Tuesday March 26th, 2024
TEXT_SIZE

An interview with Riot Sports Keith Laski!

 

Keith Laski

USSSA Playing History

Major List Player

Interview from 1/8/2019

Who are you playing with in 2019, and who have you played with in the past?
Riot in 2019
Riot 2018
Sonnys 2017
The Scene 2016
Precision 2005-2015

What positions do you play and what is your best position?
Wherever a coach puts me and i'm a great and i mean great catcher.  Hardly any pitched ball gets by me and I protect the umpire with just about any pitch.  I used to be decent in the field and I hope to get back to that level this year.

Who is the best softball player you have ever seen play?
The best I have ever seen play is Andy Purcell overall but Junior Dedonatis is the best i've seen in the infield.  Even as of last year, he was the best defensive infielder I've ever seen.

Why do you like the game of softball?
It fills my competitive void that I lost after being done with baseball many years ago.

Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
There are a lot of really good up and coming players.  There are a bunch of young guys around the nashville area and two off the top of my head are Kaleb Wilson and Justin Gregory.

What is your nickname in softball and how did you get it?
ski, self explanatory

What is your height and weight?
6' 215 lbs

Where do you call home?
Nashville, Tennessee now but I was born and raised in Naperville, Illinois

What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
Fishing at my uncles cabin in Northern Wisconsin.  There is no cell service unless you drive to the next town.  I get up and fish, eat breakfast, fish again, go golfing and eat lunch, then fish again, eat dinner, fish until dark, and then go to the local bars and play darts and drinks some beers and shots  with some family and friends.  It doesn't get much better than that for me.

What do you do for a living?
Pharmaceutical Sales

Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
Yes baseball and only baseball in high school and college

How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
I was playing league ball with a bunch of my college teammates and childhood friends with two bats.  We told one of friends to get two bats and we used them.  We were playing against Precision's tournament team and absolutely destroyed them.  I was asked to play that following weekend with them and the rest is history.

What was the most surprising difference between Conference play and non-Conference play when you made the jump?
The most surprising difference is the pitch selection at the upper level.  There is talent galore at the lower levels, but most of those guys swing at pretty much anything that is close to a strike.

Is there a player that you would compare your game to?
I wouldn't disrespect anyone like that.

What would you say is your career highlight to this point? Maybe one play or game that sticks out to you in particular?
My career highlight play had to be when we were playing Line Drive at the A worlds in the winners bracket final as a little ol' B Precision team.  Ryan Parfitt was up and hit a one hop rocket up the middle and I guessed correctly going into that hole.  I dove and stabbed at the line shot and as i landed on the ground i rolled and threw the ball to 1st from my back side, getting him out by a few steps.  The guy can fly down the line too.  I was told by many players after the game that it was the best play that any of them have ever seen.  I still haven't seen that play because DW couldn't find the video footage, but it was the best and most important play I've ever made.

In your career was there a single person (player/manager/coach) who had the most significant impact on your approach to the game? Why?
I would have to say Todd Ankney gave me the best advice to be the best offensive and defensive player I could have been.

What type of batting grip do you use and what ounce bat?
28 oz 1/2 end loaded bat with a 12 inch barrel and i overlap one finger

What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
I hit whenever it's nice out and I get in the gym as much as possible.

What is your favorite sports team and your favorite sport other than softball?
The Chicago Bears as long as Cody Parkey isn't kicking for them!!!!!!

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
I have the same ritual when i approach the plate and get into the batters box.

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make?
Bat supplied tournaments to see just how good some hitters are with stock bats.

What is your favorite non-World tournament and why?
Probably the Boones because it's all you can eat.

What is the best softball field/complex you have played at and why?
The best is in Oklahoma City with the pristine fields.  The grass is perfect and there is no rocks in the dirt.

Tell us something about you that most would never know about you?
I almost chose tennis over baseball when I was growing up and wish that I had many many times.
 





 


"Softball Guy" picture of the week is this guy from Precision!  (2012)  ðŸ™‚


 

 

2016 Interview

What positions do you play and what is your best position?
I've played shortstop the last few years.  I also usually play at least 10 games in the outfield too and maybe some 1st base.  Whatever is needed at the time.

Who is the best softball player you have ever seen play?
Andy Purcell is the best softball player I've ever seen.  He is the best pitcher, the best fielding pitcher by far, and the best hitting pitcher.

Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
There are a bunch of really really good players in the Illinois area, but I would have to say my boy John Williams.  He is an absolute stud!!!!!

What is your height and weight?
6' 205lbs

Where do you call home?
Lisle, Illinois

What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
I love going up to my Uncle's cabin in Northern Wisconsin.  All we do is fish, golf and drink some beer.  It's the best place on Earth.

Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
I played High School and College baseball.

What was the most surprising difference between Conference play and non-Conference play when you made the jump?
The most surprising thing to me when I started playing Conference ball is how hard EVERYONE hits, and how good the defenses are.  There are studs in the infield and outfield that love taking hits away.

What would you say is your career highlight to this point? Maybe one play or game that sticks out to you in particular?
My career highlight is winning the USSSA B worlds a few years ago.  It would have been winning the USSSA A worlds either one of the last years but we got double dipped both years.  We choked in most peoples eyes, but Line Drive and FBI flat out beat us.

In your career was there a single person (player/manager/coach) who had the most significant impact on your approach to the game? Why?
There are so many people that have helped me develop into the player i am today.

What advice can you give a young player trying to break into the upper level?
You need to work on your game and not just play league ball.

What type of batting grip do you use and what ounce bat?
I drop the pinky off the bat and swing a 28oz bat.

What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
Lift and hit

What is your favorite sports team and your favorite sport other than softball?
My favorite sports team is the Chicago Blackhawks.

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
I have a lot of superstitions, actually have too many to list.

What is the best softball field/complex you have played at and why?
I love playing in columbus because as an infielder, it doesn't get much easier than fielding a groundball on turf.

Tell us something about you that most would never know about you?
I've had two elbow surgeries and had a total of 11 bone chips removed from my throwing elbow.

2 responses to “An interview with Riot Sports Keith Laski!”

  1. J wilk says:

    Good luck to my boy! Killed it last year and will kill it this year.

  2. Jermaine #43 says:

    The only guy that wears highwater pants when he plays…lol. Keith you are a great ball player and team mate and I wish you nothing but the best.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.