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Indianapolis Star
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
At 13, Carmel softball phenom got full ride to Division I. Now, she's hitting bombs in the pros
INDIANAPOLIS -- The lights were beaming across the field for a night time game when Stormy Kotzelnick stepped up to the plate, the score tied 3-3 in the top of the final inning with two outs. Kotzelnick took two strikes. And then ... "That's scalded at deep center field," the Women's Professional Fastpitch announcer boomed. "Sayonara." It was a go-ahead two-run homerun for Kotzelnick, which gave her Orlando Monarchs team a 5-3 lead and a 5-4 win against the New York Rise last week. As Kotzelnick rounded the bases, her Monarchs teammates surrounding home plate waiting to celebrate their rookie power hitter, she still felt like she needed to pinch herself. How had this dream of hers to play professional softball, a dream that began when a tiny girl growing up in Carmel fell in love with a ball and bat, come true. "Playing at the highest level is only awarded to so many people," said Kotzelnick, 23, a left fielder and power hitter for the Monarchs. "Just getting to be one of them, getting to wear that jersey across my chest has been such an honor and a blessing. It's a humbling privilege because not a lot of people even get to say that they played anything at the professional level." In softball, less than 2% of college athletes make it to the pros, according to the NCAA. That's an estimated 200 women competing at the highest level. But Kotzelnick, she showed signs very early that she would be one of the few to rise to the top. It's been 10 years since Kotzelnick made national headlines as a 13-year-old softball phenom from Carmel who could deadlift 240 pounds, squat 185 and could have easily done more but trainers were worried about disturbing her growth plates. At the time, Kotzelnick was clocking an unheard of speed -- running 60 feet from home plate to first base in 2.64 seconds. That was less than a tenth of a second off of Caitlin Lowe, a former U.S. Olympic softball player, who ran that same stretch in 2.55 seconds and was dubbed the fastest softball player in the world. Kotzelnick started training Crossfit at 11 and spent countless hours perfecting her swing. Softball fields, batting cages and weight rooms were where she lived. And what she achieved at such a young age, her strength and skill, began getting noticed in the elite circles of softball. Colleges, major Division I schools, were eyeing Kotzelnick as a seventh grader. Arizona State. Oregon. Washington. Plenty of other schools were flying out for unofficial visits. "I really didn't understand how this would come to me very early," Kotzelnick told IndyStar in 2015 as an eighth grader at Creekside Middle School, "how I get this opportunity." That opportunity ended with Kotzelnick verbally committing to Washington at 13, becoming the first player nationally to make a commitment for the Class of 2020. Her college recruitment was a rare feat for many reasons. Not just because of her age, but because of her position. Most early recruits in softball are pitchers. Kotzelnick was a utility player. She played shortstop, second base and outfield, and for her elite softball team the Beverly Bandits out of Chicago, she handled third base. But often overshadowing her defense was Kotzelnick's hitting. Shortly before she committed to Washington as an eighth grader, Kotzelnick led her Bandits team in hitting at a tournament in California, going 11-for-16 — .688. "Whenever I'm out on the field, I feel like I am in total control and taking leadership," Kotzelnick told IndyStar as a 13-year-old. "I just get in this zone where I feel like no ball is going to get past me. No ball is going to get past me. No ball is going to get past me." Kotzelnick continued impressing as she took the field at Carmel High School, hitting over .400 every season and producing 52 extra-base hits over the first three years. As a 16-year-old, she was ranked the 7th best player in the nation for her 2020 class and was a part of USA Junior National Team tryouts. Kotzelnick was doing things most other high school players weren't. At a tournament in Colorado, she nailed the bottom of a 300-foot fence. And she had perfected another weapon, 'slapping,' a precise bunting technique of hitting the ball to a spot on the infield that's farthest from the place where the out needs to be made. She is considered "one of the most dangerous hitters in the 2020 class," wrote which put Kotzelnick 15th in its Top 100 rankings at the time. "Stormy has been called by one elite coach 'the most prolific hitter in her class.' She is a hitting