Softball | 3/26/2020 9:40:07 AM
Nazareth softball pitcher Kylie Smith is a four-year member of the squad, who has made 39 appearances on the mound, with 10 career victories. In 2018, Smith went 6-3 for the Golden Flyers with 44 strikeouts to just nine walks in 77 innings of work.
Smith, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., is an occupational therapy major, who will return to the Golden Flyers for the 2021 season, as she earns her master's degree. She is one of Nazareth's team leaders on and off the field, who has participated in several community service events during her time as a Golden Flyer.
Kylie Smith - Tomorrow's Leader
Major: Occupational Therapy
GPA: 3.30
Class Year: Senior
Anticipated Graduation Date: Bachelor's degree, May 2020; Master's degree, May 2021
Favorite Professional Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Various Academic Honors/Academic or Athletic Clubs: Member of Nazareth's SAM (Student-Athlete Mentors) Club for three years.
What Type of Community Service Have You Done: My team at Nazareth has always been involved with community service and participation each season. This has included helping run Special Olympics softball events, raising money and walking for Breast Cancer Awareness, participating in the Walk for Inclusion, and running a softball clinic for a local high school team.
Plans After Graduation: After graduating from the five-year program at Naz, I plan to get a job working in outpatient occupational therapy.
What Do You See Yourself Doing in 5 Years: I see myself working towards certification for a specialty in the occupational therapy field, such as becoming a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), and continuing to work in outpatient rehab facilities.
What Do You See Yourself Doing in 10-15 Years/What is Your Ultimate Professional Goal: I really want to make a difference with people. After working in our on-campus clinics at Naz, I have seen the impact our therapy can have on vulnerable populations. In the long run, I hope to have a stable career that also allows me to give time volunteering and giving back to the populations that are not able to receive typical therapy services.
Any Interesting or Exciting Internships You Have Done or Are Currently Working On (Where and what did you do or are you doing): I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a few companies as an intern: With the Naz Occupational Therapy program, I have had the opportunities of having four of my own clients on campus as well as one at the Rochester Psychiatric Center. I have also had the opportunity to do fieldwork placements at the Thomas Nicolla Physical Therapy Center’s Hand Therapy Clinic in Albany and with Step-by-Step early intervention in Rochester.
How Has Playing Collegiately and in the Empire 8 Prepared You For Life After College: Playing college sports has taught me time management and teamwork skills, as well as taught me how to be a leader. More than that, playing softball at Naz has given me a network of people and friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I think that my team has taught me how to be there for one another and how to be a reliable source for anyone who needs it.
Favorite Athletic Memory from Your Time in College: Each season our team has the opportunity to go down to Florida for a spring training trip where we get to play 10 games. These trips allow us to play a lot of games as well as truly bring us together as a team and have fun in a stress-free environment. This past season, we also got to celebrate our senior day in Florida, which, though was a very hard day, we were fortunate enough to have played our games and got to be with our team and celebrate the past four years together which was very special.
Biggest On-Campus Mentor: I think my biggest on-campus mentors are my teammates. They have become some of my closest friends and are always there for me if I need anything, and I know that no matter what I am having trouble with they will be there for me as I am for them.
What Have You Learned About Yourself from Freshman to Senior Year: I have learned that I am capable of balancing many more activities than I once thought was possible. Between baseball, academics, and a social life, college has shown me that with the right attitude and planning, I can balance many aspects of life and succeed.
What Type of Leader Are You: I think I lead more by action rather than words. I think being a captain this past season and being a leader on the team overall has taught me that you don’t have to be the best or the most skilled to be a good leader. Being a leader, to me, means having a good work ethic, pushing each other, and being a reliable resource for my teammates and coaches to look towards.
One Thing Most People Do Not Know About You: My grandfather, Gary Sabourin, played in the NHL and was part of the inaugural season for the St. Louis Blues.
Advice for Freshmen Teammates or Student-Athletes: Don’t take anything for granted, play every game like it’s your last, and have fun doing it all. Each practice, game, and time spent with your team is so valuable, and you will remember the moments for the rest of your life.
The Empire 8 Conference's “Tomorrow’s Leaders Compete Here” Series features a student-athlete from one of its member institutions who has emerged as a leader not only on the field of play, but in the classroom and in the community. The complete list of featured student-athletes is available.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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