The Kent Reporter athletes of the week for the week of May 2 are from Kentwood; Zach Hernandez (Sr.) baseball and Madelyn ‘Maddie’ Hughes (So.) track and field.
What do you value in your sport or about your team?
Hughes: I value commitment and community in my team. Commitment and trying my best are important to me because I want to feel good about myself at the end of the workout or the meet.
Hernandez: What I value most about my sport is the fact I have got the chance to continue playing it after high school and that I have been playing since I was 3 years old.
What have you learned from your sport that you can take with you throughout your life/future?
Hughes: I’ve learned that even when it’s tough and I want to give up I should keep going for myself and for people counting on me.
Hernandez: What I have learned from my sport that I can take with me in life/future is that baseball is a hard sport, so it is a challenge every day. So later in life I am ready to face whatever challenges I may go through and be mentally prepared for that.
What do you do when you aren’t motivated and what helps you stay motivated?
Hughes: When I’m feeling unmotivated, I tell myself that I’m meant to be here and that I want to get better and give myself good opportunities.
Hernandez: What helps me stay motivated when I am not motivated, is just understanding the process and learning you are going to fail, and I must have positive self-talk to keep my head up.
Do you have a favorite pre-game meal?
Hughes: My favorite pre-game meal is chipotle
Hernandez: Favorite pregame meal, number 8 from Jersey Mike’
What advice would you give to a teammate that is struggling?
Hughes: To a teammate that’s struggling, I would say that consistency is key and it’s okay to have off days but as long as you are trying your best that’s what matters.
Hernandez: The advice I would give a teammate that is struggling is that baseball is a challenging sport it’s the hardest sport in the world and if you tell yourself and stay positive it can go a long way, because that’s what worlds for me.
From the sidelines:
Hughes: Maddi is an untapped talent and a fun spirit to have around. She is a strong competitor with diversified talents both on the track and in the field. She is ranked in the league in all of her jumps as well as all of the sprints. Maddi never loses site of keeping sports fun with her teammates while she puts in the quality work to manifest her success on the track as well as in the classroom where she maintains a 3.900 GPA.
Hernandez: Zach is a four-year starter who has played a critical role on this year’s team as the starting center fielder and lead-off hitter. He is batting .315 with an on base average of .458, 3 triples, and 16 stolen bases. His performance the last week included being named player of the game, pushing through a major outfield collision, and as always, being the team’s spark plug on offense.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
