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Here’s our TLI for Friday, Nov. 4, 2022:
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EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT: MARIAMI “MARI” HUBBARD
Alabama-committed MIF/3B/UT Mariami “Mari” Hubbard, #15 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier, morning workouts, improving mechanics, PGF Nationals, Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy, physician’s assistant, Alabama, Katelyn Boyd, Phish, “Criminal Minds” and piano.
EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Mariami Hubbard
Hometown: Huntsville, AL
High School: Huntsville High
Club Team: Birmingham Thunderbolts 18U Premier
Graduation Year: 2024
Height: 5-foot-8
Position: MIF/3B/UT
Nickname: Mari
Twitter: @Mari_Hubbard81
Honors: #15 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 and #10 middle infielder in the Class of 2024.
Travel Ball Highlights/Summer Stats: 45 games, 119 PA, .363 AVG, .437 OBP, .937 OPS, .500 SLG, 37 hits, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 21 RBIs, 16 runs, .952 fielding percentage and 11 double plays.
High School Highlights/Stats: 48 games, 169 PA, 61 hits, 17 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 42 RBIs, 48 runs, .439 AVG, .509 OBP, .755 SLG, 1.264 OPS, .949 fielding percentage and 5 double plays.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? In 2017, I was invited to try out for the Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 2024-Burns team after playing for two years with the Comets 05 and a season with Kraze 06. After joining the Bolts 06 under Coach (Andrew) Burns and (Quan) Green, I was able to work with many great coaches in the organization. Coach Rocky Thompson and Katelyn Boyd were the main organization coaches when I first joined the team and helped me tremendously with my game. I was recently able to join the 18U Premier team and am extremely excited for the seasons to come. I am thankful for all the coaches in the Thunderbolts organization who have helped me.
What are some of your training methods/training routine? During the week, the Thunderbolts organization has two practices where I am able to make one or both. My high school team has recently started morning workouts twice a week before school where we weight lift and do core. I personally hit with Coach Jeff Campbell as he was my head coach for the Comets 05 and later became my hitting coach. On my own, I run on the treadmill, do tennis-ball fielding drills, hit on the tee and sometimes rotate yoga into my workouts.
What areas are you focusing on/trying to improve this fall? This fall, I am working to prepare myself for college and want to keep improving my mechanics to help my game get better.
Can you tell us about your experience at PGF Nationals this summer? At PGF Nationals this year, my team and I battled, but did not end how we wanted to. It was not my best tournament, while I had some hits and RBIs, I have higher expectations for myself.
Which player/team was your toughest opponent and why? The toughest opponent I faced was at PGF Nationals against (Beverly) Bandits Premier 16U-Conroy. During our first bracket game, my team and I battled till the end against the Bandits. In the end, Bandits pulled out (a) 2-1 (win) with a sacrifice fly and sent us to the loser’s bracket. It was a good game and both teams battled hard.
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? A few occupations that I am hoping to look more into in the future are physical therapy and physician’s assistant. Physical therapy was my top option for a while because I have always wanted to help people and be able to stay near the game or at least athletes. I was recently introduced to the idea of a physician’s assistant and have been considering it as a possible future career.
Can you talk about your decision to commit to Alabama? When my family first moved down to Alabama from New Jersey, we did not pick a side of Alabama or Auburn. My kindergarten teacher would assign homework to watch the Alabama football game and tell someone “Roll Tide”! I became a huge Alabama fan and it has been a childhood dream to get the opportunity to play for the Alabama softball team. Being able to visit the campus, meet the coaches and see the life of the players was a dream come true.
Who is your sports hero and why? Coach Katelyn Boyd is my sports hero, especially after I joined the Thunderbolts organization. Being able to work with a three-time All American for a few years helped my younger self set goals that I have and still am working towards.
What’s the best hype song and why? Some of my personal “best hype songs” are from the band Phish. Phish is my dad’s favorite band and when traveling long distance to softball tournaments, that was what was always playing in the car. I may have not always understood the songs, but it was my dad and I’s thing. It was almost tradition to have Phish in the background while mentally preparing for the games we were driving to.
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? “Criminal Minds” is my favorite TV show to binge because my whole family likes the show. When I first started watching it, it was my mom and I’s show, but slowly my dad and sister started to join us in watching. We all love the mystery and try to see if we can guess who the “unsub” is before the characters.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? I used to play piano for multiple years and even wrote a song when I was 9 years old. I have not played in a while, but am hoping that I still can do it.
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