Bowie pitcher Kate Bookidis' passions include softball, math, astronomy and Fleetwood Mac

Rick Cantu, Austin American-Statesman

All about Kate: her biggest passions are out of this world

Tell something about you that most people don't know.

People don't know that I do art. It's more of a passion. I would do realism sketches. Today it's more of a hobby.

What has been the biggest news event in your life?

I'm going to say it hasn't happened yet. The (NASA) Artemis 3 moon-landing mission will happen in 2026 with a crew of women. It'll be the first time a woman has landed on the moon. I think astronomy and outer space are much more interesting than what's going on here.

Kate Bookidis says softball has taught her how to handle failure, something she's been able to use in everyday life. "In both softball and baseball, you have more failures than success," she said. "You learn from it and (that) gives you a good mindset in everything."
Kate Bookidis says softball has taught her how to handle failure, something she's been able to use in everyday life. "In both softball and baseball, you have more failures than success," she said. "You learn from it and (that) gives you a good mindset in everything."

What do you believe to be the world's greatest invention?

I'm thinking math. It's more of a discovery than an invention. It's cool how humans can know how the world works through math. It's one of my favorite subjects. You can't do anything without it.

What do you plan to do after high school?

I want to play softball in college. I'm still in the recruiting process. I want to go somewhere to get a good education. I'd probably major in civil engineering prior to being an architect.

Striving for excellence in education, pitching

What is more challenging: playing softball or keeping up with your classes?

Both are very challenging, and I push myself in both of those fields. I take very difficult classes. I work out at home, too. I have a turf mat in the garage and net on the other side where I can pitch and improve my mechanics. I have a (batting) tee in there, too, so I can hit.

Bowie junior Kate Bookidis is looking forward to NASA's Artemis 3 moon-landing mission in 2026. It will have a crew of women and mark the first time a woman has landed on the moon.
Bowie junior Kate Bookidis is looking forward to NASA's Artemis 3 moon-landing mission in 2026. It will have a crew of women and mark the first time a woman has landed on the moon.

What do you remember about the first time you played competitive softball?

I was in a rec league when I was in fourth grade and I thought it was fun. It was a little rocky because I was just learning the sport and others had played for several years. I'm still friends with our coach and his daughter plays on Bowie's team.

What has been your favorite high school softball memory?

It was our first playoff game last year against Cedar Ridge. We were down early but took a 7-6 lead in the seventh inning and held on to win. We all did good to fight back.

Has softball taught you any life lessons?

Oh, yeah. The main thing is to handle failure. In both softball and baseball, you have more failures than success. You learn from it and (that) gives you a good mindset in everything.

Bowie softball pitcher Kate Bookidis used to compete in swimming, volleyball and basketball, but she knew softball was her sport the first time she tried it. She wants to keep playing in college, but she also wants to go to a really good school, too.
Bowie softball pitcher Kate Bookidis used to compete in swimming, volleyball and basketball, but she knew softball was her sport the first time she tried it. She wants to keep playing in college, but she also wants to go to a really good school, too.

As a pitcher, do you ever worry about getting hit by a line drive?

A lit bit when I think about it. It's happened before. It keeps me from throwing a pitch right over the plate. Last year I got hit on my knee and I was scared I might have broken my kneecap. It turned out to be a bruise. Once I got hit just above my face mask. They took me out of the game because no one knew if I had a concussion.

Dream dinner: Last call for Stevie Nicks

If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be?

I'm going to pick Steve Carell, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michelangelo and Fleetwood Mac.

Why Fleetwood Mac?

One of my genres of music is the 1970s or soft rock. My favorite song from them is "Dreams." I love to hear about that era. I found a love for that type of music a while ago.

— Rick Cantu

Other Faces off the field interviews

Other Central Texas softball players we've interviewed this season: Leander UT Catelyn Beckerley, Ann Richards INF Milan Fairchild, Westlake P Eden Matt, Round Rock OF Meghan Merwick, Ann Richards C Zia Shtraikh, Hendrickson P Tabita Villa, Hyde Park UT Olivia Villanueva

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the field: Bowie junior softball pitcher Kate Bookidis

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