Softball Newcomer Q&A: KJ Haney
2/5/2021 5:24:00 PM | Softball
Freshman – Utility - Douglasville, Ga. – Hiram High School
How did you get your start in softball?
"I went to my brother's baseball games when I was young. I was always a pretty rowdy young girl and one day when I was about 6 or 7, I just walked out onto the field at one of my brother's games. The coach thought it was so funny and after the game he asked my parents if I could be on the team. My parents said yes and I actually ended up taking my brother's position that year. That's when I really started playing softball and fell in love with it. I had been dancing before I started softball but hated it. I remember telling my mom every day that I hated it. She danced and wanted me to, but I did not like it."
What was it that grabbed your attention with softball?
"Initially, it was just because it was something that I was better at than my brother. I thought that was so funny. Over time, I just really started to love the sport. I never wanted to do the girly things. I never wanted to go out and have sleepovers, I wanted to go outside and play in the mud or throw a ball against a wall. It just all led up to me wanting to play the sport."
When did it become a serious pursuit?
"It was when I was in 10U, playing in the outfield. My coaches were still trying to really teach us the game and had us moving over in the outfield. When I moved over, I never took my eyes off the batter because I was scared of getting hit. After that, my coach told me, 'I know you are going to go far in softball because you didn't take your eyes off the batter once when you were moving.' I remember thinking, 'Why would I?'"
Were you thinking that college softball was a possibility?
"I think little girls who play softball always think they want to go somewhere with it. I always thought I wanted to go to college for softball. At first, I didn't know where I wanted to go but it was always in the back of my mind. I knew it would be so cool if I got to play at one of the highest levels possible."
Was there a moment where that dream really became a reality?
"My eighth-grade year I got my first offer. When the coach told me she was interested, that really opened my eyes. Once you get that first little push and that first exposure, it makes all the hard work worth it."
When you were first looking at colleges, what criteria was high on your priority list?
"I wanted to play in the SEC. Alabama was my dream school. I remember in sixth or seventh grade, I was at the beach with my grandfather and we were watching Alabama softball and I looked at him and said, 'that's where I want to go play softball.' He wanted me to go to Georgia Tech. He was a big Georgia Tech fan and he got upset when I told him I wanted to go to Alabama. I remember watching them, not even playing but just in the dugout and you could see the chemistry within the team through the screen. That spoke louder to me than any kind of performance on the field."
When did Alabama come into the recruiting picture?
"I committed my sophomore year. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I got a new coach. Before the year even started, he asked me what schools I was looking at. I told him I wanted to go to Alabama. One of my teammates (Megan Bloodworth, 2021) was already committed to Alabama and my coach said he could reach out to Coach Murphy for me. I was so excited, and eventually Murph came and watched us play. Another coach told me later after I committed to Alabama that at that game when they were both there, she jokingly told Murph to back off because I was theirs. I think then it became a competition thing."
What were your first impressions on your visit?
"It was raining on the day of my unofficial visit. Murph got in the car with me, my mom and my dad. He sat in the back seat with me and told my mom where to drive, he called it the VIP tour. He took us to the weight room and showed us around, then took us to Newks. When he offered, I committed on the spot. Everyone was all on board because they knew Alabama was always the goal.
"I was just so amazed by the indoor football facility. My first time on my official visit, when I got to tour the campus, I absolutely loved it. I was so impressed with all the athletic facilities, not just softball, but all of them. Campus is huge but it is a great opportunity to meet people and make some change in the world."
Did you feel a sense of relief after committing or was it added pressure?
"For me, it was a little bit of both. I knew once I committed that I was going to have to work even harder than I did before. Initially, I was working to get an offer but after committing to my dream school I knew I had to work ten times harder. My whole senior year of school ball, I got walked almost every single time I came up to bat which was really frustrating to me because I wanted to hit. In travel ball I wanted to represent Alabama playing against girls I knew were going to other rival schools. I already had that competitive mindset when I was playing against other commits."
How was the adjustment from high school to college?
"Nothing can really prepare you for the time management you have to experience in college. Being a multi-sport athlete in high school while juggling schoolwork definitely helped prepare me. Coming to campus this fall was an experience and adjustment, especially coming with something as serious as the pandemic going on. This season, everything is different for everyone, not just the freshmen. The older girls really helped us to feel comfortable and assured that no matter what it is going on, it will be okay.
"During the scrimmages, I could not be on the field with the girls because of my injury, so I tried to bring positive energy every day. I tried to be the loudest cheerleader. Montana said she heard me yelling before every pitch and that it was special to know that someone was cheering for her success, even if it was probably annoying sometimes. If I can just make one person smile, make one person happy, then it was a successful day."
What are your individual and team goals this season?
"My individual goal is to be flexible. I have been working hard to come back from my injury but my main goal is just to be whatever I need to be every day. It might change every day, but I just want to be flexible and able to adjust. I want to be a light for my teammates and support them in whatever they are going through. I've learned that if you don't feel good, you aren't going to play well, so I just want to be an outlet for my teammates. If I am not playing, I want to continue being the loudest cheerleader in the dugout. For team goals, we have a lot of talent but one of our main focuses is being there for each other and being a family for each other throughout the season."
If a young girl approaches you wanting to play college softball, what advice would you give her?
"My advice would be to set your goals high and never stop until you get there. Do not let anyone tell you that you can't do it. There are so many different roles for you as a college athlete so take others' opinions with a grain of salt. Believe in yourself. Listen to your body, if you are hurting, it's okay to ask for help."
