Alabama Softball Newcomer Q&A: Kyra Lockhart
1/24/2018 3:23:00 PM | Softball
We will be posting Q&A's with each of the six newcomers on this year's Alabama softball team heading into the 2018 season. The third Q&A is with Kyra Lockhart, an infielder originally from New Jersey who moved to Georgia for her senior year of high school. She finished seventh at PGF nationals in 2017 with her new club team, Georgia Impact, before competing with the Bahamian national team over the summer.
How did you get your start playing softball?
"I wanted to play basketball at first but my dad signed me up for tee ball so I started with that when I was about six years old. After that I played baseball until I was 13 and then made the switch over to softball. Basketball was still my main sport but around sixth grade it moved to softball. Everyone started getting taller in basketball and I didn't!"
When did you first realize you could potentially play softball at college level?
"When I went to an exposure camp at my travel team's facility and had some teams locally telling me I could play at a high level. That was around sixth grade so I wasn't even thinking about playing in college at that point."
What schools were you looking at initially?
"I wanted to play anywhere in the SEC. Watching the games on TV it was so competitive and such a big stage. I was obsessed with that. I looked at Georgia and Florida early on but then I had a good showing at a tournament January of my seventh grade year and Alabama saw me there. I came to a camp after that and eventually Alabama moved in front of Georgia, who was probably my favorite before that."
What was your first visit to Tuscaloosa like?
"Everyone was so genuine and nice. You could tell it wasn't just for show and they would be the same way when you came here to play as it was when you visited. Even though it was a game day, the coaches were so welcoming and made me feel like I could actually play here. It wasn't just a visit where you sit and watch, you could really see yourself playing here. The campus was beautiful too."
Was there any hesitation to leave the Northeast and come to a school far away from home?
"My mom had always talked about moving down south if I wanted to go to a school there. I knew in the back of my mind that my parents would be close if I wanted to make that choice. When my mom's job got transferred and we moved from New Jersey to Georgia my senior year, I initially didn't want to leave all my friends back in New Jersey but now that I'm here, I love that my family is close by."
When did you commit to Alabama?
"It was a few weeks after the visit. On the visit, I told [UA head coach Patrick] Murphy that I took Spanish and was really interested in the language. When he called me, he asked me if I'd like to commit in Spanish. I wasn't sure if he was really asking me, it was surreal. I didn't know how to react but of course I said yes."
Did you feel any added pressure after committing to a big program like Alabama?
"Here and there sometimes I felt people putting pressure on me and expecting me to play at a certain level every game, which isn't possible. Everyone has bad games. I had such a great support system with my family though. They told me to follow my own path, stick with the program, work hard and don't let other people tell you to play a certain way. It wasn't about the stats, it was about working hard, getting good grades and representing the school well in how I am on social media and things like that."
How has the adjustment to college life as a student-athlete been so far?
"It's been a big adjustment. I came from a school that wasn't that good so it was low-intensity practices. Travel ball is a higher level but it's once a week. Here, you're working out every day, practicing, study hall and it was a big change."
How have you seen the team come together over the year so far?
"Our team is really close. We get along well, you can tell in the locker room. People are telling jokes and everyone is laughing, it's not split into little groups. It's not just the freshmen when we're eating at the dining hall, there are always others from the team there and we're all having a good time."
What was it like stepping onto the field at Rhoads Stadium for the first game in the fall?
"I was really nervous at first. Putting on the jersey in the locker room, I couldn't believe it. I had been watching these games for so long in the stands and on TV. Once I got out there for my first at-bat, I made sure to take a deep breath and look around and take it all in. It was amazing to be out there and see my parents and all the fans. It was one of the best feelings I've ever had. It's still surreal and I don't know if it'll ever feel like business-as-usual. I'm just so happy to be here that I think every game will feel like that."
Looking ahead to the season, what are some of your goals?
"Our goal is to keep working hard. We made sure to commit to stay at a certain level over winter break so we could hit the ground running in the spring. We looked good in the fall so we wanted to maintain that level and keep getting better as the year goes on. Individually, I just want to be the best teammate I can be. Whatever role I have, I'm going to play it to the best of my abilities."
