ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Avery Velazquez

Legacy High School junior and varsity softball team shortstop Avery Velazquez is currently leading the Lady Eagles this season with a .524 batting average, a .615 on-base percentage, seven stolen bases, two doubles and 11 hits. Outside of high school, Velazquez also plays softball as part of the travel softball organization The Original TC Tremors.

Tell us about your years as a softball player.
I’ve been playing softball for about seven years. We played Little League with my brother when I was younger, and then my parents got (me and my sister) in softball, because we couldn’t play baseball in high school or college, so we started playing at the West Orange Girls Club.

What do you love most about softball as a sport?
I definitely like making new friends and meeting all these other people. With my travel team, if I play with my (high school) team, I know a lot of girls from the other teams so obviously it’s a big community. I love it. 

How long have you been a part of the Eagles’ softball team? 
This would be my third year. 

Do you have a favorite drill at practice? 
Every (practice) is fun, but when we focus on hitting is one of my favorites. Hitting is … one of the my best releases of stress, because sometimes when you play softball, it gets really stressful. Hitting releases that for me. 

What makes you a unique player on the softball field? 
I’m definitely someone who can adapt to what they need me to do. Say your coach wants to put you in a new position, you want to learn to do it and focus on it and improve. … You have to be able to coach, learn stuff and apply it to what you need to do. 

Do you have a favorite professional softball player?
I looked up to Rachel Garcia (former collegiate four-time All-American softball pitcher for UCLA Bruins) when she was pitching. I also liked Arkansas last year. 

What do you love most about being a part of the Eagles’ softball team? 
I definitely love playing with the girls. They are really fun to play with and they always bring great attitude and all the great stuff. We are practically family out there. … And, definitely the coach (Katherine Barnard): She’s been there for me all this time and she’s helped me grow, so I couldn’t ask for a better coach, ever. 

What’s your favorite hobby? 
I definitely love to hang out with my family. We watch shows together, and we love playing board games together.

What are three things you would take with you to a deserted island? 
My sister (Madison), a bed and some food. 

What’s your favorite type of music? 
Definitely Christian music. My favorites are TobyMac or for KING & COUNTRY. 

Who’s your favorite superhero? Why? 
Thor. … He seemed to get depressed, but he learned to fight through and get over what he was going through — and become a better version of himself. 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? 
It’s either between invisibility and being able to read minds. Definitely invisibility, so I can sneak out when I need to … and sometimes I want to be alone, so that’d work great. And reading minds, so I can know if my sister is lying to me or not. 

What are three places you like to visit? Why? 
I’ve been to North Carolina and Tennessee; those two are favorites. Another place I like to visit is my aunt’s house (Holly). 

If you could go back in time to a specific period of history, what it be and why?
Definitely times where I made my sister mad at me.

What color would you say represents your personality? 
Sometimes black, because I can be moody. But then, I also like pink. 

If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be and why? 
Either a fly or a tiger. Fly so I can bother people … or a tiger. (Tigers) are one of my favorite animals, and I’d be able to be strong, have the orange colors and everything.