Local softball standout on world stage

The sport of softball has taken one local standout from high school success to the Badgers and now to the world stage. Tim Van Voren goes beyond the game. Well what a pleasure to connect with Sydney Vitankil who was a former Fox Six high school hotshot way back in the day and now you're joining us from another country. I am in Peru, Lima, Peru. With a jersey for the Philippines on. Yes. Tell me what you're doing. Yes, so I am here playing. We played in the World WBSC World Cup group Lima so it's a qualifier for the World Cup next summer and which is on the road to the Olympics in 2028. So I am playing for the team for Team Philippines. I'm half Filipino so I get to represent my country. I was supposed to be on the U18 team and then they needed some pitching so they're like yeah we're gonna put you on the national team. I'm 18, 19 years old and I'm being placed on team with 20 year olds, 30 close to 30 year olds. What an amazing experience this was to add to your other amazing experience. Sydney you were softball from the very beginning. Can you believe the doors this sport has opened for you? It's incredible. Starting at the age of eight I would not expect this. I was the girl who played in the dirt, was doing all the fun little cheers, hitting on the ball. I love and I love to represent my heritage and being able to make my we call them Lola and Lolo. It's Tagalog for their grandparents but I know I'm making all of my relatives so proud and it's so cool to see this sport and just how many doors it's opened for me and I'm now traveling the world playing the sport I love. What have you gained from this experience or your softball career in general Sydney? Yeah this experience is it's so rewarding. It's a lot of mental. This last month has been a lot on my body, a lot mentally but it pushes me to be a better athlete but ultimately a better person. Do you love it as much as you always did Sydney? It's just so cool to be able to continue to be do the sport that I love but I wouldn't be able to do it with the people around me and so I just say a big thank you to everybody and I can't wait to come back home and see everybody. And when you come back you're going to take a deep breath when you get to the park? Yes I'm planning to take a couple a week or two off just to relax my body. It was a lot physically but got to get back in shape and get back right back at it so we can start fall training in the end of August beginning of September. That's why you are where you are Sydney very cool. Yes thank you. Our thanks to Tim Van Born for that interview. How cool Sydney says that her Badgers coaches are very supportive of all the extra softball that she gets to play because she's improving her game against elite competition from near and far. What a cool way to see the world too. Her family's got to be so proud of her. That's awesome.