Delaware Sports Blitz Interview: Delaware Tech’s Courtney Kohel

Photo: Delaware Technical Community College

Delaware Technical Community College student-athletes interviews are back! Every Thursday, Delaware Sports Blitz will feature interviews with the student-athletes from the Community College.

The next student-athlete interview comes from Delaware Tech’s softball team, which is catcher/third baseman Courtney Kohel.

Kohel talks about everything from the best part of being a catcher/third baseman and how she stays motivated during the highs and lows of the season.

Related: Delaware Sports Blitz Interview: Delaware Tech’s Carly Collins

How did you start playing sports?

“My siblings and cousins all played sports growing up, so it was something we all did together.”

What adjustments did you have to make from the jump of high school to college, regarding the sport you play?

“The adjustments I had to make with the jump from high school softball to college softball are my level of focus and hard work.”

How do you keep yourself in game shape in the offseason for your sport?

“I work out at Peak Performance in the off-season to maintain my strength and agility.”

What is the best part of playing your particular position?

“With catching, you are involved in every play and are the one person who can see the entire field. I am the one who calls the plays and tells my fielders where the next play is. But when I am at third base, I always have to stay on my toes. The third base is a hot spot, and you never know if the batter is going to try to sneak a bunt or hit a line drive right to you.”

What has a former or current coach taught you, that you still use today on or off the playing field?

“Always play like it’s your last game and have fun. I apply this in sports and outside of sports because you never know what life is going to throw at you.”

What is a typical day for you when the season is in full force?

“A typical day involves doing homework during the day, then heading to practice, and after practice, I head to work.”

What do you feel is your greatest strength?

“I feel like one of my greatest strengths is always trying to have a positive attitude and picking up my teammates.”

What do you feel you are weakest at and how do you work on to improve it?

“One of my weaknesses is being too hard on myself. I am my biggest critic, so I need to work on allowing myself to make small mistakes without being hard on myself.”

Describe some of the highlights of your athletic career.

“Some highlights of my athletic career are winning the DIAA state tournament in 2017 with my high school softball team and winning the USSSA World Series with the Delaware Express in 2017, 2018, and 2019.”

What is the best part of playing on a team?

“The best part of playing on a team is to have life-long best friends who all share the same love for the sport.”

How do you stay motivated during the highs and lows of a season?

“Knowing that you only have so many years left to play a sport that you love really sucks, but it always makes me want to play every game like it’s my last and to not take anything for granted because at some point, I am going to have to put on my cleats for the last time.”

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced, and how did you overcome it?

“One of the biggest challenges I have overcome is my confidence. I used not to be confident in my abilities, but I continued to stay positive and not dwell on the past, and because of that, I have my confidence back.”

In what ways, does playing a sport, help you with your studies?

“It holds me accountable to stay on top of my assignments and keep good grades.”

How would you like to be remembered by your teammates and coaches?

“Being someone who was hard working and had fun while I was playing.”

Why did you choose to play at Delaware Tech?

“Delaware Tech was the best fit for me at the time of recruitment. I also really liked (Head Coach Guy Wilkins) and the values that he holds.”

What was your experience like throughout 2020 and what does it mean for you to play competitive sports again?

“My experience through 2020 was not a great one, as everyone else could probably say the same. Jobs shut down, and COVID really changed everyone’s views. To play sports again is exciting because softball players only have so many years to play the sport we love, so being able to play with my teammates again was special because once we reach college, we only have four more years before we have to lace up our cleats for the last time.”