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COLLEGE SOFTBALL: TIOGA'S WESSELS SIGNS TO PLAY AT PITT-BRADFORD (3 PHOTOS) (2020-12-14)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER "” Tioga senior Kindra Wessels will play softball at the next level after signing her letter-of-intent  to play at Division III Pitt-Bradford during a brief ceremony here Thursday in the high school foyer.

"Pitt-Bradford is a really small community, and I think it will be a good fit for me," said Wessels. "And, the coach was very welcoming. It felt like a family."

She is not concerned with the campus being a four-hour drive from home.

"I think it's a good thing. I need to get away and experience a new atmosphere."

Wessels had an outstanding sophomore season, but the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out her junior season.

"This (pandemic) has really effected me a lot," said Wessels. "I was devastated I wasn't able to play my junior season.

"We got a little of our travel season in, but we were only able to play in four tournaments.

"It definitely encouraged me to work out more. I had more time to work out, and work on my motivation," added Wessels. "It taught me that in order to play at a higher level, you have to be willing to put your own work in, and not just for your school or travel team."

Wessels has a pair of strong advocates in interim Tioga softball coach Stephanie Hills and Conklin Raiders Premier 18U coach Joe Roman.

"All around, Kindra is an awesome player. She's very coachable," said Hills. "When it comes to learning things, she's a great role model for the kids as well. She knows her material - on and off the field."

"I think the most important thing for Kindra is that she's a hard worker," said Roman, who has coached Wessels since 10U. "Many players work hard, but she works harder.

"For example, she's either outside pitching every night, or when it gets colder she's inside hitting," noted Roman. "Her work ethic puts her a step above a lot of other players.

"Kindra's attitude is also wonderful. She gets along great with her teammates," he added. "I would put a Kindra Wessels on my team any day."

The step up from the IAC to Division III is a big one, and Wessels, who expects to pitch and play shortstop at Pitt-Bradford, knows she has to keep working.

"I need to work on my pitching, keep working to improve for the next level," she said. "I also need to work on getting bigger, as in weight lifting, so I'm capable of keeping up with all the other girls."

"(Kindra) doesn't have a glaring weakness that she needs to work on," said Hills. "I think she just needs to keep working on her all-around game for the next level.

"As a freshman coming into the (Pitt-Bradford) program, she will have to work extremely hard to earn a starting position, but I think she's capable," added Hills.

"I think the next level is going to be a little bit different for (Kindra) because now she's competing at the college level," said Roman.

"Most of the college teams have a lot of players these days," he noted. "I understand (Pitt-Bradford) is going to have about 20 players, so now she's in an environment where everybody has played softball for years, and everybody has a lot of talent and works hard.

"In order to be successful, she's going to have to work that much harder," added Roman. "With her work ethic, she'll excel, and she'll have a great experience in college."

One of Wessel's former teammates - Chloe Bellis - is playing volleyball at Pitt-Bradford.

"It's nice to have someone there I know," she said. "It will definitely make it a little easier once I get there."

Wessels is majoring in criminal justice.

"”"”"”"”"”"”

IN PHOTO 1: Tioga's Kindra Wessels. ... IN PHOTO 2: From left: Scott Wessels (father), Kindra Wessels, and Cheryl Hopkins (mother). IN PHOTO 3: Seated, from left: Scott Wessels (father), Kindra Wessels, and Cheryl Hopkins (mother). Standing: Tioga interim softball coach Stephanie Hills (left) and Conklin Raiders Premier coach Joe Roman. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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