Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week: Kayla Kersting, Yorkville, softball, sophomore

Name: Kayla Kersting

School: Yorkville, sophomore

Sport: Softball

Why she was selected: Kersting had a three-run home run and RBI single in a win over Benet and went 2 for 3 with an RBI against Antioch.

She was selected the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her interview with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

How are you feeling about the start to the season?

Kersting: The start of the season has been up and down. We are still trying to jell and come together. At times we are playing really well and others we are not, but we are learning from our losses. We need to keep grinding off the field to find some consistency and play to our full capability.

How did you become a catcher and what do you like about the position?

Kersting: I’ve been a catcher since Little League when I begged my coach to put me behind the plate. I think I just liked wearing the gear because I was so used to playing football and hockey. My favorite thing about the position is that you can see the whole field and have a lot of control of the game.

Is there a memorable home run you can recall hitting?

Kersting: The most memorable homer I recall hitting was my first varsity game last year at Kaneland and I hit one over in my second at bat.

Have you played any other sports?

Kersting: Yes, in fact I have played A LOT of other sports like tackle football, hockey, track and field, basketball, volleyball, etc.

Do you have a nickname?

Kersting: Yes, my teammates call me USA and k-dawg.

Who’s the toughest pitcher you’ve faced?

Kersting: One of the toughest pitchers I’ve faced is Bella Dimitrijevic from Lincoln-Way Central. She has very good spin and a good changeup to keep batters honest.

Is there a place in the world you’d like to visit?

Kersting: I would like to visit Italy because I’m a huge fan of pasta and pizza.

Do you have a favorite TV show or movie?

Kersting: One of my favorite TV shows is Michael Jordan’s documentary “The Last Dance” on Netflix. I love this documentary because it gives an insight of his life and shows Jordan’s undeniable work ethic.

What’s the last book you read?

Kersting: The last book I read was “The Lord of the Flies” for an English project.