We are now over the halfway point of our 2016 Pro Season. Time sure does fly during the summer months! I decided to take a different approach with this blog post and gather some insight from one of our rookies. Making the transition from college ball to the Pro League isn’t an easy one. I got a chance to catch up with Kellsi Kloss (Bio), our rookie catcher from LSU, about her experience so far this summer as a Chicago Bandit.
Moulton: Where are you originally from?
Kloss: I’m from Cypress, California, which is just south of LA
Moulton: Where did you go to college?
Kloss: LSU
Moulton: Most memorable college softball moment?
Kloss: I have so many amazing memories from college, but I would have to say going to the World Series was by far the best time of my collegiate career. Those two trips gave me memories that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Moulton: What has helped you transition from college to Pro ball?
Kloss: I was fortunate enough to play in one of the toughest conferences in the country and play against the best competition not only in the SEC, but against other teams across the country that were capable of beating us at any time, which is exactly how Professional softball is. No game as a Professional is a guaranteed win, just like college softball. So in that sense, the preparation that I went through in college made the transition to professional softball a little easier. That, and the fact that my teammates on the Bandits are awesome and helped me get used to how life is as a Pro.
Moulton: Talk about some of the major differences you notice when you’re behind the plate. College vs. Pro ball. (Hitters, pitchers, game calling, etc.)
Kloss: One thing that stands out to me the most is the fact that I call pitches now, and in college, I just relayed the pitches that my coach called from the dugout. Now, I have to be that much more locked in on the game, and that means I have to spend more time with our pitchers and do some homework on the lineup that we’re going to face that day. If my pitcher gives up a hit, I feel like it’s my responsibility, so I take my relationship with my pitchers very seriously, and do my best to make them look even better than they already are. On top of that, these are the best players in the country that we’re playing against, so the pace of the game is faster. I’ve had to learn to be mentally quicker and sharper in a short amount of time.
Moulton: How is playing on turf compared to dirt?
Kloss: I thought that I wouldn’t like playing on turf, but it only took a couple games for me to get used to it and now I love that our home field is turf. The biggest difference I see is that the hops are a little bigger on the turf, and when you’re base running, you slide a little further than you would on dirt. But I am definitely a fan of our beautiful turf field.
Moulton: What do you enjoy most about living in Chicago?
Kloss: I love that I get to live in one of the most iconic cities in the country for a whole summer! I’ve already had some chances to explore a little bit, and I love the architecture and the forms of transportation, and most of all the fact that I’ve been able to visit two MLB ballparks (I’m a huge baseball fan). I had never been to Chicago before this summer, and I’m so glad this is where I ended up!
Moulton: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from a Chicago Bandits veteran?
Kloss: There’s been a lot so far, but the best piece of advice and the one I hear the most often is to enjoy every second of my time as a Bandit. I’m part of such a small percentage of people that get to be a Professional softball player, and to be a part of the Bandits is something very special. I get to live a dream every single day by playing the sport I love as my job, and influencing little girls that want to be where I am one day. I don’t know how I could enjoy anything more than that.
Sara Moulton is a current Pitcher for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League.
