As we gear up for the revised 2017 Hot 100 next week, we're going to introduce you to some of the players on the list so you can get to know them better not just for their on-field accomplishments, but what they do to impress outside the athletic arena.

Hot 100 elite Keara Napoli​ is a standout pitcher who attends Cambridge High School in Milton, Georgia, who committed to play for the Georgia Bulldogs when she was just 14 years old.

An all-state pitcher last fall, Keara helped her team go 21-4 as she compiled a 0.20 ERA with 163 K’s in 105 2/3rd innings. A power pitcher who throws in the high 60s, she played for the Atlanta Vipers organization last year before moving to the East Cobb Bullets in the fall.

Last July through October, the high school junior started a fundraising initiative called “Strikeout Kids Cancer” with the goal to unite high school softball pitchers across the nation to raise money based for the strikeouts they throw.

When the fundraiser ended in the fall, Keara had more than two dozen supporters. Together, they raised close to $3,000, and 100 percent of the revenues went to an Atlanta-based non-profit research foundation called CURE Childhood Cancer.

Keara plans on running the campaign again this fall to try and raise more funds and awareness.

In this first-person account, she talks about how the campaign began…

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Children who have lost their lives to cancer have shown me how beautiful life is and how thankful I should be for a healthy life.

I decided to start this organization in honor of a little girl named Kelsey Dickson (pictured below), who was a close friend of my grandmother and battled a rare form of cancer called Merkel Cell cancer.

This specific type of cancer only occurs in ages 20 and up, so Kelsey was actually the first child in history to be diagnosed with it. She lost her battle on September 17, 2014, at the age of 10.

Hearing her story inspired me to help other children like her. She has taught me to never complain or take anything for granted.

I’ve heard many other stories lately from children around me, including Mary Elizabeth Paris, Melissa Depa and Lake Bozman.

The program raises money based on the amount of strikeouts pitchers have in a high school, travel ball season or simply a weekend tournament. Pitchers can sign up and their only job is to get people to pledge to them.

You choose the pitcher and the amount you would like to donate per strikeout, or simply donate a flat amount. At the end of the event, pledges will be totaled and 100 percent of your donations will go to CURE Childhood Cancer, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for this dreaded disease.

Why did I start it?

Everyone gets stressed every day—whether it’s from a test grade, a social media post or a problem at work. I used to think little things like that were the end of the world and I still do at times.

What originally got my attention was that every post or comment from these children’s families was filled with positive attitudes, thanks and hope. They are dealing with some of the most painful experiences and have nothing but good things to say.

How could a family with a dying child be so positive, and a family with great health complain over tiny issues?

I was hit with instant guilt. I realized that it was my responsibility to do something about it. I thought I should try and give something back with the thing that makes me the happiest, softball.

A pitcher has a lot of control over the outcome of a game. So I decided that I could use the talent that God gave me to do more than just win a softball game. I could also win the hearts of many families affected by cancer.

Making people happy is what has made me a better player and person. I’ve learned that life is beautiful and that I should be thankful for a healthy life.

The greatest part is that I’m finally able to make a difference with something I spend a lot of time doing, and I hope I can continue this fundraiser for years to come. I have been touched by these children, and now I want to give them something back.

As Kelsey Dickson, the young girl who inspired the fundraiser, would say, “You only get rainbows after the rain.”