Senior McKenzie Jewell, a member of NHS as well as the softball and basketball teams, is a supportive team player with the stats to prove herself.

Jewell started playing these sports at six years old, and has put in countless hours of training since then. She balances basketball and softball with their different on and off seasons.

“I train by going to hitting and pitching lessons for softball,” Jewell said. “For basketball I practice on my own.”

 Because Jewell is a pitcher and outfielder for the softball team, she tends to focus more on skills specific to her position, such as the spin of the ball when pitching and tracking in the outfield. 

“I train my spin and speed for pitching, being able to track a ball well for outfield, hitting, and my bat speed and angle of the bat,” Jewell said.

Jewell has found a balance between school and extracurriculars, giving herself time to train and participate in club activities.

“I get most of my work done in class, so I can focus on my sports when I have them,” Jewell said. “The key is to do your work when you have free time in your classes.”

Through all her hard work, Jewell has an earned run average of 4.90, a batting average of .419, and an on-base percentage of .448.

After graduation, Jewell hopes to attend Eastern Florida State College playing softball and majoring in nursing.  She said she’ll use her current strategy to find the balance between school and sports.

Jewell was given the Player of the Game award several times this season for being a team player and getting the runs needed. The girls play American Heritage May 4 for the district championship.

“Don’t go into softball with one foot in,” Jewell said. “If you’re going to play softball you have to commit fully to it, or the game will eat you up.”