Player Spotlight: Morgan McCallum (9/27)
Player Spotlight: Morgan McCallum (9/27)
Today’s spotlight is on a Texas junior who was ranked in the top 20 on the 2016 Hot 100 list… learn more about her and how she ended up in SEC and also check out her philosophy on life. It’s one of the best ever!
Name: MORGAN McCALLUM
Grad Year: 2016
Pos: shortstop
High School: Horn (Mesquite, Texas)
Club: Texas Glory Adkins/Allen
Stats: 2014 – led Texas in home runs with 17; hit .598 with .655 on-base percentage, 54 hits, 50 RBI, 61 runs and three grand slams in only 29 games played. Also went 19-for-20 in steals.
Honors: No. 16 in the FCS 2016 Hot 100, 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-Area, District 12 5-A Offensive Player of the Year
College: Kentucky
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FullCountSoftball.com: Wow, what an amazing year you had offensively… did you feel like you were “in the zone” all year?
Morgan McCallum: Yes, I was very confident and aggressive at the plate which allowed me to stay focused.
FCS.com: What would you say you were most proud of this year: your power in leading the state in home runs, your ability to get on base effectively, your skills at stealing a base or something else on the field?
MM: I feel like I was most proud of my batting average. Home runs are mistakes so I just focused on getting on base and scoring runs for my team.
FCS.com: Being a shortstop, you are also involved heavily on defense… talk about that part of your game. Is it where you’d like it to be?
MM: Even though I had a great offensive year, Coach Lawson from Kentucky told me that my defense is what caught her attention. Yes, I’m happy with where my defense is now but I’m always trying to improve.
FCS.com: Tell us how you were first seen by the Kentucky coaches, then how long until they offered?
MM: I was first seen by Coach Lawson at PGF Nationals in California and she stayed the following week to watch me at ASA Nationals. An offer was made by Coach Lawson to my club coach before the end of ASA Nationals.
FCS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
MM: I decided I wanted to commit to Kentucky about two weeks before my unofficial visit. Coach Lawson was my main reason for choosing UK.
FCS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit?
MM: It was in person at the end of my unofficial visit.
FCS.com: How far away from home will be? Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
MM: I will be about 16 hours away from home. Distance was never a factor for me. I just tried to keep an open mind.
FCS.com: What do you do off the field in terms of training and workouts to produce so well between the lines? (what’s your workout schedule, lessons, etc.)
MM: I have weekly hitting lessons, practice with my dad 2-3 times a week and team practice every weekend.
FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
MM: For select ball, the moment that stands out in my mind is hitting six home runs at Nationals in front of Coach Lawson. For high school ball, our third district game last year against Rockwall stands out in my mind. We were tied 3-3, bottom of the 4th and I hit a grand slam with two outs on a 225 foot field.
Quick Hitters
What do you want to major in?
Forensic Anthropology.
Fill in the blank… When I have the bat in my hands and at the plate I feel:_________________
… in total control.
What do you think is the No. 1 issue in the world today?
Our environment. It’s the most important issue to my generation. We need to learn how to take better care of it.
Favorite food:
A paradise roll from our local sushi restaurant.
Least favorite food:
Mushrooms.
Favorite way to unwind:
Listening to music and taking naps.
What’s your dream vacation?
I’d love to go to Brazil.
What type of bat do you use (and why do you like it)?
A LXT because it has good pop.
What music is playing in your headphones today?
Kalin and Myles.
What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
My favorite subject is Chemistry. I guess you could say I’m a Chemistry nerd.
What’s your philosophy or motto in life?
My dad once told me that I had a heart of gold and a glove to match. So, I always try to live up to that.
If you spend the day with anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Emilie du Chatelet- Because she was a talented Scientist from the 1700’s that that was the first to overcame challenges that kept women from becoming Scientists. She later disproved Isaac Newton’s concepts of energy and energy conservation. I’d love to just have a conversation with her and pick her brain.
Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
Yes! I wear my hair the same way for every game (win or lose), I wear a rubberband around my right cleat and I do the same routine every time I enter the batter’s box.
Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
It would be my first hitting coach Manny Meza. He built the foundation of my hitting and when needed, he’s had a way of encouraging me and lifting my softball spirit.