Alabama Softball Newcomer Q&A: Lexi Kilfoyl
1/30/2020 1:25:00 PM | Softball
Heading into the 2020 season, we will be posting Q&A's with each of the six newcomers on this year's Alabama softball team. The third Q&A is with freshman pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl, a two-time Florida Gatorade Player of the Year and member of the USA Junior National Team.
How did you get your start in softball?
"My older brother played baseball so I followed in his footsteps, but they didn't have baseball for my age so I started playing softball. I played for a year, but I didn't like it at all because the coaches didn't really play me. I was six or seven. I wanted to quit the next year, but my dad asked if I would play another year if he was my coach and I said yes. I stuck with it and he became my coach for four or five years until he decided that 'daddy ball' wasn't the best for me so he let someone else handle the coaching.
"He played football and hockey, but never baseball. My mom played volleyball and slingshot fastpitch and then basketball in high school, but neither of them ever played anything in college. Besides softball, I played everything. Soccer, gymnastics, dance and in high school I played volleyball and basketball."
When did it move from a hobby to a more serious pursuit?
"I started going to a pitching coach when I first wanted to start pitching. I think I was in sixth grade when she told me that there were some college coaches interested in me after she would send them videos of me. That's when she said I have a chance to hopefully play in college one day. I didn't think much of it. I knew there were college sports, but I didn't realize I could potentially have a future with softball. Once she reached out and told me that, I realized this was the real deal. It was a hobby to get me out of the house. I didn't think much about college. I didn't know it was really a thing, but that's when it started to take over my life. I realized I was good enough so I might as well put it to good use.
"I played with a local travel ball team, but then I started getting calls from other travel ball coaches asking me to come play for their organizations. I moved to a team in Gainesville, with is about two hours away so I started practicing with their team. That's when I started getting more heavily recruited by other coaches because my coach had connections with college coaches. I played with that team for about three years and then I went and played with an 18U team when I was 14 and I stuck with them."
What schools were you looking at initially?
"We didn't have a family university that we were big fans of or that everyone went to. We obviously liked the University of Florida since it was only two hours away. They were the first of the bigger schools that showed interest in me. I went on a visit there in eighth grade and I liked it there, but I think I was too young at the time. I had my heart set on them, but then I came on a visit here and that's when I realized Alabama was great.
When did Alabama come into the picture?
"Alabama started recruiting me the summer going into my freshman year. We talked and they invited me down for an unofficial visit and showed me around. The coaches were with me the entire time and they really showed that they were there for me and really cared about me. The campus was beautiful. I loved everything. I think I came during finals week. We went to go eat with Sydney Littlejohn and Chandler Dare which was really cool."
"I was a little bit intimidated. I knew of Alabama softball and I knew that they were kind of a big deal, but I didn't know much about them, so it was cool to get to know them. They were all strictly about family. When we first met the coaches, they came up and gave everyone hugs and were so genuine and honest about everything. I really liked them. As far as the players, I was kind of scared. I knew they were a big deal so I was shy and wouldn't really talk.
"I think I was kind of overwhelmed because Alabama was my first and only offer. I got really excited about it. I said, 'this is where I want to be.' I called three days later and told them. Coach [Patrick] Murphy didn't want me to commit right on the spot. He didn't want it to be like peer pressure, so he wanted me to think about it and then call and let them know in the next couple days. I committed three days later which is sooner than most people do, but it ended up all working out.
"I kept thinking that I could see myself here. I wasn't hesitant at all."
Was it a relief to get the decision over with so early or did it add any pressure to live up to a certain expectation as an Alabama commit?
"Being an athlete, I knew where I was going since freshman year, so I got that out of the way and didn't have to deal with the stressful part of recruiting. My friends were stressed junior year trying to figure out which college to go to, but I had it figured out. I was definitely known as the tall blonde girl going to Alabama. I didn't really think much of it. I focus on me. I don't think about what other people think of me. I naturally didn't think much of it, but it was kind of motivating. I knew I had to get better because I had expectations for myself. I couldn't just stay where I was at. I had to get better. It was a relief, but I knew I had to keep working."
How has the transition to college life been so far?
"I had a pretty easy transition. I traveled a lot with my travel teams and was often away from my parents, so I got used to that. I had a trainer back home and we trained about three times a week and I had practice after school, so time management was easier to understand. I think it was around the two- or three-month mark when I started to struggle. I was hiding and looking past all my emotions, but I actually missed home. I don't think I struggled as much though because I'm used to being away.
"The older girls definitely helped. Montana [Fouts] reached out to me. The first weekend when my parents came and I actually got to see them face-to-face helped a lot. All of the freshman were going through the same thing around the same time."
You already knew Fouts and other Alabama players from your time playing with the USA Junior National Team. What was that experience like?
"The first time I played was on the 2017 team. I knew of Elissa [Brown] and Kaylee [Tow], but really got to know them and it was nice to know that I would eventually play with them. Last summer I played with Montana and Skylar [Wallace]. I didn't know what to expect going into my freshman year, so over the summer I was able to rely on them and ask them about anything.
What was it like walking on the field at Rhoads Stadium in uniform for the first time?
"When I was hitting, I didn't look into the crowd because I didn't want to overwhelm myself. I've played in front of big crowds, but not crowds that big. It was a good feeling. Everyone is cheering and supporting, not just watching you. My first time pitching was my first start. There weren't as many people because it was the second game of the day, but I still didn't want to look up into the crowd and make myself nervous. Hearing everyone's support was nice. The second weekend, I started the first game and the stands were completely filled. It was absolutely crazy, but I think the nerves had settled in by then. I just went out there and did my thing."
How have you balanced practicing both your pitching and hitting?
"It has been hard because I'm the only pitcher that hits so I have to sacrifice a little of each. If we have three hours of practice a week, I'll have two hours pitching and an hour of hitting. I have to go in on my own time and put in that extra work. It is kind of tough balancing everything and constantly going back and forth because I was the only one doing it and I was new. It was stressful at times going back and forth, but hopefully if I keep working it'll pay off in the future."
What are some of your goals heading into the season?
"We haven't really talked about team goals yet, but personally I want to be a part of the SEC All-Freshman team or the SEC Freshman or Pitcher of the Year. After Montana got Freshman of the Year, I thought that was so cool. That's something I've had in the back of my head to motivate me."
What advice would you give to a young player who wants to play softball in college?
"As far as on the field, put in the extra work. You can't just go to practice, go through the routine and then go home and sleep. It's what you do when no one is watching that makes the difference. If you're just doing what everyone else is doing, that is not going to get you anywhere. Grades are also very important. You can't just be an athlete your whole life. You have to be able to do something else. Also, listen to your parents and make sure you learn to do the right thing and learn to respect others and yourself."
