Environmental Studies ace overcomes diabetes to become franchise player

Jocelyn Jimenez was diagnosed with childhood diabetes at the age of 7. It was a difficult time for her and her family, but instead of sheltering her, Jimenez’s mother Nancy Medina took a proactive approach. She immediately made her daughter sign up for softball to keep her in shape, an important part of dealing with the disease.

There was just one problem: Jimenez fought her every step of the way. She wanted nothing to do with softball.

“I was really upset,” Jimenez said. “I kind of threw like a little kid tantrum.”

Medina didn’t take no for an answer and, over the years, Jimenez not only became good at the sport, she ended up loving it. Despite her at-times debilitating diabetes, Jimenez became one of the best pitchers in the PSAL this year at Environmental Studies, leading the Eagles to their first-ever Class A quarterfinals berth.

david allen

Environmental Studies pitcher Jocelyn Jimenez has overcome diabetes to be a star on the softball field.

On Sunday, she competed as a member of the PSAL team at the inaugural Mayor's Cup senior all-star game. And somehow, she pitched in every game for four years outside of a few she missed last season with a leg injury.

“I always knew she was gonna be there despite whatever illnesses she had to overcome,” Environmental Studies coach Jose Ferrer said. … “We all knew she had this condition, but we didn’t look at her as a sickly person, because she’s such a competitor.”

Both Ferrer and Jimenez’s travel coach with the OLS Hustlers, Oggie Quiles, said she never once complained about her illness. Quiles said he didn’t even know anything about her diabetes until he scolded her about the weird electronic thing she had attached to her hip.

“It was funny at first, because she used to play with her insulin pump on,” Quiles said. “We were all like what’s the beeper thing that she has on her waist. … I told her she had to take off the pager. Then the girls were like, no that’s for insulin. “

Jimenez doesn’t wear the pump when she’s playing anymore, but it’s attached to her all the time otherwise. She carefully monitors her blood sugar during games and Ferrer, Quiles and Medina are always nearby with Gatorade if she starts feeling light-headed. Ferrer said she is so spent after games sometimes that he drives her to her Lower East Side home rather than letting her take the subway.

Off the field, she has to monitor things carefully as well.

“I have a very strict diet,” said Jimenez, who also did double duty for her mother’s travel team, the Monarchs. “I can’t eat sugary foods. I have to constantly check my blood sugar. I have to choose a salad instead of a cheeseburger from McDonald’s. I’ve grown up with it, so I’ve gotten used to it.”

She did cheat Tuesday for her 18th birthday – Medina let her eat ice cream cake. And there are times she doesn’t feel well in the circle during games. Jimenez just won’t let anyone know that.

“I try not to worry my coaches,” she said. “I’ll do whatever I can to stay in the game.”

Jimenez, who will try to walk-on at George Mason next year, was that constant for Environmental Studies for four years. She got better every season, culminating with a gem against city powerhouse James Madison in a quarterfinals loss. Jimenez, a control specialist with superior movement, gave up four runs, one earned, on seven hits in six innings.

“The main ingredient was her, because she came to us with some experience,” Ferrer said. “She had already been a part of that culture of what it means to be competitive. … What she’s meant to the program is a really very reliable, consistent performer in overcoming her illness. She’s been a pillar for our team.”

As it turned out, getting over her dislike of softball might have been harder than overcoming diabetes.

mraimondi@nypost.com