University of Minnesota Athletics
First Pitch with Taylor Chell
2/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
With season around the corner we are introducing the fans to the three freshmen on the team! This week meet Taylor Chell out of Nowthen, Minn. Chell was a four-time varsity letter winner for Anoka High School. She was named a Northwest Suburban all-conference selection four times. In 2015 she was named all-state in 2015 as well as being a Minnesota Ms. Softball finalist.
Gopher Sports: What caught your eye about the University of Minnesota?
TC: I think we all grew up in Minnesota looking up to the Gophers as they are the only Div. 1 program. You obviously see the apparel everywhere. The biggest thing for me was being able to have my family come watch me play.
GS: How's your experience been so far now over a semester in?
TC: Awesome. It has been absolutely awesome. Even better than I expected.
GS: What are some of your favorite things so far?
TC: Coming in the morning to lift or for practice early morning and seeing all my teammates. They are all tired but it takes five to ten minutes and we are all ready to go and having fun.
GS: What is it about the game of softball that you love so much?
TC: Just being able to step on the field and having all your problems withheld in the surrounding fences I think is the biggest thing. You turn into a different person. All the problems are behind the fence and it becomes you and the game.
GS: Are there any activities outside of playing softball that you really enjoy?
TC: Coaching baseball and softball would probably be my biggest one.
GS: How was it to go from player to coach when coaching the youth level?
TC: I think being a player helps me coach and being a coach helps me become a better player. I learned that everyone learns a little bit differently. You can yell at some and that pumps them up to get better, and others you need to softly criticize and say, 'Hey, you did this great, but you need to work on this.' Just learning the players and how they play the game is key.
GS: Do you have a favorite walkup song?
TC: Not off the top of my head. There is just too many, way too many.
GS: If you could hit off any celebrity, who would you pick and why?
TC: Johan Santana, just because he was my favorite pitcher for the Twins growing up and I think I would like to face him. Or (Aroldis) Chapman, just because he hit 106 on the gun. I think that would be awesome.
GS: What are you most excited for this season?
TC: Just getting to know my teammates. I am also excited for the airports. There is always a lot of funny stories about the airports. Really just getting to play the game that we all grew up loving together will be great.
