I try to practice hard and play hard. I think it means a lot more to see someone working at getting better than it does to hear them talking about getting better.”

Hemingway has plenty of opportunities to work on getting better - since she plays practically year round.

“I love the game of softball,” Hemingway said. “I was probably around six-years-old when I played for the first time. A year or two later I was playing travel ball and just couldn’t get enough of the sport. The last few years, I’ve even been doing indoor workouts during the winter, so I pretty much play 12 months a year.”

Hemingway plays for the Outlaws softball team in the offseason - one of the two best softball programs in the state according to Farber.

“Jordyn is extremely dedicated to making herself the best player she can be,” said Farber. “I believe her commitment has a huge impact on her teammates.

“Jordyn plays for one of the premier travel teams in the country. Obviously, most players don’t have the ability to play at that level. But everyone has the ability to play somewhere, and that’s what I love about our team. Every single member is playing somewhere this summer. Whether it’s on a travel team or an in-house league, everyone is playing - and I think the example Jordyn sets probably has something to do with that.”

The Bulldogs finished 13-8 this past season - the most wins since Farber took over as head coach - and qualified for both the Colonial League and District 11 playoffs.

With a huge nucleus of dedicated players returning, it’s easy to see why Farber is excited about her team’s future.

Hemingway is excited about the upcoming season - her senior year - as well. She talked about returning to postseason play, and making a run at league and district titles.

Not surprisingly, she didn’t want to talk about her individual goals.

“If I can contribute to us having success as a team, I’ll be happy,” she said.

It’s just another example of Hemingway speaking softly.

It’s also a pretty good bet that if the Bulldogs do enjoy even more success next season, it will be another example of Hemingway carrying a big stick.