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Paige Reitz (12) is catching a softball during a warmup. This was her third season on the team.

 Q: How long have you been playing softball? What made you start wanting to play?

   A 2019: “I’ve been playing softball since I was five, so this is my eleventh season. My sister played softball, so I grew up watching her which made me want to play.”

A 2021: I have been playing softball for 13 years. I wanted to start playing because my older sister did.¨

   Q: How many teams have you been on and which one is your favorite?

   A: “I’ve played travel ball for five years and I’ve played on three different teams and my favorite is the Illinois Fire.”

A 2021: “I have been on four travel teams and the Illinois Fire was my favorite.¨

   Q: What position do you play and what do you do? 

   A: “I’m a catcher, so I’m a leader on the field and I tell people what to do and control a lot of the plays.”

 A 2021: “I am a catcher. I call pitches and call the plays on the field.

   Q: How did you feel when you made the LC softball team?

   A: “I was very excited to start the season and I was also very relieved because it was very nerve wracking.”

 A 2021: “

   Q: How did you feel about your last LC softball season?

   A: “I think I had a very successful freshman season, as a team we only lost one game, and I made a lot of friends.”

 A 2021: “I am very proud of our last season. We made it all the way to state and that was a once in a lifetime experience.”

   Q: How have the upperclassmen on the LC softball team helped you prepare for the last season and this upcoming season?

   A: “We have workouts during the fall and winter and the upperclassmen really push us to add a lot of weight so we are prepared for the season.”

 A 2021: “ The seniors last year were very goal oriented and driven. They instilled in us early on that we were going to have a long and successful season. Being a senior this year is a lot of pressure because I have to be a leader to all of the underclassmen.”

   Q: What are you looking forward to in this upcoming season?

   A: “I had a lot of fun during my freshman season, so I’m very excited to get back on the field with my new friends and I’m very excited to for sectionals and the postseason.”

 A 2021: “I am looking forward to playing one last season with my close friends. Most of us have been playing with or against each other since we were young, so it will be bittersweet to play with them for one last time.

   Q: Are you planning on playing softball in college and if so, what colleges are you looking at to play?

   A: “I do want to play softball in college and I’m mainly looking at D2 colleges such as University of Indianapolis and Grand Valley State.”

 A 2021: “ I plan on going to college to focus on my education. My top colleges are Purdue University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.”

   Q: How has playing softball affected your time management skills?

   A: “We have tournaments every weekend so [I] do my homework during school or early in the weekend so I don’t procrastinate on Sunday nights.”

 A 2021: “  Playing softball during the school year is a challenge but it has taught me to get my work done and not procrastinate.  I often find myself doing homework on the way to practices and games.”

   Q: Who is your favorite softball player of all time?

   A: “Aubrey Monroe, she was a catcher for University of Florida and Team USA.”

 A 2021: “My favorite softball player of all time is Aubree Munro.”

   Q: What do you think is the best thing that has come out of your softball career?

   A: “I think the best thing that has come out of my career are all of my friendships I’ve made along the way out of softball.” 

 A 2021: “I would say that the friendships and memories that I have made during softball are the best things that have come out of my career. I spend so much time with my teammates that we grow such strong friendships over the years.”

   Q: What is your greatest accomplishment in softball?

   A: “I think my greatest accomplishment has been getting 4th place at nationals, 4th and 5th place in the World Series and runner-up in sectionals.”

 A 2021: “ My greatest accomplishment in softball has to be the whole 2021 high school season. It started with winning sectionals, then regionals, then semi-state, and then making it all the way to state.

   Q: Do you have any superstitions before a game?

   A: “I don’t have any superstitions but I have a routine before I go up to bat and I do handshakes with some of my teammates before a game. I also listen to my gameday playlist which include ‘Faucet Failure’ and ‘Foot Fungus’ by Ski Mask the Slump God, ‘Drip Too Hard’ by Lil Baby and ‘Worst Behavior’ and ‘Summer Sixteen’ by Drake.”

A 2021: “I listen to music in the locker room with my team while we all get ready. My hair has to be just right before I can play.”