James Wood High School 17-year-old senior
Sport: Softball. Position: Catcher
Parents: James and Melissa Judd
Hometown: Winchester
What do you love about softball?: I like how it’s a game of failure. I’m able to learn and grow from all the mistakes I make. I like how I get automatic feedback from every time something happens, especially when something goes wrong.
Most memorable moment in softball: My walk-off against Sherando last season. We were down to our last out and we were down by one run with our season on the line. (With two outs and the bases loaded, Judd hit a two-run single to give the Colonels a 4-3 win in the Region 4D semifinals.) I was 2 for 4 that game with all four RBIs. It was just a really great team win that sent us to the regional championship and the state tournament. And it was just really nice to have everybody celebrate around me.
Most embarrassing moment in softball: My freshman year I got my first varsity start against Kettle Run, and I was playing first base. I made like, five errors in one game. It never happened again, I’ll tell you that.
Most difficult moment in softball: Going from being the youngest on the team to being the oldest. My freshman and sophomore years, the seniors really took care of me. But then my junior and senior years, I was named a team captain, and I really had to step up and become a leader on and off the field.
People you can have dinner with, dead or alive: My grandmother, Susan Judd; just because she’s such a caring and loving person with everything that she does. The singer, Megan Moroney; she just seems like she understands everything that a girl might have to go through in her life. She just kind of gets it. And Zach Galifianakis; he’s just so funny. Every time I see him, whether it’s in a movie or a TV show, he just makes me laugh.
Biggest athletic influence: [Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman] Freddie Freeman; because he’s really good at handling failure. He does really well at keeping his emotions level while he’s playing, and I try my best to do the same.
Favorite teacher: Jimmy Stewart. He’s a business teacher at James Wood. He’s taught me in the majority of the business classes that I’ve taken. He’s taught me a lot of real life lessons while also making me realize the importance of business, economics and finance. And he’s also just a really fun and nice person to be around. I’ve had him as a teacher my junior and senior year, and he’s been my FBLA advisor all four years.
Favorite athlete: [New York Yankees outfielder] Cody Bellinger
Favorite sports team: Minnesota Vikings
Favorite movie: “The Hangover”
Favorite TV show: “The Office”
Favorite song: “American Kids” by Kenny Chesney
Favorite food: Pizza. I like it at Melting Pot Pizza in Front Royal.
Plans after high school: (Judd will play softball at the NCAA Division III Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg and study business with an accounting concentration.) I’m really interested in starting a travel softball organization that makes it less financially reliable on the players and their families. Just less expensive and more affordable, because it is really expensive.
— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki