Athlete spotlight: James Wood softball player Morgan Sykes

Morgan Sykes: James Wood High School 17-year-old senior

Sport: Softball

Position: Shortstop

Parents: Dixie and Jeff Sykes

Hometown: Winchester

Nicknames: "Captain Morgan" since I'm the captain this year.

When did you start playing softball: I started T-ball when I was five and I've played travel softball since the summer after my seventh grade year. And I've been playing pretty much 10 months a year ever since.

What you love about softball: I just love being a part of a team because it makes you feel important. I've made some of the best friends I've ever had playing softball.

Sport you always wanted to try:I danced when I was younger and that's something that I miss because I really enjoyed it, but softball came first.

Biggest strength and weakness in softball:For my strength, I feel like I'm a good leader and I keep people up. And I like hitting, I'm pretty good at hitting. My weakness is I'm too hard on myself and I put the weight of the world on my shoulders, my coaches have always told me that. Most memorable moment in softball:Beating Sherando (5-3 on Tuesday). Our ninth and tenth grade year they just beat us up, like we would lose by 20 runs and it hurt. Last year it was close, I felt like we had them one game last year but we didn't get it. So to actually get the win this year, it was the best feeling in the world.

Most embarrassing moment in softball:Whenever you trip it's embarrassing, not to long ago at practice I tripped over first base and slid around a little bit. And whenever you make a bad throw that hits the fence and people score is pretty bad.

Favorite athlete: It may be controversial but I'm going to say [Philadelphia quarterback] Michael Vick. He played for Virginia Tech and I think he's a really fun quarterback to watch and I think he overcame the odds to come back and he didn't give up.

Favorite sports team: Virginia Tech if we're going to go college, professional I'd put in for my dad and go with the Washington Redskins.

Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive:My grandfather Woody Jett who passed away when I was in sixth grade, he was my best friend. [President] Barack Obama and [country music singer] Garth Brooks.

Favorite Quote: "Relax and have fun." That's what my dad always tell me when I'm playing.

Favorite class in school: History is my favorite subject because I think it's interesting because I like to learn about the past and I like to relate the past to the future because I feel like we can learn a lot if we can learn from our mistakes in the past.

What's on the iPod: All kinds of country music, I love it, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, all that kind of stuff.

Pregame ritual/routine: I got to Sheetz and get a slurpee before every game. And then before every game I have to take fence swings on a certain part of the fence and I also have to tap the plate twice and kick my feet when I step into the batter's box.

Plans after high school: I want to be an elementary school teacher, so I'm planning on doing the five-year program at Virginia Tech to get my master's degree and hopefully come out with a teaching job. I'll definitely play softball in either intramurals or club.