Today’s spotlight is a compelling player in so many ways… she’s just a sophomore now but has already won two state titles! And she just committed to an ACC school which she says is “only” a 10 hour drive away.

And equally fun is the story behind her first name. I asked her father, Rich, who explains it’s origin:

“As far as the name goes,” he explains, “I am a huge Sammy Hagar fan and he wrote a song when his daughter Kama was born- I stole it from him. The word it itself means ‘Love.’ So she has her own song and it still brings a tear to me and my wife’s eye whenever we play it.”

Name: KAMA WOODALL
Grad Year: 2017
Pos: pitcher/infielder
High School: Canterbury (Fla.)
GPA/SAT or ACT (optional):
Club: Gold Coast Hurricanes – Arcuri                                    
Stats: 2014: 14-4 pitching record with 0.86 ERA, 196 K’s and 20 walks; 2013: 20-11 pitching record with 1.84 ERA with 212 K’s and 39 walks
Honors: 2014: FHSAA Class 2A State Champion (awarded Player of the Game); 1^st Team All-Sun-Coast, 1^st Team All-Pinellas Co., County Pitcher of the Year; 2013: 1^st Team All-State, 1^st Team All-Sun-Coast, 1^st Team All-County, FHSAA Class 2A State Champion.
College: North Carolina State

 

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FullCountSoftball.com: It’s amazing that you still have three seasons left of high school ball and you’ve already won two Florida state championships and been 1^st Team All-State! What was it like winning your first state title while still in eighth grade?
Kama Woodall: Thank you! It was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever experienced. My whole team worked so hard to get there and the last pitch was the biggest sense of pride and relief all at once. I couldn’t have done it without that team and when I finally was able to finish the game and give them back everything they gave me, it was the biggest feeling of accomplishment.

FCS: You’ve been so dominant at such a young age… were you always ahead of your age group in terms of being so good?
KW: When it all started, I was actually the underdog. I found myself having to work harder than all the girls around me to prove I deserved my position. Before I realized it was really happening, I began to pull ahead of those my age. I started playing at a higher level and challenging myself to outwork those much older then me. Doing this then allowed me to pull ahead later on.

FCS: Talk about your pitching repertoire and how you got to be so accomplished at an early age; when did you start pitching lessons, when did it “click” and what are your main pitches you thrown at this point?
KW: For me, its always been outworking my opponents. I’m extremely competitive, so when I began pitching I immediately felt the need to be better than the girl in front of me. I always worked to make myself better than the best girl on the mound. I think this is really what propelled me into working harder and really focusing on my pitching skills. I think pitching really clicked for me around 10. It happened, I think, when I really began to pull ahead. The feeling I got when my team put their trust in me to win games, and when I knew they wanted me on the mound, I was addicted. I knew from then on this is what I wanted to do.

I was originally taught the basic mechanics of pitching from my dad, who taught himself from reading online. He then took me to a local pitching coach who basically fine-tuned those basic skills. I learned there how to throw my spin pitches and drills that I could do to make my mechanics more consistent. I did that for a while, but then I started to advance past the skills that my father and local pitching coach could teach me. We experimented with a few different coaches, which were never really the right fit, until someone recommended me to Jaci Davis. I started pitching with her at age 12 and have gone to ever since. At this point, my velocity has been recorded at 64 MPH. I throw a screwball, curveball, dropball, riseball and knuckleball pretty consistently.

FCS: How do you look at yourself in terms of areas of growth… do you see a lot of areas you can get better and improve? If so, where would you like to elevate your game in the next few years before college?
KW: I see infinite areas that need improvement! They never seem to end. Everything could always be a little better in my eyes. Right now though, I am really focusing on using all the strength I have in my legs to give me more speed. Leg drive is really crucial. I am also working on making my spin pitches spin even more, you can never have enough spin. Ball control, and really placing the ball where it needs to go is also on the top of my list. Most importantly, though, I am working on my mental game. Every day batters are getting smarter and adapting to the things I throw, so why shouldn’t I be doing the same? I work on new ways to trick batters, and how to be a new pitcher every at bat. Being predictable or mentally weak is my worst enemy.

FCS: How did NC State come into the picture for you—where did she first learn about you—and how did the process go up until you were offered?
KW: The first time I was aware of NC State at one of my games was in Tennessee. I was contacted that very night after the game by my coach to tell me they were interested. From then on almost every tournament I went to I could spot a red shirt! It was exciting and intimidating all at the same time, the pressure to perform well was off the charts! I didn’t hear much again until after my last summer tournament in California. I was told they had contacted my coach to arrange a visit and time seemed to slow down from there. I did my research on the school and with each day that passed I became more and more nervous. I had never been on an actual visit before. It was a crazy few weeks leading up, since I had no idea what to expect. It wasn’t until after the visit that I realized how fast things had actually gone!

FCS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
KW: I was given a lot of advice on what to do on my visit. Mostly though, I was told that I would get a feeling. Either an amazing one or not one at all. I was told that it would feel like home and I would be able to see myself happy there. They could not have been more right! The campus was fantastic, it was everything I had really hoped for. The coaching staff could not have been more right for me and the feeling I got from the people around me was warm and inviting. It really hit me that “this is where I want to be” when Coach Rychcik tossed me a ball and I got to stand on the mound—I knew that’s where I wanted to spend my college years. I made my commitment that very day. When I sat down and started processing everything I had seen, I started to realize I had no doubts about it at all. I knew it was where I wanted to be.

FCS.com: Was that your “aha” moment when it clicked and you knew North Carolina State was the place for you?,
KW: My “aha” moment was really when I got to stand on the field. Coach tossed me a ball and I took a moment to step onto the mound. It was really a breathtaking moment when I looked up into the stands because I knew that was where I belonged.

FCS.com: Did you do anything fun to celebrate committing?
KW: I had a Frosty from Wendy’s on the way home! I never usually get to enjoy those. I couldn’t celebrate too much though because I was on my way to a tryout for the 18u Gold Team. I did however raid the campus bookstore for NC State items!

FCS.com: How far away from home will be? Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
KW: I’m only a 10-hour drive away from home, which is really great. I always told myself distance wouldn’t be a huge factor if I truly loved where I was going, but it’s a great advantage to be so close to home.

FCS.com: What’s been the highlight of your young softball career so far?
KW: There are so many, but I think committing to North Carolina State has to be the best moment of them all.

 

Quick Hitters

What has been the best and worst parts of high school so far?
The best part was winning states twice and celebrating with an amazing team. The worst was in each state game I had a moment in the last inning where I nearly lost the game myself!

Fill in the blank… the best part about being from Florida is:_________________
… being around so many good players and teams. And I can play in dead winter with barely a jacket.

What do you see yourself doing after softball is over (whenever that may be)?
That’s a crazy thought! But I really want to work in the field of neuroscience. If possible, I want to research brain cell degeneration and make a difference in the world of Alzheimer’s and other debilitating diseases.

Favorite color:
Pink.

Least favorite activity:
Math.

More afraid of in Florida… alligators, hurricanes, mosquitoes or something else?
The ocean and everything in it!

What’s your dream vacation?
I would love to go to Europe.

What are you thinking with the bases loaded and a 3-and-2 count?
“Only I have control of what happens next.”

Favorite movie of the last year:
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I love Harry Potter and I re-read all the books every summer.

Playing in your earphones now is…
Probably an Eminem song.

If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Probably Peyton Manning, he is my favorite athlete.

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
I do everything in a certain pattern but no specific rituals.

What’s your philosophy/favorite phrase you go by?
“There is always someone out there working harder.”