New Lothrop coach Tom Birchmeier comments on
Julia Martin
Junior
3 years as starting shortstop
Thoughts:
Like previous years, Julia has come into the season ready to work hard and get better every day. We have yet to play any games, but she has shown that she should continue to have success at the varsity level.
Stats:
2018: .525 batting average, 63 hits, 19 doubles, 7 triples, 9 home runs, 54 RBI and 62 runs scored
Keys to success:
Her work ethic and the constant drive to get better every day. Also, she is her own biggest critic, so she strives to be perfect on every play.
Improvement:
“Julia has always possessed the physical skills to be an outstanding softball player. Her biggest improvement I see so far this year is her ability to anticipate where the ball is going to go and putting herself in the right position to make plays.”
Memorable moments:
“I can’t really narrow down the number of times Julia has made a spectacular defensive play or come through with a clutch hit for our team. One thing that sticks out though is when an umpire stopped me between innings last year and asked where my shortstop was playing college ball next year. When I replied that she was only a sophomore, he could only shake his head and say that she will probably be able to play anywhere she wants.”
What to expect:
I can’t really expect much more from an offensive standpoint. She has already set most of our school records. Defensively I think she has shown more range this year and more accurate throws, so hopefully she will be able to cut down her error totals from last year.
Offseason work:
Julia plays travel softball with a team from Saginaw. So really, she has no offseason. Travel softball is pretty much a year round sport, so her summer, fall and winter months are full of plenty of softball activity.
Other sports:
Julia is a starter for the New Lothrop Cross Country team.
Comments:
“Julia has received first team all conference and district honors so far in her career. Hopefully she can make that next step this year and push for all state honors. She is the rare athlete that hits for average and power. She also has exceptional base running ability that allows her to steal bases or get extra basis on a routine hit.
On top of her physical abilities, Julia is also an excellent student.
She is the type of student athlete that every coach loves to have on their team. “