When Sloane Sokol straps on her equipment and crouches down behind home plate for the Fairfield Little League 12-year-old All-Stars, you know she means business.
As the starting catcher for the District 2 and Section 1 12-year-old champs, Sokol is the coach on the field, the player with the whole field in front of her, and she takes the job seriously. There is no other position she’d rather play, whether it’s for her Fairfield LL All-Stars or her travel team, the CT Fury.
Yes, she plays basketball, and, yes, she skis (She loves Vermont skiing!) but when the pads are on her and the umpire says, “Play ball”, Sokol is home.
On Monday, a little more than 24 hours before Fairfield Little League opened its Connecticut Final Four tournament up in Waterford, Sokol went “Extra Innings” with the CT Softball Blog.
FIRST INNING: How did you become a softball player? What led you to the softball field and why do you enjoy it so much?
SLOANE SOKOL: I think I started playing softball because my parents just signed me up because they thought I would enjoy playing it. I like playing softball. I like my position and all of the teammates that I’m with, and they make it fun.
SECOND INNING: What’s been the best part of your team’s Little League season?
SS: I think us winning districts and sectionals and going to states.
THIRD INNING: If you could get the game winning hit in the bottom of the sixth inning to give you a team a win or make a spectacular defensive play to clinch a win for your team, what would you choose and why?
SS: I’m not really sure. I think I’d rather have maybe a good defensive play because I’d rather be in the defensive part of the field than hitting.
FOURTH INNING: Who’s your favorite softball player or favorite athlete and why do you like them so much?
SS: I like (former University of Oklahoma player) Jocelyn Alo, because she’s a really good hitter.
FIFTH INNING: If you could learn to play any other position other than catcher, what would it be and why?
SS: I don’t think I would really want to win another position. I like where I’m playing.
SIXTH INNING: What is the biggest off the field life lesson you have learned from being a softball player?
SS: That you have to have a lot of confidence. If you have no confidence in yourself, then you’re not going to play your best because you’re going to be so down on yourself and then you’ll get really nervous. So, I think confidence.
SEVENTH INNING: What is your most favorite thing to do at a softball practice?
SS: I like when we hit off the machine and when we scrimmage.
EIGHTH INNING: What’s the best part about being 12 years old?
SS: Well, you get to play Little League and you can go to the World Series.
NINTH INNING: Who is your favorite teacher that you’ve ever had and why?
SS: Probably my fourth grade teacher. Ms. Nolan. I think she had a really positive attitude and she was really funny and nice.
TENTH INNING: What’s the best thing about your school?
SS: I think just being around all my friends.
ELEVENTH INNING: If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?
SS: The lunch.
TWELFH INNING: Speaking of food, what is your favorite home-cooked meal and who cooks it?
SS: Oh, my dad, I really like his ribs.
THIRTEENTH INNING: What is your favorite pregame snack?
SS: A yogurt parfait.
FOURTEENTH INNING: What is the one television show that you always like to watch over and over and over again?
SS: I don’t really know. I just watch a bunch of different shows.
FIFTEENTH INNING: What do you want to be when you grow up?
SS: A house designer. Interior design.
SIXTEENTH INNING: Are you a dog person, a cat person, or a reptile person. And why?
SS: Dog. I have a dog at home. He’s a mix.
SEVENTEENTH INNING: Other than softball, what is something that you’re really good at?
SS: I think I’m really good at skiing. I don’t ski competitively, but I do it for fun, but I think if I wanted to (ski competitively) I could.
EIGHTEENTH INNING: What is a fun fact that your teammates might not know about you?
SS: I think I’m good at baking. Like brownies or cookies.
NINETEENTH INNING: What one word best describes you?
SS: I think I’m kind of funny, so probably funny.
Love Stories Like This?
Get Connecticut’s best softball features, breaking news, recruiting updates and exclusive interviews delivered to your inbox every Friday morning. Subscribe to the CT Softball Blog Weekly.
Leave a Reply