machine." After graduating high school, Kotzelnick headed to Washington for college where she took a red shirt and then transferred after her first year to the University of Louisiana Lafayette. "Deciding at such a young age that I wanted to go (to Washington) was probably something that I should have waited on a little bit longer," Kotzelnick told IndyStar this week. "But I'm honestly so glad that I did go there and I had that experience just to learn and grow so much as a person and a player." At Louisiana Lafayette as a redshirt freshman, Kotzelnick was the leading run producer (51 RBI). She recorded 14 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs and 22 stolen bases. She led the team with 30 extra base hits while hitting .350-plus in 59 games. During that season, Kotzelnick again made headlines with a spectacular defensive play. "Kotzelnick is still out there tearing it up, doing the softball ... and turning out five-star web gems, like the one above from the Ragin' Cajuns' 10-3 win over Louisiana Monroe," IndyStar wrote at the time. "Heck of a job by the third baseman to read, react and snag that screaming line drive in the blink of an eye. The level of difficulty is raised by where Kotzelnick was positioned (playing in), and she gets bonus points for going full extension to get the out." In her sophomore season at Louisiana Lafayette, while she played 59 games and performed at a high level, Kotzelnick said she realized something that would take her college career in a different direction. "That was definitely the year that shaped me. I went through a ton of adversity and was just able to continue to grow even more," Kotzelnick said. "And I think that was the year that built the most skin on me and where I was able to kind of grow up and just figure out what I really wanted and where I wanted to be, where I would be able to perform my best." Kotzelnick transferred from Louisiana Lafayette to finish her college career at the University of Central Florida where she fell in love with, not only the program, but the state. And with that, her college softball career soared. "I definitely believe that every decision that I've made has been a part of my story," she said. "I ended up performing well, doing my thing and just being in Orlando and getting my name out there." And people in the softball world were taking notice of Kotzelnick, just like they were 10 years ago. This time, it was the pros calling. In the landscape of professional women's softball, getting drafted is mostly word of mouth, coaches who know coaches who know someone else. "So, I had some people reach out to me and they had watched some of my games at Orlando, at UCF, and they were like, 'Hey, we want you to come play on the team,'" Kotzelnick said. "And I was like, immediately, yes. I didn't even have to think about it. I know I want to do that. I know I want to keep playing for a very long time." In May, Kotzelnick signed with the Monarchs, an WPF expansion team that plays on very familiar grounds to her, the UCF Softball Complex where she spent the final days of her college career. Her first season in the pros has been "super cool, super fun," Kotzelnick said, ultra competitive and eye opening. "Definitely the competition is insane," she said. "I mean, in college, it's like you get to play against maybe one All-American every other weekend. Now, you're facing a 70-mile-an-hour All-American every day. So that's been a great challenge, but I love it because I know for a fact that I'm playing against the best of the best." As a pro softball player, Kotzelnick is humbled to be at the forefront of the growth of women's professional sports. She is all in on the motto that is trending: "Everyone watches women's sports." "It is still a growing thing which is awesome because it's come so much further along than what it used to be," she said. "You would be surprised in the sports realm, even the male athletes wanting to contribute and be a part of women's sports. People want to watch us because it is cool. It is cool to see how strong women are in their sports." Like many women in professional softball, Kotzelnick has a second job away from the field. She spends her off time giving lessons to young girls for extra income. As Kotzelnick says, "We're not getting paid what MLB or NBA players get paid." While Kotzelnick works with up and coming players, she often tells them of her journey, the ups and downs and how her dream as a 13-year-old of one day playing in the pros came true. "My advice is you find yourself through the tough days where you don't want to get up but you do anyway, you persevere and learn to love the struggle," she said. "That's the separator from the good ones and the greats."
