Kailin Gilzow '20 Recruiting Profile

My name is Kailin Gilzow, and I go to Wilson High School in Portland, Oregon. I am mainly a shortstop/middle infielder and pitcher for both my high school and club teams, though I can play anywhere on the field. I've been playing softball since the second grade, and the thing that always drew me in was the mental aspect of the game. I have been a multi-sport athlete for my whole life, but none of the other sports I've played have had both mental and physical aspects at the same time. I love the feeling I get after tournaments in the summer when I'm completely exhausted, mentally and physically. I love that softball requires absolutely everything I've got, all the time. I'm an incredibly competitive person in every part of my life, so I appreciate that softball gives me a challenge to not only be the best player on the field, but also to compete with myself in very tangible ways. Because I can compete with myself when playing softball, I've been able to show myself that I can do more than I think and that I can always improve, always beat myself. Softball has also taught me that, in order to improve, I have to put in the work off the field. That's why I throw with my dad whenever we can, frequently go to the batting cages by myself, and have enrolled in a before-school strength and conditioning class. Above all, the thing I love most about softball is the team environment. I also play soccer and have previously played basketball and volleyball, but none of my other teams were as much of a family as my softball teams. My club team has been largely the same girls for four years, and those girls are my sisters and the people I trust most. 

I have an idea of what I'm looking for in a college, though I am open to some things changing. Ideally, I want to be at a medium to smaller college. I am not sure what I want to major in, but my main interests are writing, exercise science/kinesiology, and engineering. My college decision will be based in academics first, then softball if I have the opportunity. One thing that is very important to me when considering a college and its softball team is that the softball program honors the phrase student-athlete, with emphasis on student being first.