LaFerle, Korth closing out their Valpo careers
Larkin alums Courtney LaFerle and Tracy Korth both made impacts on the softball field in high school and both went on to play at the Division I college level at Valparaiso University.
And both LaFerle and Korth, who are slated to graduate in May, are looking forward to what the next chapters in their lives will bring.
LaFerle, who has overcome ACL surgeries to both knees while at Valparaiso, is an elementary education major. LaFerle did her student-teaching last fall in Portage, Ind., and will take her certification tests in June.
"I'll go from there and start looking for a job," said LaFerle, who enjoyed teaching first grade during her student-teaching stint. LaFerle also would like to coach.
Korth, who played her first 2 seasons at Elgin Community College, is a sports management major who was exploring several job possibilities earlier this week. Korth earlier interned for the Louisville Slugger TPX Top 96 exposure camps.
As they prepare for the future, both LaFerle and Korth -- members of the 2007 Mid-Continent Conference all-academic team, can look back at collegiate careers that saw both overcome injuries.
LaFerle tore her left ACL at Valparaiso at the end of her freshman year and tore the right one fairly early in the 2007 campaign.
"I didn't know how my senior year would play out," said LaFerle. "I didn't know what kind of shape I would be in. I hadn't seen live pitching in a year. It was an adjustment at first. But I'm happy that I have the opportunity to start and be on the field."
Through the team's first 37 games, LaFerle had 25 hits in 100 at-bats and had 1 home run and 14 RBI.
LaFerle said the decision to come back from a second knee surgery ended up being a rather easy one.
"I asked myself that a couple of times," said LaFerle when asked why bother coming back after the injuries. "I couldn't give it up. I've played…I played T-ball when I was six and softball when I was seven. I don't think I would have been able to finish college happily without ending it with sports in my life. I decided to work hard and make it back. I'm happy to have the opportunity to do it."
LaFerle, also a 2007 NFCA scholar-athlete recipient and a Mid-Con Commissioner's List for Academic Excellence appointee, has been a jack-of-all-trades of sorts for Valparaiso. She said the only 2 positions she hasn't played there are center field and pitcher. She's over at first base now where she had a .990 fielding percentage to start the week.
"First base is definitely a new position for me, but I definitely enjoy it," said LaFerle, a 2-time Mid-Con all-academic selection. "I'm happy that they trusted me to move across the field. I'm getting used to it. It's kind of comical, because I'm not very flexible. But I'm doing my best to stretch out. I'm doing the best I can."
LaFerle, who will play for the Northern Illinois Lightning women's team this summer after missing last season but contributing as a coach for the Ligthning, said her senior performance on the field could be better, but that's not what she's basing success on this season.
"I'm not having the best season like I would like to have senior year," said LaFerle. "I'm just happy I can be back playing after two knee surgeries. My main goal was to get back on the field. It's been good."
Korth has also had to deal with her injury issues. A back problem plagued her last year. Korth hit .211 in 2007.
"My back was debilitating for me," said Korth, the 2006 Skyway Conference Player of the Year for ECC. "Last week I got a cortisone shot and it's feeling a lot better. I'm a lot healthier this year and that has a lot to do with it."
Korth said she was diagnosed with sciatica.
"It was a lot of rehabbing and a lot of sitting around," said Korth, also a 2007 NFCA scholar-athlete selection. "It hasn't been fun for me. I had to play through it last year. It was tough for me to get good jumps and hitting was really hard. Before, my ritual was to take Advil before and after games. I couldn't keep the pain off. And after games I couldn't get comfortable to go to sleep. But this has been an all-around better year."
To start the week, Korth was hitting .281 in 32 games. She had 25 hits in 89 at-bats to go with 8 doubles, 3 triples, a homer and 12 RBI. Korth was slugging .472 and had a .347 on-base percentage and was a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen-base attempts.
"Left field has been great," said Korth. "I made the transition from infield to outfield when I came to Valpo. It's a blast out there. You have the opportunity to make great plays. I hadn't played the outfield until I played in the summer (Korth formerly played for the Northern Illinois Lightning)."
Korth feels fortunate to be able to play the game at such a high level.
"I was able to play two more years of Division I softball," said Korth. "I couldn't ask for anything more. It's really been a blast here."
Korth has also enjoyed her time with her former Larkin teammate.
"Courtney is really comforting," said Korth. "I've been playing catch with Courtney for 10 years. To have someone on the field that knows your every move is really fun. Courtney is a strong girl. I was a little worried she wouldn't make it back from her second torn ACL. It's great to see her come out on top. There are a lot of people who couldn't do what she's doing. I'm really proud of her."
Goebbert at Northwestern: Hampshire alum Jake Goebbert is a sophomore on the Northwestern University baseball team. Goebbert has followed up a strong freshman year by hitting .365 through the team's first 26 games. Goebbert was ranked second in the Big Ten Conference in slugging percentage (.708) and doubles (13) and was tied for third in home runs (6) and was ranked fourth in total bases. He ranked seventh in RBI (30) and was 15th in batting average (.365). Through those first 26 games, Goebbert had 35 hits in 96 at-bats and had scored 22 runs. He also had a .452 on-base percentage. Northwestern was 10-16 to start the week.
Off at College wants your help: Send information and/or statistics on Fox Valley-area athletes playing collegiately to Mike Miazga at difibulator@aol.com.