Kira Roark, Solanco, senior, right-handed pitcher, plans to attend Shippensburg University to study communications/journalism and play softball
How long have you been playing softball, and what were some of your highlights?
Roark: I started when I was 7 or 8, so I've been playing about 10 years. I just played for the youth organization at Solanco, and then when I was 10, my parents encouraged me to try out for a travel team. So I did, made the team been. I had to switch travel teams a couple times, but still play travel today.
Have you started varsity for years?
Hughes: Yeah, I started as a freshman. I played third base freshman year, pitched some, but we had a senior pitcher my freshman year, so I only pitched like half the games. And then after freshman year, it was just pretty much pitching after that.
What is your favorite part of softball?
Roark: Yeah, I like pitching, but I really like that it's a team sport. But, yeah, I would say pitching is my favorite part about it, because I I'm a person that really likes to have a lot of control in anything. So I like that when you're a pitcher, you have a lot of control over the game, like you set the pace, you set the demeanor with how you carry yourself. So that's something that is probably my favorite part about it.
As a senior, looking back, what advice would you give yourself when you went into high school as a freshman?
Roark: Probably your level of confidence kind of overrides any physical ability that you have. That is something that I would tell myself, because I was pretty timid in freshman year. I had the physical ability, but I would say I definitely didn't have the mental aspect of it down yet. And I've been meeting with the sports psychologist once a month, like over the past two years, and that's really helped me learn more about my confidence and stuff. So I would definitely say approaching every softball situation with confidence, even if you don't think you can do it, because just your level of confidence makes a big difference.
Your your jersey number, did you get to choose it? And why?
Roark: I was 4 for my first three years of high school, and then we got newer jerseys that were kind of more like slim cut. So my small jersey being 4 didn't really fit me as well anymore. So I actually just sized up to a medium. This is on Saturday. It was just the first medium I pulled out. So now I'm 24. So there's no significance to either 4 or 24
Let's get to some fun questions. What did you learn in school last week?
Roark: We're doing hypothesis testing in AP statistics, and we learned about gram staining in microbiology. Those are pretty much my only two hard classes this year.
What hobbies are you involved in?
Roark: I'm really big into art. When I applied to Shippensburg, I was going in as an art education major, and then I did a lot of shadowing at schools and shadowing art teachers. And I realized it probably wasn't something I would have enjoyed very much. So I switched to communications and journalism because I have always liked writing. I play the cello. I played the cello since third in orchestra. School orchestra, but I've done the pit orchestra for the musical every year, and that's one of my favorite activities to do.
What do you have coming up in school this coming week?
Roark: Well, it's funny because it's my birthday on Wednesday, and I have two tests on Wednesday, so just pretty much studying all week. And those tests are actually in the two classes I just mentioned,
Do you have a favorite quote or slogan that inspires you?
Roark: When I was younger and I struggled with confidence, my sports psychologist helped me pick out a mantra to say when I'm on the field, just something to settle my nerves. And it was this too shall pass. And it's just a reminder that it's easy to, you know, feel positive when things are going the way you want them to, but obviously, in a game of failure, it's not going to go your way a lot of the time. So it's just a reminder that in the grand scheme of life and everything, this game is just a small part of it. So not to make the meaning bigger than it is, and if it's not going your way, it's OK.
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