Name: Helene Friedman
Year: senior
Hometown: Hinsdale
When did you start playing softball?
I started playing when I was in kindergarten for Burr Ridge-Willowbrook. My sisters actually played.
What do you enjoy most about the sport?
Not a lot of people play it because it’s pretty unique. You play with the same girls for a really long period of time and you get to know people really well, and I like that.
What is the most challenging part of being an outfielder?
You’re the last line of defense, so if it gets past you, there’s nobody else behind you. You really just need to be on your toes.
How have you improved since your freshman year?
I think I’ve become a lot more hardworking. I didn’t really know what to expert in terms of softball and school. Everyone there wants you to succeed. I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a worker and what I want in life.
What is the best advice you’ve gotten from a coach?
All the coaches really say, ‘Don’t get down on yourself,” which is cheesy, but it’s really easy to and so I think it’s really important to know that you have a group of people around you that support you no matter what. Don’t get down on yourself, but if you do, remember there are other people there to pick you up.
What is your goal for the season?
For me, I want to make a diving catch. For the team, last year we didn’t really win that much, so I think we should slaughter someone. That would be fun.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I’m really into painting by numbers right now.
Will you play in college?
I’m not planning on playing on a college team, but I think I want to do a club sport or something. I’m going to Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
Why does coach Brittany Zust like having Friedman on the team?
I enjoy having Helene on the team for her dedication to the program. This will be her fourth year with us and I couldn’t be more grateful to have a kid like her with us. She is accepting of the coaches and the decisions they make. She wears her heart on her sleeve and it is clear she wants to finish her senior year strong.
— profile by Pamela Lannom, photo by Jim Slonoff
