Kalynda Hoevener doesn’t have a lot of free time during the spring at Crothersville High School.

The reason she is busy is because she plays softball and throws the weights for the Tigers’ track and field team.

On days she doesn’t have a softball game or a track meet, Hoevener practices both sports.

“After school, from 3 p.m. until 4, I’m here (at the track) and then I do softball from 4 until 6,” Hoevener said.

There are two other girls that play both softball and track.

Hoevener has thrown the shot put and discus throughout her career, and says shot put is her favorite.

“I’m just better at it,” Hoevener said. “I think it’s more fun and it’s easier to concentrate on. I do a spin and then I release it. You have to use your legs, and then after every practice my coach helps me with what I need to improve on, so I just try to do that every time, just try adding on to it.”

Her best throw is 28-feet-11-inches.

“(Getting 30 feet) has always been my goal,” Hoevener said. “This is the best year I’ve had. I need to improve using my legs and my whole body to push across because I have a habit of just using my arms”

She said her first throw is usually her best throw.

Hoevener also likes throwing the discus, and enjoys working hard to try to get the perfect throw.

“If you mess up on one little thing your whole is basically off, so you have to get the whole thing perfect and not one throw that you get perfect,” Hoevener said. “It’s kind of fun. I’d like to hit 70-feet. I’ve been throwing 65, so I have a little bit to improve on.

“I spin and that is basically what you have to focus on. You have to make sure your footwork is correct and stuff because it’s not as much about strength as it is about technique.”

Hoevener has been playing first base on the softball team, and said she enjoys the defensive part of the game like fielding bunts or taking throws to get putouts.

“I like it because I like when I move to catch the ball because I made the play, basically, not just about me but helping the team,” Hoevener said.

Hoevener said her enjoys hitting and said her strength is making contact.

“That’s actually my favorite part,” she said. “I think it’s fun when you get a big hit. I like high pitches. I hit pop flies and sometimes they get caught.”

The Tigers have only nine players on the roster, and with one injured, they haven’t played a game since April 9.

Hoevener looks forward to playing games this week.

“I’m excited to play and get some weeks filled with softball because I like softball, too,” Howevener said. “I’m excited to get back into practice and get our team back going.”

On the schedule, Hoevener looks forward to the home softball games and track meets.

“I think it’s cool seeing everybody there,” Hoevener said. “I like the home track meets better than the away meets.

“We’re a younger team and we need to get our positions figured out. I think once that gets figured out and everyone gets used to the game, and we get playing some games I think we’ll do better. There were only three of us that had played softball before. We’ve improved a lot from our first practice until now.”

She also played basketball for three years and said she chose to be a multi-sport athlete because it has kept her busy.

“Once you start it, it’s kind of hard just to stop,” Hoevener said. “I just kept doing everything every year and it kept me busy. It was fun.”

Hoevener said she enjoyed competing in all three sports.

“I’m a competitive person,” she said. “I like when we win, or even when we lose we learn something. I think practice is the most important part. You have time to work on what you know you have to work on because in games you just play.”

The senior has enjoyed her time at CHS.

“I love Crothersville because, my whole class, we’re all close,” Hoevener said. “We all know each other and you can be close with everybody. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I like how you get to know your teachers on a personal level.”

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Name: Kalynda Hoevener

School: Crothersville High School

Parents: Greg and Angie Hoevener

Siblings: Deric, Evin

Sports: track and field 4 years, basketball 3 years, softball 3 years

Athletic highlights: basketball-2017 sectional champions

Organizations: National Honor Society, Sunshine Society, FFA, academic team

Plans after high school: attend Purdue University, study Ag Communications

Favorite food: macaroni and cheese

Favorite TV show: Chopped

Favorite singer: Kane Brown

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