Athlete of the Week: Kathy Ching

In looking at this year's softball lineup, one notices that there are twice as many freshmen on the team as there are returning seniors. The immediate reaction is to think, "Uh-oh, a transition year." This season, however, Kathy Ching, BR '00, has shown the danger of making such an assumption.

The Branford freshman hails from Portland, Ore., where she attended Sunset High School. Besides swimming and playing volleyball, she also excelled on the softball diamond. Her talents there earned her the team MVP award for three consecutive years. As team captain, she also received All-State Honors in her senior year. She has continued her outstanding play with the Bulldogs, leading the team in hits, stolen bases, runs scored, assists, and slugging percentage.

Perhaps the most impressive of Kathy's accomplishments this year is the consistent pace at which she steals bases. Out of 25 attempts, she has stolen 23 bases, and only needs to steal five more to break Yale's record of 27. With 34 games remaining in the season, she is projected to break the record by a large margin.

When asked why she is so successful on the basepaths, Ching said, "It's easier to steal bases when the other team doesn't expect you to run. When it comes to what I'm thinking when I run--I just put my head down and run like hell. Our coach has had us practice getting off the base quicker and getting a bigger leadoff."

Ching honed her skills during the summers following her junior and senior years playing in the Amateur Softball Association for a traveling team in Oregon. Competition against teams from California, Colorado, and Texas provided her with ample practice. She feels that this brought her game to "a completely different level of play," and really helped her to "see her weaknesses in comparison to the strengths of other players."

Despite her freshman status, Ching has gained the respect of the veterans on the team. "Kathy is very talented and very quick. She
will break all kinds of records," Bulldog captain Amy Scriven, DC '97, remarked. "She is smart and knows the game very well. Kathy is a bright spot on our offense with her hitting and base stealing abilities."

The Blue spent spring break in Orlando, Fla., and was much more successful there they were on last year's trip to California. In looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Ching stressed, "We hope to get the Ivy Championship, but I think we'll still be happy if we don't, as long as we know that we played up to our potential." With their freshman phenom running the basepaths and slugging away at the plate, the Bulldogs have an excellent chance of achieving this goal.

--Peter Smith

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