Kayla Kowalik encouraged a youth player the first time she helped mentor young players and came back Sunday with four teammates to work with youth players again. (Jay Ising Photo)
For the second time in the last six weeks, Kentucky All-American catcher Kayla Kowalik got to share her expertise with youth softball players. This time she had four teammates — Lauren Johnson, Renee Abernathy, Tatum Spangler, and Alexia Lacatena — with her in Georgetown to work with Aftershock Softball and Kentucky Rampage Softball.
“I did this before (with Aftershock Softball) and they reached out again about bringing in more teams and me bringing along some teammates,” said Kowalik. “It’s a great mentoring potential and a chance to help out coaching while they play games.
“I absolutely love being able to do this. If I could make my living out of it, I would love to do it. I have always had a lot of influential coaches, including (UK coach) Rachel Lawson. If I get to be that person to others, I am doing it.”
Aftershock coach Jay Ising was impressed with Kowalik the first time she helped his team and even more impressed the second time.
“Kayla is a strong leader and she commands the diamond even on a day like this. She has fun with the girls but expected them to play hard to hustle. She is so awesome,” Ising said.
Her teammates impressed the youth coach, too.
“All five took some much time with each of our teams and really worked on pitching, catching, fielding. It was an awesome day for our teams and girls,” Ising said.
Kowalik hopes what impressed them the most is how “normal” all the players were.
“We can come out with them just like normal people,” Kowalik said. “People put us on pedestals. They look up to us but I also look up to them and how much fun they have playing softball. They play because it is fun. I play because it is a job. College softball really is a job.
“I grew up loving softball. You do not do this if you don’t love it. You put in 20-plus hours per week in practice and weights. You have to work. That’s why I love to get out and just teach softball to young players who just love the game.”
