Schymanski’s mental toughness shines on

By RYAN BRIGHT

Moments after losing to would-be state champion Hatboro-Horsham in the PIAA Class AAAA state semifinals, Owen J. Roberts pitcher Kelly Schymanski did not spend one moment mourning the end of her team’s season. Instead, she said something to her coach that epitomizes why she has been selected as the Daily Local News All-Area Softball Player of the Year.
“I told coach (Kevin) Kirby that no matter what it takes, we are getting back to this spot next year,” said the ultra-competitive Schymanski. “But next year, we’re going to win it.”
It is the same competitiveness and drive to be the best that sets the athletic 17-year-old apart from others.
In the midst of the 2007 season, Schymanski broke her pitching arm by slamming it into her hip during a windup – a freak injury that could easily devastate the psyche of a young pitcher. But Kelly, with the help of her father, worked twice as hard to regain her old form and came back even stronger in 2008 posting a staggering 22-2 record with 225 strikeouts in 164 innings and a .047 ERA.
“After the injury I knew I was going to pitch again, but I didn’t know if I could at the same level as before,” Schymanski said. “But my dad pushed me hard to get back and I feel like that hard work really paid off.”
Schymanski’s hard work paid dividends in the district 1 class AAAA final also against Hatboro-Horshem, when she pitched nine scoreless innings and struck out 14, to give the Wildcats a 5-1 victory and claim the district 1 championship.
“She is absolutely the MVP of our team,” Kirby said enthusiastically of his star player. “Her demeanor on the mound is light; she never gets frustrated and is never satisfied. That’s what makes her so successful.”
Along with her appetite for competition and light attitude on the mound, what has turned Kelly from a good pitcher to a great one is her technique and ever-growing maturity.
“Knowing when and how to change plains with a pitch is what made me successful,” said the well-spoken junior. “Softball is a thinking game and as I got older I learned how to get batters out by knowing what to pitch and where.”
Much like her skill level, Schymanski’s love for the sport also grew and developed over time.
“I used to get tense when I pitched, but I learned to relax,” she said. “Once I did that I enjoyed the game much more and did a lot better.”
“The individuality of pitching and having all the pressure on me is what I love the most about playing. If you don’t like the pressure being on, you shouldn’t be playing. It’s what I thrive off of. The competition and being able to compare myself against the best talent in the area was really the turning point of my love for the game. It’s what led me to softball over the other sports I played when I was younger.
Despite playing an individual role as a pitcher, Schymanski is a complete player as well as a leader. Last season she batted .349 with 19 RBIs and smacked 29 hits in 24 games, all while providing a relaxed atmosphere conducive to her teammates success.
“She appreciates the team and her teammates,” Kirby said. “After every inning she’s by the dugout entrance, high fiving ever kid coming onto the field.”
“We all pick each other up,” Kelly said. “I knew we were going to be good this season because I knew the team would pick me up when I wasn’t doing well and I would do the same for them.
“Everyone on this team came to play and it was a fun. It was different from my first few seasons because everyone really came together and had real fun.”
With Schymanski only a junior, Owen J. Roberts can look forward to another year of success with its star on the mound. But for Kelly, anything short of the state semi-finals and her guarantee to her coach would be deemed a failure. “I’m banking on a state title.” She said.

To contact Ryan Bright, e-mail rbright@dailylocal.com