Just had to share this fastpitch softball story today. Tonight I received a very excited text from John Gandy, father of Grayslake North HS pitcher Kristi Gandy. He said Kristi’s team had beaten rival Cary-Grove HS 4-1.

What made this so remarkable is that A) C-G also has an outstanding pitcher, one who receives a lot of publicity in the area and C-G is known as a very strong hitting team. They’re very well coached and always a tough opponent. They’ve won a lot of games, but not tonight.

John told me all of Kristi’s pitches were working, and she racked up a lot of strikeouts. She received a lot of defensive support too, and some timely hits (including a couple of her own).

I sometimes feel that Kristi doesn’t get the recognition she’s due. She’s been an outstanding high school pitcher ever since her freshman year, and has received some visibility. But because her high school has been in a “building” phase since it opened a few years ago it doesn’t have the established reputation some other schools may have. She’s now a senior, so it’s great to see all her hard work paying off. Next year she’ll be pitching at Lake Forest College so it will be fun to see her move to the next level.

This was the first time Grayslake North has defeated Cary-Grove in fastpitch softball so it’s a big deal for that reason too. They also recently defeated Crystal Lake South for the first time in school history, so they seem to be on a roll. I just hope they don’t peak too early!

One other reason I thought this was worth noting is that Kristi is not only one of the hardest-working softball players you’ll ever find, she is also incredibly kind and humble. She will always stop to talk and encourage a younger pitcher, and if you compliment her she’ll smile and say thank you, but you’ll never see that attitude so many high performers seem to adopt.

So congratulations Kristi (and Grayslake North), and keep up the great work. This is a win worth savoring. Just remember what you did today has no bearing on your next game, so you have to keep working hard!