March 18, 2008

OhioBobcats.com: Why did you choose to play softball at Ohio?
Paden: I loved the team and the coaches. It seemed like the coaches and players had good chemistry, and I could picture myself playing with them. The campus is awesome and I liked how Ohio was a big school with a small-town feel. It also had the academic programs that I was interested in.

OhioBobcats.com: The team has played in three tournaments so far, which one has been the most competitive and why?
Paden: This is a tough one because last weekend's tournament in Rock Hill had some very good teams in Winthrop and Albany. Overall our first tournament at East Carolina was probably the most competitive. Boston College, East Carolina, and Maine gave us challenges in each game. I didn't feel like there were any games that were a given win. We had to show up ready to play for each game regardless of whether we had beat the team already.

OhioBobcats.com: Ohio scored a season-high 13 runs against Fairfield last weekend. Explain the energy level on the team during that game?
Paden: The energy for that game was good. Some of our players who had not played a whole lot of innings this season got a chance to get out on the field, and the rest of us were excited for them. We tried to stay loud in the dug out, on offense and defense, and that seemed to help us control the tempo of the game. It's easy to get excited when your team is making things happen and pushing runs across.

OhioBobcats.com: What do you do to warm up before a game?
Paden: On the way to the fields I turn up the volume on my iPod as loud as it can go and blare my music. During warm-ups I try to not be overly serious because I play better when I'm staying loose and having fun. When I'm catching pitches during warm-ups, I run through scenarios in my head and think about the things Coach Jess (Jones) and I may have talked about from scouting reports. The main thing is that I try to not let myself get nervous.

OhioBobcats.com: What has been your biggest challenge since starting college?
Paden: My biggest challenge since being in college has probably been time management. I know this is probably a typical answer for freshman but it really is something you have to plan out. I try to make sure that I plan out my day so that I am using up any extra time for studying so that I'm not up late at night. I really have to stay on top of a lot of different things at once so that I'm not accidentally missing quizzes, or meetings, or things like that.

OhioBobcats.com: What do you do to relax from studies and softball?
Paden: When I'm not studying or playin ball, I like to just hang out with my teammates. I'm usually over in James Hall invading my teammates' rooms. Sometimes when I'm in between classes and practice I will sit down and read for like half an hour to help myself slow down and to collect myself. I use any down time to just relax. I take a lot of naps too.

OhioBobcats.com: If you could purchase a dream home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Paden: I would build my dream house back home in Walla Walla, Wash. Ohio is cool, but I would never live anywhere other than Washington if it was my choice. I love the small town atmosphere that Walla Walla has and I'd like to be somewhat close to my parents and brother.

OhioBobcats.com: What would people be surprised to know about you?
Paden: A lot of people are surprised when I wear this pair of camouflage sweatpants that I have. They are some of my favorite pants and they match the camo cover I have for my cell phone.

OhioBobcats.com: Do you have any pet peeves?
Paden: One of my pet peeves is when my uniform is wrinkled. Most of the time I hang up my uniform when we get to the hotel for away games. I get made fun of by my teammates but oh well, my uniform will be looking pristine and wrinkle free in the morning.

OhioBobcats.com: Where is your favorite spot to hang out on campus?
Paden: My favorite spot to hang out on campus, other than the softball field, would probably be West Green. There is always something going on and people outside playing frisbee or football. I like it too because most of the freshman athletes live there and it's fun to get to know other kids from other sports.

March 18, 2008

OhioBobcats.com: Why did you choose to play softball at Ohio?
Paden: I loved the team and the coaches. It seemed like the coaches and players had good chemistry, and I could picture myself playing with them. The campus is awesome and I liked how Ohio was a big school with a small-town feel. It also had the academic programs that I was interested in.

OhioBobcats.com: The team has played in three tournaments so far, which one has been the most competitive and why?
Paden: This is a tough one because last weekend's tournament in Rock Hill had some very good teams in Winthrop and Albany. Overall our first tournament at East Carolina was probably the most competitive. Boston College, East Carolina, and Maine gave us challenges in each game. I didn't feel like there were any games that were a given win. We had to show up ready to play for each game regardless of whether we had beat the team already.

OhioBobcats.com: Ohio scored a season-high 13 runs against Fairfield last weekend. Explain the energy level on the team during that game?
Paden: The energy for that game was good. Some of our players who had not played a whole lot of innings this season got a chance to get out on the field, and the rest of us were excited for them. We tried to stay loud in the dug out, on offense and defense, and that seemed to help us control the tempo of the game. It's easy to get excited when your team is making things happen and pushing runs across.

OhioBobcats.com: What do you do to warm up before a game?
Paden: On the way to the fields I turn up the volume on my iPod as loud as it can go and blare my music. During warm-ups I try to not be overly serious because I play better when I'm staying loose and having fun. When I'm catching pitches during warm-ups, I run through scenarios in my head and think about the things Coach Jess (Jones) and I may have talked about from scouting reports. The main thing is that I try to not let myself get nervous.

