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Here’s our TLI for Monday, Feb. 20, 2023:
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EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT: MOLLY CONNER
Uncommitted RHP/OF Molly Conner, #9 in the 2025 Extra Elite 100, recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about Finesse-Langlois/DePaulis, specific training, PGF Nationals, AZ Last Blast, Delaney Aumua, exercise science and nutrition, sports heroes, J. Dash, “Modern Family” and painting.
EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Molly Conner
Hometown: Waterville, OH
High School: Anthony Wayne High
Club Team: Finesse 16U-Langlois/DePaulis
Graduation Year: 2025
Height: 5-foot-6
Position: RHP/OF
Nickname: Mole
Twitter: @MollyConner2025
Travel Ball Highlights: Arizona Last Blast (January 27-29, 2023) — 34 Ks, 18.2 IP, .769 WHIP and 4 BBs.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? From 8U-12U, I played for the Wizards, which is a local organization based about 20 minutes away from my house. During Spring of 2020 (Covid), I decided I wanted to travel farther and play better competition in softball. I started looking into teams like Iowa Premier, Mojo, etc. Then, in June of 2020, my Wizards team was playing in a local tournament about 15 minutes away from where I lived. Michigan was still shut down for Covid reasons so a lot of Michigan teams had come down to Ohio to play. Coach Dan (DePaulis) and Coach Dave (Langlois) came down to scout possible candidates for their new 14U National team. They didn’t actually even know who I was until then, but Coach Dan was the one who found me at first. Some coaches within Finesse made some phone calls and before I knew it Donny (Dreher) was calling my dad to talk about the upcoming season. However, I still to this day thank the Wizards for everything they have done for me and the coaches and guidance I received within the organization. Let me tell you, I was not very good at 9,10, and 11 years old. Wizards gave me my first ever travel ball opportunities and I am forever grateful. I owe a ton to Martin Drain the owner of the Wizards and Nick Chappetta my former coach. Even at a young age, Coach Chappetta taught me a lot about hard work, being a team player and confidence.
Toward the end of the summer, my family and I drove up to Wixom, Michigan, for Donny (Dreher) to give me a tour of the Total Sports Facilities and talk softball. Donny said he would get us into all the best tournaments and could help me reach my ultimate goal of competing at the collegiate level. The rest is history and I’ve been playing for Coach Dave and Coach Dan ever since. I plan on staying with Finesse all the way up until I wave goodbye for college.
Do you have any suggestions for training methods or apps and why? Training is so specific to each individual and it fluctuates on a multitude of things. First, and most important, I would tell younger athletes to listen to your body. Know and acknowledge the difference between soreness and pain and don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself if you are in pain. Secondly, sleep! Sleep is so overlooked when it comes to upping your performance in games and in training. Third, eating right and eating well. Eating clean foods, hitting each food group and higher protein all help me perform. Lifting is another big one for me. I LOVE to lift and work out. When I started to get serious and consistent, it was a huge game-changer for me. If working out or lifting seems like a drag to you, then I recommend getting a lifting partner, who has the same goals in mind as you. For the past 8 weeks-ish, one of my best friends, Brooklyn Patchen, and I have been going to the gym after school and seeing a ton of gains. (Brooklyn is a 2023, who also attends Anthony Wayne. She is an amazing pitcher and will be attending Creighton University this fall to play softball!) Lastly, cardio. Maybe, I’m biased because I run cross country. However, learning to perform and stay calm when your heart rate is 120 BPM+ becomes a huge advantage when in high pressure situations and big games.
Can you tell us about your experience at PGF Nationals this past summer? PGF Nationals 2022 was sooooo fun! Overall, our team had a great showing. We finished 7th place in the 14u Premier division. We played great competition and even got a few colleges to stop by our games. One of my personal favs, University of Kentucky.
What was your favorite fall tournament/event and why? This may not technically be in the fall, but Arizona Last Blast in January. It was so nice to leave sub-30 weather in the Midwest and get some sunshine for a change. We got to play a couple night games under the lights, which are my favorite, and won both. Also, it served as a last hoorah until high school ball when we split up. However, I honestly had so much fun at every single tournament this fall. My teammates and the travel ball atmosphere is what I live for. I can’t wait for the summer with all my best friends.
Which player/team was your toughest opponent and why? By far the best hitter I’ve faced is Delaney Aumua from Lady Magic-Walling. Delaney is an absolute beast and has the most insane range and bat speed of any hitter I’ve faced.
What are you looking for in a future college? In my future college, I am not only looking for a great education, but a great environment. It will be my home for four years of my life and I want it to feel like home. But, I also want to compete. I want to be pushed as hard as possible mentally and even physically at times to reach my fullest potential possible. A large part of what makes softball fun for me is the constant competition and drive to get better. The idea of ambition doesn’t just apply to sports, but life. I want to come out of college not only a better softball player, but a better person. Therefore, I’m chasing coaches that can help me achieve both!
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I am a total health freak, so probably a route in Exercise Science or Nutrition. I would also like to minor in Coaching if the school offers it.
Who is your sports hero and why? I honestly have a ton, but I would like to name some that might not be so famous, yet. My sports heroes are honestly each and every one of my travel ball teammates. Travel softball is truly a different breed. In the summer you could play three, maybe even four games in one day. California, 90 degrees, late July is not for the weak. Then, you come back out and do it all over again the next day. It’s hard, but we all pull for each other. I play for my teammates. Period. Sure, I have plenty of famous, celebrity role models and, of course, I look up to them, but when it comes to my heroes … well, it’s all 12 of my teammates.
What’s the best hype song and why? This definitely depends on my mood of the day, but I’m going to have to say “Wop” by J. Dash (feat. FloRida).
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? “Modern Family” or “Dance Moms.” Just some good laughs when I need them.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? Not too sure. Most of my time is spent practicing or thinking about softball! I do like to paint or draw occasionally.
I would also just like to add, I credit almost all of my success to the Finesse organization. They truly are different from other programs out there. Not only do they care about the players, parents, and coaches, but they also care about development. In my first year with Finesse, I struggled a lot actually. Coach Dave, Dan and Donny never once gave up on me. Maybe, I am a little bit swayed, but if anyone ever asked me for team/organization suggestions I would say Finesse a thousand times over. Loyalty means a lot to me and that is exactly what I found with Finesse. Coach Dave and Coach Dan make us compete at each and every practice. Not only are they physically challenging, but mentally as well. However, pressure situations become second nature when you’ve been doing them for three-+ years, as our core group has. All in all, I am forever grateful for my Finesse family and I know that the friendships and connections I have made will outlast my softball career and last a lifetime.
I would also like to give some advice to girls out here who have been told they aren’t big enough, strong enough or tall enough. I am on the smaller side of pitchers and multiple people have told me these things in my softball career. To all those “smaller” girls out there, I just want to say this: You’re going to have (work) your butt off to catch up physically to those with a natural advantage. In the weightroom, in bullpens, you have to have a great mentality. The notion of “wanting something more” is simply just an idea; nothing more. Trust the process and keep working hard every day. Lock in when it’s time to put the work in, but don’t be too hard on yourself.
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