Question for Natasha:Hi Natasha! I just attended the camp at CSI and i appreciate your input and advice. I feel a little dumb asking this question because i have played for a long time but can you be a right handed slapper??Other comments:Thanks Natasha!!! You are my favorite to watch on tv!! I am a huge fan!!!Location: - Emmett, IdahoA: Actually I have seen a right handed slapper. It definitely can be affective as a righty because you will throw the defense off, because they won’t be expecting it. The pros to slapping left handed are that you are 2 steps closer, so from slapping from the right side you don’t have that advantage!! Good Luck and great meeting you!!Natasha #29 

Q) Hi Natasha; I have a question. What was the hardest skill to learn and how long did it take you to learn it? Thanks! Anna #29
–ANNA HOLMES, hernando, MS

A) Hey Anna,

I think the hardest skill for me to learn was learning how to manage failure. The physical aspects of the game are the easiest to learn and control. The mental aspects are the hardest. Being able to fail at something and bounce back is the hardest thing for an athlete to do. That is was separates the great athletes from the good. I don’t think I was able to fully grasp the skill until college. In college you are faced with so much adversity, you have to learn quickly. Till this day, it is the part of the game that I work on the most, being able to bounce right back, and being better than the day before!! Great question. Good luck to you

Natasha

Q) Hi Natasha~ I think you guys are amazing. You and Lovie are my role models and of course lisa fernandez. But i was wondering do you hang out with Lovie and do you guys talk about how to fix your mistakes that you make in a game? Ki Ki #3–Kaitlyn Matson, Springfield, ILA) Hi Kaitlyn,Our whole team pretty much hangs out together. We all get along real well which is nice. But Lovie and I do work together a lot when it comes to defense. We are both middle infielders so we have a lot in common to work on. When it comes to offense we are both such different hitters so we don’t have a lot to compare in that aspect of the game.Natasha

Q) HELLO. I AM THE FATHER OF 10 YEAR OLD TWIN DAUGHTERS WHO LOVE PLAYING SOFTBALL. THEY ARE GETTING PRETTY GOOD AND THEY BOTH SEEM LIKE THEY WILL PROBABLY BE INFIELDERS. I PLAYED BASEBALL ALL OF MY LIFE AND WE ALWAYS USED A SMALLER GLOVE IN THE INFIELD, BUT I KNOW SOFTBALL IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY QUESTION. WHAT SIZE GLOVE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AND IS THERE A GLOVE MANUFACTURER THAT YOU PREFER? GOOD LUCK, WE WILL BE WATCHING……THANKS, BRIAN, NEW CASTLE, PA.–BRIAN HEANEY, NEW CASTLE, PAA) Hi Brian,The same applies to softball. The infielders generally use a smaller gloves. I use a 12 1/2 just because I have a bigger hand. If I could I would like to use a 12 in. I would recommend for your daughters since they are young to try with a 12 1/2 for now as they get older try and use a smaller one. Lovie Jung uses a 11 3/4. So it just depends on preference and comfort. I use a mizuno glove, I would recommend a mizuno glove. The have some of the best gloves that I have used.Natasha

Q) Hey~ I watch you guys all the time when you are on TV and i was listening to Michelle Smith talk about how great your bat control and speed is. I was wondering how long it took you to get it mastered? Good luck in Athens. GO USA!!!–Kaitlyn Matson, Springfield, ILA) Hi Kaitlyn,It took a while to master bat control. It took about 5 to 6 years. Not until college, was I completely comfortable with my bat control. Thanks for your support. Go USA!!!!