Name: Kodi Rizzo

School: Newark, junior

Sport: Softball

Why she was selected: Kodi Rizzo struck out 12 batters and allowed just one run on three hits in a 4-1 win over Seneca, as Newark improved to 14-0 on the season. She was chosen as the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her interview with Joshua Welge.

Welge: How are you feeling about the start to the season?

Rizzo: I feel extremely confident in how this season has started. We seem to have a lot of potential and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Welge: What did you take, or learn, from your team’s experience at state last year?

Rizzo: It truly didn’t hit me that we were going to state until we got there. It felt surreal. I’ve always wanted to be there performing against the other top teams in the state, and it was a dream come true. We may not have performed our best, but we reached our end goal of getting there. The experience itself was beyond memorable.

Welge: How have you worked to improve as a player and pitcher since last year?

Rizzo: I did have to take a couple months off due to some injury in my arm. Therefore I was unable to truly grow this offseason as a pitcher. However, I took that time to really hit the gym and grow stronger physically to help improve my leg drive, arm speed and power behind the bat. I focused a lot on the mental part of the game because that’s where I tend to struggle.

Welge: How did you get started in softball?

Rizzo: I started around 7 years old because I grew up listening to my mom’s stories of when she played and it truly inspired me to play. I immediately fell in love with it and knew it’s what I wanted to pursue in my future.

Welge: What pitches do you throw? Is there one you feel is your best or go-to?

Rizzo: I throw a fastball and changeup right now. However I do have a drop ball and a rise ball, I just cannot throw them yet. My best pitch has to be my changeup, hands down.

Welge: Have you played any other sports?

Rizzo: I played basketball up until this year and I’ve played volleyball every year of high school.

Welge: Do you have any pregame or during game routines or superstitions?

Rizzo: I’m an extremely superstitious person. Ask any of my teammates. I usually stick to the same hairstyles, warm up the same way, use a certain ball and have an all-around same routine for on deck and pitching.

Welge: What’s the last TV show you binged or movie you watched?

Rizzo: The last TV show I binged was “Love Island USA.”

Welge: What are some goals for this season?

Rizzo: Some of my personal goals for the season are to have a lower ERA than last season, a higher batting average and become a more confident player. As a team, we’ve set goals for each step to reach our overall goal of returning to state.

Welge: What are your plans beyond high school? Do they involved softball?

Rizzo: I plan to go to college, whether a junior college or four-year, to play softball and major in veterinary medicine.