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Here’s our TLI for Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022:
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EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT: EMMA CLARKE
Tennessee-committed SS/1B/C/UT Emma Clarke, #8 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about Mojo 16U-Sherrill, weightlifting, fundamentals, PGF Nationals, Tennessee, dentistry, Ken and Elizabeth Clarke and hoops.
EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Emma Clarke
Hometown: Cleveland, NC
High School: West Rowan High
Club Team: Mojo 16U-Sherrill
Graduation Year: 2024
Height: 6-foot
Position: SS/1B/C/UT
Twitter: @emmaclarke_13
Honors: All-County (2021); All-Conference (2021); All-District (2021); All-State (2021); All-County (2022); All-Conference (2022); All-District (2022); All-State (2022); 2nd Team All-Region (2022); batted .575 with 15 home runs and led the state with 54 RBIs in 25 games (2022); Greater Piedmont Hot Stove League Youth player of the year (2020); and Greater Piedmont Hot Stove League Rising Star (2021).
Travel Ball Highlights/Summer Stats: .463 AVG, .527 OBP, .775 SLG, 1.302 OPS, .965 fielding percentage and 10 stolen bases.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? I became involved with my coach Monte Sherrill back in the fall of 2020. Monte has been the most influential person throughout my softball career. My mom (Elizabeth Clarke) used to coach against him before I was born and always knew he was a great coach! He has helped me become the player I am today and I am so appreciative to have him as my coach!
What are some of your training methods/training routine? I have trained with my weightlifting coach (Jan Dowling) at the high school, who has helped me increase not only my strength but also my mobility. She is our volleyball coach at West Rowan, so I play for her as well!
What areas are you focusing on/trying to improve this fall? This fall, I have been working on my hitting and focusing on the fundamentals. I am playing volleyball for my high school team right now, so I am making time to work on both sports!
Can you tell us about your experience at PGF Nationals this summer? PGF was awesome this year. We had a great time and a pretty good run! That was one of my better tournaments this year and we play a lot of great competition, which attracted all of the coaches, who attended our games! I have always enjoyed playing out there in California!
Can you talk about your decision to choose Tennessee? I chose the University of Tennessee because it is where I belong. I have always been in love with their team, the coaches and their campus ever since I went to my first camp last fall. Tennessee has been a dream school for a while now and they allow me to major in what I want to. It was an unbelievable offer that I am so blessed and grateful to receive!
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I am interested in dentistry. I plan to major in a science like biology and get my degree to become an orthodontist.
Who is your sports hero and why? My sports heroes will have to my parents. They both played at the collegiate level and have prepared me and taught me so many life lessons throughout my career. Ken Clarke (my dad) played basketball and Elizabeth Clarke (my mom) has influenced me to play with an all-out effort and always a positive attitude. I am so blessed to have them in my life!
Do you have a secret talent/skill? I play basketball and volleyball for my high school. I used to play AAU basketball for a few years until my parents made me choose between travel softball or basketball!
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