Player Profile: Hillary Edior (9/30)
Player Profile: Hillary Edior (9/30)
Today’s standout player we meet up close and personal is a tall catcher from Los Angeles who’s headed to the Univ. of Arizona and as good as she is in softball has something she loves even more… and it will warm your heart!
Name: HILLARY EDIOR
Grad Year: 2015
Pos: catcher/infielder
High School: Carson AEE (Calif.)
GPA: 4.1 (weighted)
Club: Firecrackrs-Rico
Stats: high school-2014: hit .539 with 48 RBI, 13 doubles, five triples and nine home runs with .590 on-base percentage, 1.029 slugging percentage and 1.619 OPS
Honors: 1st Team All-L.A. City Section
College: Arizona
***
FullCountSoftball.com: You have a strong dynamic and are close to your family I hear… tell us about your background.
Hillary Edior: My mom is from Texas and my Dad is from Trinidad. They’re divorced, but overall there are a total of nine kids and we’re Trinidadian and Mexican. My mom is a single mom and she works and my brothers and sisters have high expectations for ourselves. For example, my sister, Chelsey, played softball at Claflin Univ. (South Carolina).
FCS.com: What drives you to be a success, you are going to a major softball program and carry a 4.1 GPA?
HE: I don’t want to be part of the statistics that says we, as black people aren’t supposed to succeed. It’s harsh, but it’s true. My siblings have done it, they have gone out and been successful and it’s because our we all support each other and expect each of us to do great things.
FCS.com: You’re not just good in softball, you excel in another sport… talk about what else you do.
HE: I’m a middle blocker in volleyball and was 2nd Team All-League last year. I’m 5-foot-11 so I have use my height for something, right? (laughs)
FCS.com: Tell us how you were first seen by the Wildcat coaches, then how long until they offered?
HE: I was at the 14U level at the time and at one of Coach Tony’s practices and I hit a shot and someone said one of the Arizona coaches is interested in you. I learned Coach (Mike) Candrea was behind the dugout and I didn’t know it, or have time to be nervous, I was just trying to hit!
FCS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
HE: It was the 10th grade, October of 2012. I took my (unofficial) visit to Arizona and loved it. I love consistency and was really impressed when I met administrators and coaches and they almost all were saying they had been there 10 or 15 years. New guys were there five years and that showed me that there’s continuity in the program.
FCS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit?
HE: On my unofficial visit. Coach Candrea asked, “Are you ready to be a Wildcat?” and I said yes.
FCS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, were you more nervous or more excited?
HE: Definitely excited, but the funny thing is I didn’t know when to say yes! There really wasn’t a time for me to bring it up when I was there until Coach Candrea asked. I wanted to! I committed with Malia Martinez (a 2016 infielder with the So Cal A’s 18U Quarles team) and I remember at one point everyone looked at me like they were thinking, “Are you going to commit?”
FCS.com: Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
HE: No, seeing my sister go to South Carolina made me think that was too far, but Arizona is pretty close—it’s 7 hours away so it’s a road trip for my family—and I liked the weather too… it reminded me of California.
FCS.com: What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
HE: I’m loud in my command on the field and I bring a different type of demeanor to the game. I’m tall, obviously, and I have a good arm.
FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your athletic career?
HE: I loved playing the New Zealand National team last summer in softball. They did the Haka (dance) and it was a lot of fun, but also I was impressed at how they have learned to respect the game. It made me feel that in California we take softball for granted and here in this country far away the sport isn’t well known and they’re trying to build it up.
Quick Hitters (short answers)
What do you want to major in?
I want to be a Physician’s Assistant or possible be an Athletic Trainer.
Fill in the blank… I’m happiest when:_________________
… I’m around my family.
What do you think is the No. 1 issue in the world today?
Drugs. I’ve seen some pretty smart people go that that way and lose a lot.
Favorite thing about being from Los Angeles:
The diversity of the people.
Least favorite chore:
Taking out the trash.
Favorite place in the world:
Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbera (Calif.). My step-father passed away and going there reminds me of him.
What’s your dream vacation?
Caribbean.
What type of bat do you use ?
LXT… it’s the best bat in the world!
What makes you the most happy?
Seeing other people really happy.
What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I can hyper-extend both my knees.
How would your friends describe you in one word?
Tenacious.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
My family.
Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
Yes, several. I always shower before each game and I have to use Dial shower gel. Then, I have to listen to Let It Burn.
Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
Natasha Watley. She gives back to the community including through her camps which has helped so many players.