Conestoga’s Claire Overton is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
The junior second baseman has been a powerful hitter for Conestoga (6-0 as of April 8) this spring. She was a first team All-Central League outfielder as a sophomore, batting .375 with 13 extra-base hits, 24 RBIs and 30 runs scored in 24 games and posting a lusty .722 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.164 as the Pioneers barely missed qualifying for the PIAA state tournament. Off the field, she is interested in broadcast journalism and participates in Conestoga’s morning TV show “Good Morning Stoga.”
Q: You were one of the team’s leading sluggers last spring. What do you think has been the most important thing you’ve learned recently regarding hitting (particularly power hitting)?
A: One thing that I have always kept in mind when at the plate is first pitch strike. Good pitchers like to work ahead, as a batter you need to take advantage of that. For the majority of at-bats, the first pitch thrown is in the strike zone, if not down the middle.
Q: What aspect of your game did you work on most during the off-season?
A: A little bit of everything. There is always something to improve on, but I do work extra hard on my hitting.
Q: Last spring, you were a vital part of a Conestoga team that made some noise in the District 1 tournament and barely missed the PIAA state playoffs. What has been your most memorable experience as a Conestoga softball player – can you share it with us?
A: How well we played as a team, the connection we had and the bonding that really brought us together. We had a number of late inning victories which really set the tone for a team that never gives up.
Q: Tell us a little about your start in competitive softball. Who have been your biggest softball mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you about softball?
A: I have been playing softball since I was 5 years old. Starting at 11, I began to play travel softball. My dad was either the head or assistant coach up until last year when I started to play for the Pennsbury Gems Gold. One of the things my Dad told me that really stuck with me was to always give it 110 percent. Always give it your all and if you make a mistake, make the next play even better.
Q: Other than softball, what other extracurricular activities do you participate in at Conestoga?
A: In the winter, I participate in the Platform Tennis Club. My partner (my brother Ryan) and I played really well together, being one of the top teams at Conestoga. At the end of the season, a couple of my other teammates and I travelled to New Jersey for junior nationals. It was a cool experience to play against some of the best players in the United States.
Q: What’s your favorite subject in school? What do you think you might like to major in at college? Is there a career field that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite subject in school is probably math although I do not plan to major in a subject that involves it. Right now, the major that I would like to pursue is broadcast journalism. I would especially like to cover sports teams since I have been around sports fields my whole life.
Fun facts – Claire Overton
Favorite TV show: The Good Doctor.
Favorite movie: Despicable Me.
Favorite athlete: Zach Ertz.
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite place to visit: Martha’s Vineyard or Savannah, Ga.
Favorite pre-game meal: Dunkin Donuts.
Family members: parents Keith and Cindi, brother Ryan, dog Cali.
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
