Off the FIELD with Off the FIELD With Alysha Witt
Monroe junior third baseman
Favorite movie: "Believe In Me"
Favorite book: "The Hunger Games series"
Favorite musical artist/group: Coldplay
The best thing about Monroe is: Size. It's not too big or too small
Favorite thing to do off the field with my teammates: Going to team dinners after practice at everyone's house
I can't live without: My family
Non-athletic talent I have is: Play percussion in Monroe High School band
Non-athletic talent I would like to have is: Acting
If I could meet any two people from throughout history, they would be: Michael Jordan and Ellen DeGeneres
One thing on my bucket list is: Go to New York City
MONROE - For the first time in her high school softball career, Monroe junior Alysha Witt entered the season this spring pain-free.
In her freshman season, Witt wore a brace and played with a torn anterior cruciate ligament after tearing it in a club volleyball game.
"It was tough to get through," Witt said of her freshman softball season. "I wanted to play because it was my first year and I was on varsity."
In October 2015, after her sophomore volleyball season, she had ACL surgery and last year was coming off the lingering effects of the procedure. This year, she got the chance to play at 100 percent in the summer for the Monroe Titans, a traveling softball team coached by her father, Tom Witt, and work on her hitting mechanics.
"I feel like this is the first real season I have ever had since my freshman year," Witt said. "I was able to practice all throughout the winter. My dad would go out and pitch to me. He was helping prepare me for the season."
The good health and extra work has paid dividends for Witt, who leads the team in hits (36), RBI (26), home runs (1), doubles (7) and triples (3). She is second on the team in batting average (.444) and second in runs scored (21).
Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy has noticed a difference for Witt during this season.
"I think her ACL tear was something she thought about as a freshman," O'Leksy said. "This year she is 100 percent and there are no limitations or pain. She has improved her speed as the injury has healed. She's definitely quicker."
Getting used to faster pitching and a new set of pitchers and teammates her freshman year were not the only challenges she faced. Witt, who had played shortstop in youth softball, had to get used to playing third base as a freshman.
"In my first year, it was kind of tough to get used to," she said.
Now she's still a starter at third base for the Cheesemakers who are 15-8 and will play at Brodhead in the regular season finale at 4:30 p.m. today. The Cheesemakers will then play a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game Wednesday at Jefferson.
Monroe won its first five games this year and Witt was moved to the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
"I was kind of surprised with how I started the year," she said. "As a team we were hitting so well that it was a good surprise."
In the middle of the season, Witt said she went through a little bit of a slump.
"I changed my swing to make it a longer swing to try to get bigger hits to score more runs," Witt said. "I've fixed it now and I'm using a shorter swing to hit a lot better. Making contact with the ball and putting it in play is so important. I just want to help the team with RBIs and get the team rallied up to hit. Hopefully, I can keep it going for the regional games to come."
Witt has confidence in the hitters in the lineup ahead of her and behind her. Junior Meredith Hose, the Cheesemakers' leadoff hitter has scored a team-high 22 runs and has a .439 on base percentage.
"I know I have good hitters ahead of me with Meredith and Hailey Betthauser," Witt said. "If I get a hit, I know Olivia (Bobak), Carly (Upmann) and Lexi (Hilliard) will be there to bring me in."
O'Leksy said Witt's greatest strengths are her attitude and mentality to succeed.
"She's always positive," O'Leksy said of Witt. "She's always trying to help others who are struggling."
When Monroe junior shortstop Madison Katzenberger injured her shoulder against Madison Edgewood, Witt made the switch to shortstop.
"She has really good range," O'Leksy said. "She absolutely has a cannon for an arm. I think that is one of the first things other coaches notice about her is the strength of her arm and the accuracy. I think she's one of the best third basemen in our conference."
Witt said the competition Monroe has played in the Badger South Conference has prepared them for the regional game against Jefferson.
"We have definitely had our surprise games where we have won and our games where it was surprising we didn't win," she said. "I think it will be a close game. We have faced better pitchers. We have faced probably two top-notch pitchers this year. If we just have our A game going, we will have the game."
In her freshman season, Witt wore a brace and played with a torn anterior cruciate ligament after tearing it in a club volleyball game.
"It was tough to get through," Witt said of her freshman softball season. "I wanted to play because it was my first year and I was on varsity."
In October 2015, after her sophomore volleyball season, she had ACL surgery and last year was coming off the lingering effects of the procedure. This year, she got the chance to play at 100 percent in the summer for the Monroe Titans, a traveling softball team coached by her father, Tom Witt, and work on her hitting mechanics.
"I feel like this is the first real season I have ever had since my freshman year," Witt said. "I was able to practice all throughout the winter. My dad would go out and pitch to me. He was helping prepare me for the season."
The good health and extra work has paid dividends for Witt, who leads the team in hits (36), RBI (26), home runs (1), doubles (7) and triples (3). She is second on the team in batting average (.444) and second in runs scored (21).
Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy has noticed a difference for Witt during this season.
"I think her ACL tear was something she thought about as a freshman," O'Leksy said. "This year she is 100 percent and there are no limitations or pain. She has improved her speed as the injury has healed. She's definitely quicker."
Getting used to faster pitching and a new set of pitchers and teammates her freshman year were not the only challenges she faced. Witt, who had played shortstop in youth softball, had to get used to playing third base as a freshman.
"In my first year, it was kind of tough to get used to," she said.
Now she's still a starter at third base for the Cheesemakers who are 15-8 and will play at Brodhead in the regular season finale at 4:30 p.m. today. The Cheesemakers will then play a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game Wednesday at Jefferson.
Monroe won its first five games this year and Witt was moved to the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
"I was kind of surprised with how I started the year," she said. "As a team we were hitting so well that it was a good surprise."
In the middle of the season, Witt said she went through a little bit of a slump.
"I changed my swing to make it a longer swing to try to get bigger hits to score more runs," Witt said. "I've fixed it now and I'm using a shorter swing to hit a lot better. Making contact with the ball and putting it in play is so important. I just want to help the team with RBIs and get the team rallied up to hit. Hopefully, I can keep it going for the regional games to come."
Witt has confidence in the hitters in the lineup ahead of her and behind her. Junior Meredith Hose, the Cheesemakers' leadoff hitter has scored a team-high 22 runs and has a .439 on base percentage.
"I know I have good hitters ahead of me with Meredith and Hailey Betthauser," Witt said. "If I get a hit, I know Olivia (Bobak), Carly (Upmann) and Lexi (Hilliard) will be there to bring me in."
O'Leksy said Witt's greatest strengths are her attitude and mentality to succeed.
"She's always positive," O'Leksy said of Witt. "She's always trying to help others who are struggling."
When Monroe junior shortstop Madison Katzenberger injured her shoulder against Madison Edgewood, Witt made the switch to shortstop.
"She has really good range," O'Leksy said. "She absolutely has a cannon for an arm. I think that is one of the first things other coaches notice about her is the strength of her arm and the accuracy. I think she's one of the best third basemen in our conference."
Witt said the competition Monroe has played in the Badger South Conference has prepared them for the regional game against Jefferson.
"We have definitely had our surprise games where we have won and our games where it was surprising we didn't win," she said. "I think it will be a close game. We have faced better pitchers. We have faced probably two top-notch pitchers this year. If we just have our A game going, we will have the game."
