FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Kenzie Epley, Greencastle

Kenzie is a senior at Greencastle and participates in one sport, softball.

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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Kenzie Epley: “Sports have been an amazing thing, not just in building my skills but with communicating. I used to really lack communication when I was younger and my social skills were really behind. Softball really became a social thing for me. I got to make a lot of friends, a lot of memories and I’ve enjoyed it.”

BG: Talk about softball.

KE: “I’ve played softball my whole life. I’ve played travel since I was 12, starting with the Smoke team, kept building up, loved it and still play now.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

KE: “One time, I was in 10u and for some reason, I decided to walk off the field when I was supposed to be batting to go and get a drink. I don’t know what I was doing.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

KE: “In my travel routine, I try to get 9-10 hours of sleep because I know it’s going to be hard on my body. I carb load the day before but eat very light during the day so I don’t feel sick during a game. Before every at-bat, I take a deep breath, try to imagine what’s going to happen, what pitch I will get, how I’m going to act and react to what I get and go from there.”

BG: Last year, softball reached a sectional final. This year, soccer and volleyball reached a sectional final and basketball went to the semistate How cool has it been to see the girls’ teams at Greencastle having success lately?

KE: “I’ve definitely loved watching all of the Greencastle girls’ sports become better. I remember coming up as a freshman and noticing how much our team had struggled. How hard we’ve worked, the effort we’ve put in and the memories we’ve made in the past, as we’ve grown up together, allowed us to click. We know each other well and we know how to pick each other up, which has been valuable to the team.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

KE: “I’ve always been a big fan of Shay Knighten. She is the reason I picked the No. 17. I love watching Oklahoma, Alabama, those big teams, with my dad. He’s been a big influence in my softball career.”

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

KE: “In Area 30, I’m a student ambassador, so I give tours to younger kids who want to be involved in Area 30. I help the middle school softball team out and love doing that. I’ve done that the past two years and now that I can drive, on nights we don’t have games, I go straight to the sports park and help them. I love that. I think it’s helped some of our freshmen because they know me personally and they can come up to me. It makes them feel more comfortable, allows them to read the room better and they can look back, having learned form a high school player before, about how the routine works.”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

KE: “I enjoy hanging out with friends and I love being outside. Any chance I can, even if it’s 45 degrees, if the sun is shining, I’ll go out and find something to do, whether it’s playing with my little brother or something like mushroom hunting, which is coming up really soon.”

Due to space constraints, the rest of the interview with Kenzie Epley can be found on bannnergraphic.com.

BG: What are your favorites in movies, books, TV and music?

KE: “I’ve been trying to read more often and expand my horizon on other cultures and how other people live. My favorite movie, which I’ve been watching repeatedly lately, is ‘A League of Their Own,’ which is a softball movie. I’ve been really into that and the history behind it.”

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies, stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc. or something else (gaming, reading, etc.)?

KE: “The first thing I would do is to call my boyfriend, but if he’s busy, I’d spend time with my family. My dad and I are very close, as is the rest of my family. We’d spend time playing board games, talking about everything going on in the world or just what’s going on the next day as we are always very busy.”

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

KE: “I would really like to travel the world, see other cultures and how other people live. We take such advantage of the things we have here and I would like to see how others live. I feel it would allow me to be more grateful for the things we have here.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

KE: “Disappointing important people in my life. I’ve always had people hold me to a very high standard and if I don’t meet that, it breaks my heart. I do everything in my power to not disappoint anyone.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

KE: “I would definitely make homemade fried chicken. My grandma taught me the recipe and I’m never going to let that go. I would make that with some mac and cheese and mashed potatoes.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

KE: “I have a dog named Xena, a pitbull mixed with Shar Pei. She’s chunky and rolly but she is the cutest little thing and will lick you to death. I also have a hamster I got seven months ago, Maddie, who is adorable, even if she keeps me up at night because she runs in her little wheel.”

BG: If your house were on fire, all living things were already out and you have your keys, cell phone, wallet/purse etc., what is one thing you would go back and get?