Miami Herald
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Kelly: Darren Waller found the joy he'd lost in season away from football
Sobriety is a journey, not a destination. It requires ongoing effort and commitment, and doesn't just center around not drinking, or using drugs. It's about making a conscious and sustained effort to live a life free from substance use, and addressing the emotional, and psychological aspects that led to addiction, and destructive behavior. Protecting his sobriety is why Darren Waller, a recovering drug addict and alcoholic - who has faced multiple suspensions through his eight-year NFL career - abruptly retired from the game last season. Waller walked away from a $50 million contract with the Giants because he found himself resorting to his old vices. 'I'm making sure what I'm living, and what I'm walking, I'm practicing. There are times when I've weaved away from that a little bit,' Waller said during Tuesday's introductory press conference with the Miami Dolphins, which traded for the 2020 Pro Bowler a day after the team traded Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a package that also sent cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh in for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a swap of 2025 late-round picks. 'This last year that's something I was able to lock in on,' Waller said, referring to his year away from football. ' I feel like I'm coming into this environment to be effective, and stay grounded.' Waller claimed the New York environment wasn't healthy for him. He also went through a divorce from WNBA superstar Kelsey Plum in 2024 and needed to refocus himself, doing things he was passionate about. At that time football wasn't on that list. The year away from the game, which he spent working out, making music, spending time with family and friends, traveling and going to therapy and allowed him to remember things within the game that can 'bring him joy.' 'It all works together,' Waller said about his sobriety walk, which he's made public for years. 'For me to be as effective a football player as I can be I need to be sober in all ways. Sober emotionally. I need to continue to do what brought me here. Continue to put my recovery first.' According to Waller, he didn't sign an incentive-laden 1-year deal worth a base of $2 million, because of what the NFL provided. He came to the Dolphins with a 'full cup,' and unretired because of what he can bring the Dolphins, the only team he wanted to play for because of his relationship with offensive coordinator Frank Smith, the fan base, and people seeking inspiration. He also valued coach Mike McDaniel's reputation as an innovative coach, and the fact McDaniel's also a recovering alcoholic. Training for the Hyrox Challenge, which is a version of Crossfit, kept him in-shape. However, Waller knows it will take him a minute to get back into football shape, which is why he'll be on a unique practice program with Miami. According to fullback Alec Ingold, who was Waller's teammate during his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, the 32-year-old he calls a 'one of one,' referring to how unique Waller is as a person, will be worth the wait. 'I don't know if anybody is really ready for what he can do on the field. A lot of tight ends impact the game in a number of different ways. That's one dude where I've been in game plan meetings with him and it's 'get the ball to him 15-20 times a game, and he's going to take it over' and he does. I think that's a rare quality,' Ingold said. 'He's going to have his own challenges coming back,' Ingold continued. 'He's a great human being and he can take over games when he's humming, when he's motivated.' More so than what Waller has left, the biggest question about his return centers on how long he stays motivated, and whether his stint in Miami, and playing time with the Dolphins, will assist, or hinder his sobriety. But like they say in recovery programs, Waller's return to the NFL should be taken one day at a time. Waller claims he's ready for whatever comes of it. 'These chances aren't something you can just pick off a tree, or anybody gets them any given day walking off the street,' said Waller, who has caught 352 passes and turned them into 4,124 and scored 20 touchdowns in eight seasons . 'You might as well take advantage of them and put a smile on my face.'
Business Insider
15-07-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
If you have a high VO2 max score, you could live longer. I took a class to boost mine — and finally found a way to make cardio fun.
