Athlete of the Week: Brielle Wright leads Thunder softball to playoff win over Tracy

Rocklin High softball senior Brielle Wright has led the Thunder on the mound all season with a 1.83 earned run average and 163 strikeouts. On May 19, Wright once again led the way with a seven-strikeout complete game against Tracy in the Thunder's 3-1 win that sent them to the Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals. Wright was also a part of a combined perfect game with Marissa Robertson in Rocklin's 12-0 first round win against McClatchy High. She is committed to playing softball at Princeton University. Her high school coach, Mallory Asaro, explained what it means to have a player of Wright's caliber on the team. "A player of Brielle's caliber is extremely rare and incredibly special. We knew she was going to be special from day one, purely based on the amount of intentional work she puts into her craft every single day. It's uncommon to find a teenage athlete that consistently gets better every offseason but she is that player," Asaro said. "So it is no surprise she will be an Ivy League athlete. The confidence she gives her teammates by performing at a high level provides motivation for the entire team to take a team approach at the plate and battle with her. Her effort has given us our postseason motto of just refuse to lose. We can see it in her eyes when she's in that mode and it makes it easy for the team to get fired up and follow." Gold Country Media asked Wright some questions and her answers follow. What is the best part about playing softball at Rocklin High? Wright: "The best part is playing with the same girls I grew up with in a community where everyone has a genuine interest in success." How long have you been playing softball competitively and who is your biggest motivation? Wright: "I have been playing since I was eight years old and my biggest motivation is my family." You pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts against Tracy High and were a part of a combined perfect game against McClatchy High. What has been working when it comes to your performance on the mound? Wright: "Coming from the left side; effectively mixing pitches, speeds and sequences while trusting my defense has helped keep hitters off balance." What are your biggest goals for the rest of the postseason? Wright: "My biggest goal is that we play the way we are capable of playing." Do you have a favorite professional athlete? If so, who and why? Wright: "One of my favorites is Serena Williams because of her determination and true competitive spirit." Do sports run in your family? If so, who has played and at what levels? Wright: "My father played multiple sports in high school. My older brother played football and baseball all four years of high school, then went on to row crew at Baylor University." Have you ever been involved in other sports? Wright: "When I was younger, I played soccer and basketball." What are your biggest strengths as a player? Wright: "Some of my biggest strengths as a player would be my mental toughness and work ethic." Do you have a favorite game you've been in or a favorite memory from your high school softball career? Wright: "My favorite memory is when my team won the Hometown Throwdown, which is our big rivalry night game where most of the softball community comes to watch both teams compete." You are going to play collegiate softball at Princeton University. What are you most looking forward to when it comes to your college career? Wright: "I'm most looking forward to winning an Ivy League Championship with my team and moving on to the NCAA Tournament. I'm also looking forward to making friendships with amazing people that will last a lifetime." What is your favorite class in school and why? Wright: "AP Calculus because it builds my mental toughness." Who is your favorite musical artist/band? Wright: "Doja Cat." Favorite restaurant and favorite food? Wright: "Ruth's Chris Steak House and my favorite food is sushi." Outside of school and playing softball, what do you like to do in your free time? Wright: "I enjoy spending time with friends, watching movies, shopping and traveling." Is there a particular job you'd like to have someday? Wright: "I would like to be a general manager for an MLB team." If you had a piece of advice for other high school athletes, what would you tell them? Wright: "Always give full effort even when you think nobody is watching, be a team player and love the game."