#Team26 Newcomer Q&A: Kali Heivilin
2/4/2022 11:35:00 AM | Softball
Freshman – Infield – Three Rivers, Mich. – Three Rivers High School
Kali Heivilin Bio Page
How did you get your start in softball?
"I started in tee ball when I was five. I was always a very competitive person and always liked contact. I tried soccer and gymnastics and none of that really clicked. My dad got me started in slow pitch and the pitching machine and went up from there. I liked the competitiveness of the sport and the whole concept of the game. My older brother played baseball and I always wanted to be like my brother when I was younger so following in his footsteps was something I enjoyed doing."
When did softball become a serious pursuit?
"About the age of 12. I did travel soccer and travel softball at the same time. I was already leaning towards softball and within a year I had decided that softball was my passion."
What were some of the challenges of trying to play and practice in a cold weather state?
"There were some days where you were so snowed in you couldn't go anywhere to practice. It came to the point where we had to get hitting nets and put them in the garage. My dad would get a big piece of carpet and spray paint it and I would have to hit certain spots. You have to get creative."
Was playing at the next level a goal? When did you realize it was a real possibility?
"Playing at the next level was always a goal of mine. I had always wanted to go down south, I didn't care if it was D1 or D2. I never liked the cold and I had a lot of family that lived in Florida. When I was 16, there were a lot of college coaches coming to watch tournaments. My coach at the time didn't want to exactly say it but eventually we knew a lot of them were coming to watch me. Realizing they were here for me, I knew I didn't just have to perform on the field but I had to show my passion for the game."
When did Alabama come into the picture?
"My head coach knew Alabama was interested in me and then I got contacted by them right when the window opened my junior year. I never went to Alabama camps or anything before that but when I got the call I was kind of nervous answering the phone. I went on a visit with Jenna [Lord] and Aubrey [Barnhart] on the same weekend. I went to Kentucky previously and had a lot of other visits lined up after that, but I had a feeling after coming here that I was going to go to Alabama. I went and visited Michigan because my brother was going there and it was closer to home, but I think I already had my heart set on Alabama."
What set Alabama apart from the rest?
"It was definitely the family atmosphere. I had Montana [Fouts] as my host and everyone made it feel like family. They showed us around and they didn't try to hide anything and were really honest about what it's like here."
After committing did you feel a sense of relief or was it added pressure?
"I did feel some pressure, more so in high school ball. You would hear little comments if I grounded out or whatever which was hard to deal with but at the end of the day you can't let other people bother you like that. It wasn't a big deal in travel ball. We had nine SEC players on our travel ball team. You still have to go out there and perform and work hard though because you're already representing the University of Alabama."
How has the transition to college been off the field?
"Time management is definitely something you have to figure out quickly. A lot of people warned me about it heading into college but experiencing it for yourself is a game changer. You wake up for weights, have classes, practice and then tutoring and then you wake up and do it all over again. You have to learn how to manage your time but it's a valuable skill for the rest of your life."
What about the adjustment on the field?
"The speed of the game is definitely faster and the practices are high intensity. Playing at such a high level in travel ball, it's not as big of a difference as it could be but it's definitely harder. I like how fast it is though. You get a lot of things done at practice."
Does having a large group of fellow newcomers help the transition?
"It definitely helps. We all get along really well too. The upperclassmen also make the newcomers feel welcome and we all clicked right away. Having a second family here makes the transition a lot smoother especially being so far away from home."
What were your emotions the first time you got to play in the Alabama uniform during the fall scrimmages?
"It was one of those moments where you just say, 'wow, you did it'. I was really proud of myself, just being able to go out there with all the other freshmen and experience this together was really special. Knowing that you accomplished something you've wanted to achieve since you were a little girl is a feeling I can't even really express."
What are your individual and team goals for this season?
"I can get timid really fast sometimes, so my personal goal is to just relax and embrace the process. Being surrounded by so many great athletes, I know that I have to push myself that much harder. Finding little things to improve on each day and teaching myself to relax is the main goal. The team goal is to win the SEC regular season and tournament and the national championship. We want to click together and believe in each other to accomplish those things."
What is your advice to young girls who wants to play college softball?
"My best advice is to push yourself to the highest limit. There were times when I was younger when I would get home from basketball practice or volleyball practice and I didn't feel like hitting but my dad would tell me to go hit. There are times where you don't want to do it but to get to where you want to go, you're going to have to. In the long run, I appreciate my dad for doing that and helping me learn to push myself."
