Thursday March 28th, 2024
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An interview with Pure Sports Tyler Zwosta

 

 

 

Tyler Zwosta

USSSA Playing History

Interview conducted on 12/4/2017

Who are you playing with in 2017?
Played with pure sports the "A" team for half the year last year, fortunate enough to get the call back to with the "AA" team this year.

What positions do you play and what is your best position?
All 3 outfield spots, but preferably CF. Defense is my favorite part of the game.

Why do you like the game of softball?
I like meeting new people, some of my best friends I've met through softball. I also like just being on or at the fields.. Baseball was my whole life growing up and my first love, now that baseball isn't in the cards anymore, softball is a great game to play to replace it.

Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
My dude Cam Boi from up here in WA, gives 150% every game he plays and has all the tools whether it be defense or at the plate. I have to acknowledge my fellow outfielders!

There are plenty of talented guys over here in the PNW

Mike Guthrie
JD Matthews

Just to name a few

What is your nickname in softball and how did you get it?
Some people call me Z, some people call me Zwosta, I don't really have one set nickname

What is your height and weight?
6ft
185 pounds the last time I weighed myself but that was after thankgiving dinner

Where do you call home?
Good ole Yelm, WA

What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
With my girl and our 2 kids, my son is 6 years old now and pretty much likes to do whatever I like to do. So I'll take him golfing with me or out to take some BP. I just like being around them

What do you do for a living?
Foreman for my family's commercial/residential painting company

Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
Baseball, golf and basketball in high school. And then 2 years at an NWAC community college playing baseball

How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
Someone I worked with asked me to play on his league team in the winter and when I was playing out there a local D team asked me to play some tournaments with them. I stayed with them for 4 years and when I left we were the best C team in the state. Great group of guys, pretty much a big family

What was the most surprising difference between Conference play and non-Conference play when you made the jump?
How well rounded the players are. Every player on the roster can swing it for the most part and play some pretty good defense too.

Is there a player that you would compare your game to?
Ken Griffey Jr 😉

What would you say is your career highlight to this point? Maybe one play or game that sticks out to you in particular?
Career highlight would be asked to do this interview with the famous DW 😉
I have made some pretty good plays in the outfield by my standards and just hearing people cheer and my teammates giving my high fives and telling me nice play is a highlight to me

In your career was there a single person (player/manager/coach) who had the most significant impact on your approach to the game? Why?
Rolando Rodriguez told me one time if I wanted to make it up to conference I'd need to learn how to hit to all fields consistently. So I listened and now I take pride in being able spray the ball around the whole field but still be able to blow it out when need be.
And also Jeremy Atchinson, he is the coach of the team I played on for 4 years back home, he like a second dad to me

What advice can you give a young player trying to break into the upper level?
Homeruns aren't everything, they can be impressive but to me it's just as impressive to go 5 for 5 with 3 doubles and 2 singles. Learn how to really hit, not just swing. And learn to play a position, defense is fun and being good at a position can get you places

What type of batting grip do you use and what ounce bat?
Normal grip with bottom pinky off the knob
27.5 with a .5 oz endload

What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
Take BP, play in some winter tourneys, hit the gym

What is your favorite sports team and your favorite sport other than softball?
Any team from Seattle and Duke college basketball. I would say basketball is my favorite, specifically the NCAA

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
Not stepping on the foul line is pretty much the only one

What would be your "at bat" music selection?
Cartoons and cereal by Kendrick Lamar

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make?
Haven't been involved long enough but so far I like it the way it is

What is your favorite non-World tournament and why?
NW Superdraft is awesome,
Kings of the Northwest, all turf infield and unlimited homeruns
Heard good things about Toys for Tots and this year will be the first time going

What is the best softball field/complex you have played at and why?
The RAC is Lacey is nice, turf infield and a good concession stand

Where is the best place to eat on the road after a game?
Anywhere.. I LOVE food

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
Teammate once drank too much the night prior and was sick the next morning. Stayed in the bathroom for about an hour at the fields and missed he spot in the lineup and had to be pulled from the game. No one knew where he was

Tell us something about you that most would never know about you?
I'm 1/4 Japanese… almost everyone that finds that out never believes me. Haha My grandmothers name was Michiko Yamamoto, barely spoke any English. I actually
Have some family in Japan that I want to go visit someday

What was your favorite sports related gift you have ever given or received?
My uncle collected rookie cards and other sports related things back in the day from all sports and he gave them all to me when I was about 12. There are some pretty rare things in the collection

 

2 responses to “An interview with Pure Sports Tyler Zwosta”

  1. Roop says:

    Great dude right here, i’ve only know him for about 4-5 years but he is always improving. Glad that he made it to the conference level.

  2. WOODY34 says:

    Great dude and really good player. Great arm, glove and speed in the outfield and has the sweet lefty stroke at the dish. Played against him several times and with him in Portland last year… dude is a straight baller every game. Good luck this year cuzzo!

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