NCSA caught up with softball standout Sara Mihalo about her high school career and the opportunity to compete at the college level.
NCSA: What motivates you before a big game? What's your pre-game ritual(s)?
Mihalo: Music motivates me before a big game or tournament. My pre game ritual is to eat nachos every time we have a game.
NCSA: What are you looking forward to if and when you get the opportunity to play on a collegiate level?
Mihalo: I am looking forward to meeting new people, having fun, living on my own, and moving away. I am also looking forward to pursuing my major of nursing.
NCSA: Why did you get involved in the sports you played in? (Is it a family tradition, do you admire an athlete in the sport)?
Mihalo: I got involved in the sport of softball when my parents signed me up for a local rec program when I was 6.
NCSA: Tell us about your interactions with college coaches so far.
Mihalo: I've liked every coach I have met. They seem very knowledgeable about the game. I am building relationships with them through e-mail and telephone. I am not surprised about where the colleges are from. I am hearing from Beloit, Cornell, Edgewood, Concordia and many others.
A couple anecdotes are when I visit the colleges there is usually a snowstorm. Locating the colleges is always a big challenge.
NCSA: How are your team(s) doing so far? (Club teams, high school teams)? Any challenges this season? How are you excelling personally, how does that compare to previous years?
Mihalo: My club teams indoor practice have just ended for high school season, but we had a very successful fall season going 7-0. We will be competing in Colorado Sparkler and ASA Northern Nationals and many local tournaments. I have excelled personally with increased pitching speed and movement of my spin pitches. I have become a better hitter due to COE training. I have seen improvement year after year. We have just started practice with my high school team. Due to weather conditions we are still confined to your gym. Our first game is in one week. One of the challenges this season is having 19 girls on our varsity team.
NCSA: What are your goals - athletically, academically and in your community - for the rest of the school year? What are also your goals for the summer? Are you looking to improve your speed, skills, acing a course?
Mihalo: My goals athletically are to gain speed in pitching and make all conference. My goals academically are to having a 3.4 GPA and score a 25 on my ACT. My goals in my community are to help coach the youth softball rec program in our town. My goals for the summer are to do have a good club team record, win tournaments, and to perform well when college coaches come to see me play. I am looking to gain speed in running, gain speed in pitching, and to have a good batting average. I am looking to get an A in U.S. History Honors and English. I have not accomplished my goals yet, but I plan on achieving them by the end of the school year.
NCSA: Tell us about what you've learned since being with NCSA. Have you learned about how to talk with coaches? Have you learned some rules on playing at the next level? What's the biggest take-away you have from your experience here?
Mihalo: I have learned to communicate with coaches when they send me e-mails and letters. I have learned to keep in contact with all college coaches on a regular basis. I have learned to reply to all questionnaires that are sent to you. I have learned to stay in close communication with your recruitment coach. Yes I have learned about how to talk with coaches. I have learned that you have to be really committed, prompt, have a good attitude to play at the next level, and the importance of a skills video for recruitment. My biggest take away is to communicate with college coaches and how to get to the next level.