OhioBobcats.com: What has been your biggest challenge since starting college?
Paden: My biggest challenge since being in college has probably been time management. I know this is probably a typical answer for freshman but it really is something you have to plan out. I try to make sure that I plan out my day so that I am using up any extra time for studying so that I'm not up late at night. I really have to stay on top of a lot of different things at once so that I'm not accidentally missing quizzes, or meetings, or things like that.

OhioBobcats.com: What do you do to relax from studies and softball?
Paden: When I'm not studying or playin ball, I like to just hang out with my teammates. I'm usually over in James Hall invading my teammates' rooms. Sometimes when I'm in between classes and practice I will sit down and read for like half an hour to help myself slow down and to collect myself. I use any down time to just relax. I take a lot of naps too.

OhioBobcats.com: If you could purchase a dream home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Paden: I would build my dream house back home in Walla Walla, Wash. Ohio is cool, but I would never live anywhere other than Washington if it was my choice. I love the small town atmosphere that Walla Walla has and I'd like to be somewhat close to my parents and brother.

OhioBobcats.com: What would people be surprised to know about you?
Paden: A lot of people are surprised when I wear this pair of camouflage sweatpants that I have. They are some of my favorite pants and they match the camo cover I have for my cell phone.

OhioBobcats.com: Do you have any pet peeves?
Paden: One of my pet peeves is when my uniform is wrinkled. Most of the time I hang up my uniform when we get to the hotel for away games. I get made fun of by my teammates but oh well, my uniform will be looking pristine and wrinkle free in the morning.

OhioBobcats.com: Where is your favorite spot to hang out on campus?
Paden: My favorite spot to hang out on campus, other than the softball field, would probably be West Green. There is always something going on and people outside playing frisbee or football. I like it too because most of the freshman athletes live there and it's fun to get to know other kids from other sports.

March 18, 2008

OhioBobcats.com: Why did you choose to play softball at Ohio?
Paden: I loved the team and the coaches. It seemed like the coaches and players had good chemistry, and I could picture myself playing with them. The campus is awesome and I liked how Ohio was a big school with a small-town feel. It also had the academic programs that I was interested in.

OhioBobcats.com: The team has played in three tournaments so far, which one has been the most competitive and why?
Paden: This is a tough one because last weekend's tournament in Rock Hill had some very good teams in Winthrop and Albany. Overall our first tournament at East Carolina was probably the most competitive. Boston College, East Carolina, and Maine gave us challenges in each game. I didn't feel like there were any games that were a given win. We had to show up ready to play for each game regardless of whether we had beat the team already.

OhioBobcats.com: Ohio scored a season-high 13 runs against Fairfield last weekend. Explain the energy level on the team during that game?
Paden: The energy for that game was good. Some of our players who had not played a whole lot of innings this season got a chance to get out on the field, and the rest of us were excited for them. We tried to stay loud in the dug out, on offense and defense, and that seemed to help us control the tempo of the game. It's easy to get excited when your team is making things happen and pushing runs across.

OhioBobcats.com: What do you do to warm up before a game?
Paden: On the way to the fields I turn up the volume on my iPod as loud as it can go and blare my music. During warm-ups I try to not be overly serious because I play better when I'm staying loose and having fun. When I'm catching pitches during warm-ups, I run through scenarios in my head and think about the things Coach Jess (Jones) and I may have talked about from scouting reports. The main thing is that I try to not let myself get nervous.

OhioBobcats.com: What has been your biggest challenge since starting college?
Paden: My biggest challenge since being in college has probably been time management. I know this is probably a typical answer for freshman but it really is something you have to plan out. I try to make sure that I plan out my day so that I am using up any extra time for studying so that I'm not up late at night. I really have to stay on top of a lot of different things at once so that I'm not accidentally missing quizzes, or meetings, or things like that.

OhioBobcats.com: What do you do to relax from studies and softball?
Paden: When I'm not studying or playin ball, I like to just hang out with my teammates. I'm usually over in James Hall invading my teammates' rooms. Sometimes when I'm in between classes and practice I will sit down and read for like half an hour to help myself slow down and to collect myself. I use any down time to just relax. I take a lot of naps too.

OhioBobcats.com: If you could purchase a dream home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Paden: I would build my dream house back home in Walla Walla, Wash. Ohio is cool, but I would never live anywhere other than Washington if it was my choice. I love the small town atmosphere that Walla Walla has and I'd like to be somewhat close to my parents and brother.

OhioBobcats.com: What would people be surprised to know about you?
Paden: A lot of people are surprised when I wear this pair of camouflage sweatpants that I have. They are some of my favorite pants and they match the camo cover I have for my cell phone.

OhioBobcats.com: Do you have any pet peeves?
Paden: One of my pet peeves is when my uniform is wrinkled. Most of the time I hang up my uniform when we get to the hotel for away games. I get made fun of by my teammates but oh well, my uniform will be looking pristine and wrinkle free in the morning.

OhioBobcats.com: Where is your favorite spot to hang out on campus?
Paden: My favorite spot to hang out on campus, other than the softball field, would probably be West Green. There is always something going on and people outside playing frisbee or football. I like it too because most of the freshman athletes live there and it's fun to get to know other kids from other sports.