I have a strange question, but stay with me: Have you ever thought about how long you can run without breathing through your mouth? In a dark basement in central London, I recently discovered that for me, the answer is: Not for very long. Apparently, that means my VO2 max, or ability to send oxygenated blood to my muscles, and how well my muscles can use that oxygen during intense exercise, is quite low. Translation: I'm unfit. I do low-impact strength training like yoga and pilates most days, but no cardio. I've tried to get into running, but it never sticks, and I find cardio machines boring. I learned specifically how bad I am at cardio at V02:MAXED, a new class at London's GymBox. I knew one session wouldn't transform my health, but I was interested to try the first class I'd seen marketed around VO2 max. I wondered if exercising with a specific goal might motivate me to finally form a cardio habit, and if the class — and the nose strips we had to wear while working out — was just a fad. Once the preserve of high-level athletes, in recent years, VO2 max has become a buzzy measure of cardiovascular fitness among runners, fitness competition enthusiasts, and health optimization bros. People are obsessed with it because it's said to be a strong predictor of longevity. As I'm not an endurance athlete, my low score may not seem like a big deal, but having a high VO2 max is linked to a longer life, and a reduced risk of conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. I don't care that I can't run five kilometers in under 30 minutes, but I do care about staying active and healthy as I age. To increase your VO2 max, you have to do a mixture of shorter high-intensity and longer, easier is a 16-week course where clients train at a range of intensities. The class I did was the fourth in the series. Feeling nervous about entering a gym that uses the words "gnarly," "sadistic," and "savage" to describe some of its classes, I descended the staircase from the reception area to the dimly lit bodybuilder's playground below with trepidation. We had to breathe through our noses for as long as possible In the 50-minute class, we repeated three-minute sets on a stroke machine (ski or rower) and a cycle machine (bike or treadmill), with 45-second breaks in between. I used a ski machine and an assault bike. What made the class unique was the breathwork. Our instructor, Firas Iskandarani, a Hyrox and Crossfit coach, explained that we should aim to breathe through our noses for most of the class. He called this type of breathing "gear one," and breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth "gear two." We were told to note when we had to "switch gears." Iskandarani said this should happen after around 90-seconds to two-minutes, but I struggled to get to one minute. As a rough guide, the longer you can stay in gear one, the higher your VO2 max is likely to be, he said. The idea is that, over time, you will need to switch gears less quickly, which indicates your aerobic capacity has increased. About halfway through the class, we were given nasal strips to stick on the fleshy part of our noses, and encouraged to notice if it helped us stay in gear one for longer. It's thought that widening the nasal canal could help to increase endurance by allowing more air through the nose. But one 2020 meta-analysis published in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology found that wearing a nasal strip while exercising didn't improve VO2 Max or heart rate. Still, lots of runners and athletes swear by them, like the elite tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, who wears them during his matches. I felt that the nasal strip helped a little, but it kept peeling off as my nose got sweaty. Breathing through your nose while exercising is thought to help you stay in Zone 2 Nasal breathing is not directly linked to improving VO2 max, but is thought to help the body use oxygen more efficiently. It also encourages you to stay in Zone 2, or at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, while you're exercising. Your muscles have more access to oxygen in Zone 2, making it an effective way to increase aerobic endurance. Once you enter Zone 3, 70% to 80% of your max heart rate, you're moving at an intensity that's too much for the available oxygen supply, which causes you to get out of breath. Breathing through my nose and doing cardio at the same time was hard I found there was a lot to remember and focus on in this class: not only understanding the different gears, but trying to stay in gear one while checking the clock to see when I started mouth breathing. All of this mental arithmetic was required on top of the three-minute sets of cardio, which, I think is fair to say, is a long time. My mind kept wandering and I kept accidentally mouth breathing before I'd actually reached my threshold. It was also tricky to go at a slow enough pace to stay in gear one for even a minute. After about thirty seconds I started to lose my breath. I suppose that tells me I have some work to do in this area. That being said, I wasn't huffing and puffing or red in the face afterwards like I usually am after a 35-minute run. But my arms did get very tired from pulling the ropes on the ski machine and moving the handles on the assault bike back and forth. A structured class made working on my cardio feel more achievable If I did this class again I would pace myself better so that I wouldn't get out of breath so quickly. But I think for a cardio beginner like me, it was a little too technical and advanced. Iskandarani said that part of the demand for the class came from Hyrox fans and CrossFitters, who are already pretty fit and looking to increase their endurance for competitions. But I found doing cardio in such a structured way and with a group of people much more fun and motivating than doing it alone. Going forward, I think I'll stick to cardio classes rather than running every once in a while, getting bored, and trying again when enough time has passed for me to forget how arduous I found it. By focusing on my breath, it became apparent that my cardiovascular fitness is lower than I'd like, and I'm only 28. I wondered how it would inevitably deteriorate over time, and if I'm struggling to get through a class like this now, it's only going to get harder when I'm in my 50s, let alone 80s. As for the VO2 max workout, I don't think it was the right cardio class for me, but it's motivated me to continue my search. Anyone for Zumba?
