OCR Text |
Show Your Sports PAGE B8 MONDAY, MARCH 21, 20Q5 In the huddle Player spotlight: Katie Welling Zachary Fraser Sports Writer I My own personal sports credo After writing this column for the past few months, I finally realized something. Every week I voice my opinion, but I have not had the time to voice my opinion on everything that has occurred since the start of the school year. So I have decided to let you know how I feel about the current events in the sports world by quickly getting to the point of my thoughts on these subjects. I think March Madness is the greatest time of the year. I think I filled out my bracket wrong again. I think Andrew Bogut is overrated. I do not think that Tom Hoi"Speaks" cont1 on page B6 t's daunting stuff, being a freshman and playing Division I college sports. It seems like just yesterday that you were dominating the high school ranks, then going out for ice cream sundaes afterwards. Now, the games are a little more important, the stakes a little higher and not everyone on the field happens to be your friend. No worries, at least not for Katie Welling of Orem. The freshman infielder simply stepped onto the field, cool as a cucumber, and hit .455 with two doubles and two RBI in one of the first tournaments of the year. At big, bad cross-town rival BYU. And oh yeah, she was also named Division I independent player of the week. Pressure? What pressure? "I just looked at it like I had nothing to lose," said Welling in a phone conversation (the team is in California on a road trip). "Now I feel the pressure, but at the time I didn't because I didn't know better." Now she does, and yet the freshman continues to deliver. Before heading off to San Francisco this week, the former Bruin from Mountain View High School was hitting .340 with four doubles, two triples, and a homerun, as well as eight RBI. Heady numbers for a young lady who, by her own definition, was "only recruited by Utah schools." Unfortunately for Wolverine fans, Welling will be out at least a week, as she injured her shoulder Friday night. It appears to be a partially separated shoulder, and she will see a doctor later this week. With options to go elsewhere in the state, Welling saw Utah Valley State as a great fit. "Coach Fairbourn really wanted me to come here," said Welling in between the doubleheader the Wolverines played on Friday. "My high school coach recommended Coach, and I really trust him, so I came here." Besides the fact that she starts at a Division I program (as of March 16, she had started 20 games and played in all 21) and the fact that friends and family only have to drive five minutes to see her play, Welling was excited about the fact that she could play all four years and finish her degree in the same place. Had she decided to play at the juco level (Snow and SLCC wanted her), that wouldn't have been a possibility. She is currently studying secondary education. Welling, who likes to eat hard-boiledeggs before each game ("Weird, I know," she sheepishly admitted), looks forward to being part of a growing program. "I want to get better every year," she said. "I want to always be consistently better with my play." If her first handful of games as a freshman is any indication, Wolverine fans should be watching Welling lead the program to new heights over the next four years. Hometown: Orem, Utah Year: Freshman Malor: Aviation Science UVSC next home game Is Wednesday April 6 at 3 p.m. against Utah iCCornmiirai issued IDs accept www.oremowlz.tom |