ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Raychel Trocki

When did you start playing softball and why?

When I was 10 and in fourth grade, my teacher put me into this program for academics. If you win, you get to go to a baseball game, and I won, so I went to a baseball game and then started playing baseball. But the only local league was the West Orange Girls Club, which was softball, so I started playing that one.

What would you say your favorite part of softball is?

Batting. I love hitting and being able to beat the pitcher, ironically.

Could you take us through your hit that scored the winning run at Ocoee?

A couple games before that, I had a little bit of a lull in hitting, so I practiced a lot. For the game-winning hit, Nini (Underwood) was on third, and I was like, ‘You know what, this is it — just got to make contact and let it go.’ The pitch came and I took it where it needed to go, up the middle.

What is it like to be relied on as a ninth-grader?

It was a little scary at first, because we’re playing West Orange — we’re playing the big superpowers down here. But with my defense behind me, my team makes it easier to be able to rely on them as much as they rely on me.

What do you like to do in free time?

I love reading. I read a lot of different books — every book I can get my hand on I read. There’s a series called “The Naturals” that I read; I finished “Harry Potter.” “The Naturals” is a book about these five teenagers who don’t go to a high school. They work for the FBI and go to a private one (there). That’s what I want to do: I want to work in the FBI when I get older. They use their natural instincts to catch killers and bad people. They’re in high school, so it’s trying to balance both of them.

What else interests you in the FBI?

I like to be able to understand what people think and why they think it, so like psychology.

What is your favorite color?

I like blue just because I’ve always loved blue. My room’s painted blue; my high school team’s blue. Every time someone asked me when I was little what is my favorite color, it’s just blue, blue, blue. I never really changed it. 

What chore do you like the least and why?

Dishes. I don’t like cleaning them and touching the food. My own I can deal with, but other people’s food that’s been in their mouth is not something I want to touch.

– Zak Kerr