KE: “I have a picture with me and my entire family that we have no digital copy of that anyone can find. It was from when I was three or four. It’s on my nightstand. I would never leave it anywhere; I find it’s good luck. It would break my heart if I ever lost it.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

KE: “Organized. I’m very organized. I can’t go through my day without everything in a plan. If I don’t know what I’m doing one day, I’d be a stressful mess and not fun to be around. My closet is color coordinated. Everything is on a schedule and life is easier that way.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

KE: “Softball has allowed me to travel a lot and one of my favorite trips was to Panama City Beach. It was a little party crazy down there but I love sand, the ocean, warm weather and being outside. One day, I aspire to be a beach bum. I loved it down there and I enjoyed playing in the hot weather, which motivates me to play better and I want to hurry up and win.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

KE: “I really enjoyed the WonderLab in second grade. As I’ve gotten older, I haven’t gotten too big on science but when I was little, I loved science. I vaguely remember it but I loved all the colors, seeing how things moved and how things worked genetically.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

KE: “Support is huge to me. I’ve always been a big family type of girl supported everyone else and try to help others achieve their goals. The fact my family is behind me, which they always have, has been huge in my life. I don’t think I could have gotten where I am without them. They’re always there after every game and always have my back.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

KE: “I’ve always liked this school. We kind of got the short end of the stick freshman year missing part of the year and wearing masks for a stretch. Academically, I like the teachers we have here.

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

KE: “If we could have a class, it would be a class about taxes and life finance. I had to do my taxes recently and struggled a bit with it. It would be something where we learn how to and when the right time to spend is, savings, debts, loans and all the critical things we need to learn in life. Things like how to buy a home, how to pay a mortgage or insurance. If you ask me how right now, I wouldn’t be able to say much.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

KE: “I plan to go to Indiana State University, get my general education out of the way early and am leaning towards elementary education. I really enjoy inspiring young kids. I had a bit of a rocky start to my childhood, so inspiring kids, showing them that, even if they have a rough start, it doesn’t mean they can’t be successful.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

KE: “It has been a struggle but time management has been a big thing. You just have to manage things well. If you don’t want to get behind, you better start early and pay attention in class. I feel phones have been a huge distraction and I’m sure every person older than me will agree with that. Sometimes, you just have to put it down and get things done because you don’t have time after school, after practice, after games, getting home at 10 or 11 p.m., needing to shower and eat. We’re busy in the spring and it doesn’t seem like it’s that critical in the moment but you have to think ahead. It’s been an adjustment for the freshmen.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

KE: “I’m a big fan Amy Coons and the way she pushes us. She’s always had a good friend connection but also a good teacher and coach connection. She knows what she expects from us but at the same time, she is a good friend and supporter. I also like Diana Myers, the way she teaches and rolls with the punches. She’s been very inspiring to me. English with Mr. Wheeler has helped me a lot. In college, writing is going to be very important and I’ve changed my style of writing and I like the way he teaches, different ways of solving problems and working around issues.”

BG: In the future, once you’ve established yourself, if you had your choice, would you want to live somewhere more remote, such as in the mountains or the countryside, somewhere more flashy like down on the beach or in the big city or in the neighborhood?

KE: “I I would definitely prefer something out a little ways. I don’t want to spit in my neighbor’s window, so not being that close. I’d like to be a little bit out in the country with a couple of animals roaming around. I’ve always liked our big family and want a big family of my own. That said, I don’t want to drive three hours to be in the next town. So, something like Greencastle but a bit further out. I’ve loved the people I’ve met here and they’ve always been kind to me.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

KE: “High school has gone incredibly fast. I remember being in seventh grade, sitting at the table and wishing it away. Now that I’m finally here, I’m thinking it’s gone by way too fast and I was a little eager for it to go. I’m still eager to get out and I’m ready to explore my options in the world, but it’s gone by too fast yet I’m excited for what college is going to give me and what I’m going to learn from that experience.”