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closeBeyond the Athlete: Schaapveld is the Rams’ ace hurler in the circle
Shaun Scott
Rogers sensational sophomore pitcher Bobbi-Jo Schaapveld was undoubtedly the most valuable player on her softball team during the 2008 season.
Schaapveld pitched every inning for the Rams during the postseason, which yielded an appearance at the Class 4A fastpitch state tournament at SERA Fields in Tacoma. She was the epitome of an innings eater pitching a total of 154 innings during the 2008 season. She finished the year with an earned run average of 1.05. Offensively, she was one of the Rams leading hitters with a .480 batting average.
Schaapveld said she couldn’t have pitched every inning for her team if it wasn’t for the efforts of the players around her.
“I had a lot of support from my team. We’re a close knit bunch of girls,” Schaapveld said. “I had so much confidence in the team behind me and we were able to do well.”
With the opening of practice for the 2009 season a little under eight months away, Schaapveld is eagerly anticipating the opportunity for her team to perform even better than they did in 2008.
“We have a lot of good players coming back,” Schaapveld said. “We have the confidence to already get to the point of state and now we have to take it even farther and do even better. I’m really excited for next year.”
Recently, I had an opportunity to ask Bobbi-Jo a few questions about her life outside of fastpitch.
Shaun Scott: What is your favorite movie of all time?
Bobbi-Jo Schaapveld: “Transformers.” It’s pretty intense. It’s an all around great movie. I like it a lot.
SS: What is your favorite restaurant in Puyallup?
BS: Famous Dave’s. I just love barbecue.
SS: What is your biggest pet peeve?
BS: The mispronunciation of words.
SS: If you could pick one person to go to dinner with, who would it be?
BS: My aunt Nona. She died of lung cancer in April of 2007.
SS: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
BS: It’s from my whole family. The advice is, “To not care what other people think.”
SS: Who was your idol growing up?
BS: I’ve always looked up to Jennie Finch (famous softball player). Ever since I was little I’ve watched her. Being a young pitcher its cool to see that if you work hard you may be able to get to the point she is in her career.
SS: What is your favorite dinner dish?
BS: My mom’s spaghetti. It’s the best.
SS: What’s the last book you’ve read?
BS: I read “Cry the Beloved Country” for my sophomore English honors class.