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Here’s our TLI for Friday, May 12, 2023:
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EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT: KAYLYNN “KAY” ENGLISH
Colorado State-bound MIF Kaylynn English, #69 in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about Colorado Batbusters Gold-Smith, Legend High, her torn ACL, Alliance Nationals, competition, Warrior Academy and Louisville Lady Sluggers, Colorado State, medical field, Sis Bates, Pitbull, “American Horror Story” and snowboarding.
EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Kaylynn “Kay” English
Hometown: Parker, CO
High School: Legend High
Club Team: Colorado Batbusters 18U Gold-Smith
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 5-foot-5
Position: MIF
Nickname: Kay
Twitter: N/A
Honors: #69 in the 2023 Extra Elite 100; Sophomore Athlete of the Year; 1st Team All-State; and 1st Team All-Conference.
Travel Ball Fall Stats: She hit .433 last season with 47 stolen bases.
High School Highlights/Stats: (Junior year) .588 AVG with 20 stolen bases. She did not play her senior year due to an injury.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? This will be my fourth year playing on Batbusters, and I have loved every minute of it. Coach (Joe) Smith has gotten us into some great tournaments and really helped us get exposure to colleges.
Tell us about your high school team and how you did? My high school team has made the state tournament for 6+ straight years. In 2021, my junior year, we won and were state champions. It was fun being around these girls all the time, from school to practice to games. I think part of the reason we won was because we were so close since we were around each other all the time and loved each other’s company.
Can you talk about your ACL injury, what you did to rehab and how you are doing now? In tryouts of my senior year, I tore my ACL running the bases. I was torn when my doctor told me I had to miss my last year of high school ball, but also that the recovery was 9 long months. I felt like I would never step on the field again. After 8 months, I am back to playing, not fully, but I am hitting and fielding. This process has tested my physical strength as well as my mental strength, but I feel like it has made me a better person and player by gaining another perspective on the game and also learning to never take it for granted.
Can you tell us about your experience at Alliance Nationals last summer? Last summer, we went to Kansas, Oklahoma and California, playing in Alliance National tournaments. I was extremely grateful because my team saw some of the best competition we have ever seen. It pushed us individually to perform and in turn, that made us better as a team.
What tournament/showcase/event are you looking forward to this summer and why? I am looking forward to Kansas, Oklahoma and Georgia this summer to see how we rank among those top teams. I feel like we have (a) stacked lineup from top to bottom, and we have a deep rotation of pitchers this year. I am looking forward to seeing us face the same competition as last year and how we respond to those good teams.
Which player/team was your toughest opponent and why? Our toughest opponent last year was Warrior Academy or the Louisville Lady Sluggers. We played both of those teams multiple times and they both had Power 5 commits on their team that were tough outs at the plate and who could field their position.
Why did you choose to commit to Colorado State? I have been going to Colorado State University camps since I was in eighth grade. Ever since my first camp, I loved watching how the players interacted and how the coaches treated them. They emphasize “family” and I knew that I wanted to be a part of that. I also loved how every time I saw them, they treated me as a person more than a player and genuinely cared about my personal life and my family. I also loved the campus and the overall feel of being at CSU.
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I am interested in going into the medical field, specifically becoming a PA or PT. My mom is a PT, and I am intrigued by the stories she tells about her day at the hospital. Also, throughout my treatment for my ACL, I became more interested in these fields because of the care they gave me. I want to help other people the same way that they helped me.
Who is your sports hero and why? My sports hero is Sis Bates, because of her impact on the game and her fans.
What’s the best hype song and why? “Fireball” by Pitbull, because it just automatically puts me in a good mood and gets me ready to play.
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? My favorite TV show to binge is “Friends” or “American Horror Story.” They are both my comfort shows. After a long day of softball or school, I love coming home and watching these shows with my sister.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? I love to juggle and snowboard. I taught myself how to juggle because my coach in 8th grade told me it was great for hand-eye coordination, and now I do it for fun. My dad and I would go snowboarding every weekend when I was younger. We both loved the terrain park, going off jumps and rails. I really cherish those times I had with him, the talks on the ski lift and the jokes we made on the long ride home. I’ll never forget it.
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