Rachel Ogasawara '15 Recruiting Profile

Aloha.  My name is Rachel Kimiyo Ogasawara. I am currently a junior (class of 2015) at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama (KSK) in Honolulu, Hawaii.  KSK is a college preparatory school founded and funded by Hawaii's last direct descendant of King Kamehameha I.  All students attending KSK are part Hawaiian and enter through a competitive admission process.  I have been privileged to attend since the seventh grade and receive both a Western and Hawaiian education.  I am also part Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, and Portuguese.

I am 17 years old, five feet two inches tall and 125 pounds. I am one of those kids who has been playing baseball and softball from a young age. I played baseball since I was four years old, and transferred into softball when I was 12 years old. I play for both my high school and club teams, KSK and Southern California Pumas. My most significant softball accomplishment to date is being the 2013 Kamehameha Scholar Athlete for my varsity softball team. My other significant softball accomplishments have included:  (i) starting on my varsity softball team as a freshman, (ii) being listed as a 2013 State and ILH Honorable mention, (iii) being a player of the 2013 ILH Softball Championship team, (iv) and being a player on the 2nd place Hawai’i State Softball team. A bit of trivia, I was also a member of three Hawaii State Little League All-Star Baseball teams. I was the only female baseball player in my league. As the only girl on my team, I had to prove that I was better than my male teammates. I pushed myself to work hard at practices and games to earn my positions of pitcher, catcher, shortstop.

As stated earlier, I have played baseball and softball, which has given me the tools and knowledge to help lead a team. By playing with different age groups; 12u, 16u, 18u, Varsity; I have different views and insights to do my best to keep the team going toward its goals. While I may not  be the oldest or the best player, I do my best to keep the team focused, and at the same time, loose and having fun while achieving our goals. As for location of schools, I do not have a real preference and am willing to locate to the best fit for my academic and athletic pursuits.  I will consider an academic curriculum that will push me, quality athletic programs, and a nice softball facility would not hurt . The enrollment size at a school may have some influence on my choice, but if my desired major is offered, the enrollment size may be less of a factor. After considering my strengths and interests, I am interested in physical therapy, exercise science, sports medicine, business and related programs. At this time, I have chosen these potential areas of study because I have always been fascinated with the rehabilitation of injuries, mostly sports related. I have always had an interest in the business field although I remain undecided whether it is an area that I am prepared to pursue at this time.  However, I would like to enter a college that should I change my mind, such college has many strong and varied academic programs.

As for my athletic goals, they include playing softball for a Division I college program with other athletes who enjoy being challenged academically and athletically, and who want to represent a first class program and college.  To dream is one thing but to do it will require many more extra reps at practice and many more years of hard work and perseverance.  I try to always keep a positive attitude even if I am not having my best practice or game.  I do my best to keep encouraging my teammates even though I may not be performing as I would like.  Softball has given me the opportunity to meet people from all over the country. I am incentivized by my subpar performances as much as my personal best performances -- there is always more to do and learn, and I am looking for a program that will help me attain my goals as well as provide me the privilege of attaining both a great education and softball team experience.

Softball has given me some amazing things, especially some valuable life skills such a working hard, passion, discipline, attention to detail, accepting criticism, and dealing with success as well as challenge.  However, I could never overstate the value of friendship and teamwork that softball has given to me.  I have spent thousands of hours with people that I have the privilege of calling not only my teammates but my friends who I believe will be my friends for life even though we will take separate college paths.   My college softball career will mean thousands more hours on the field with people I have not yet had the privilege to meet, and in the end, a significant part of my decision will be knowing that the college softball staff believes I am a good fit for their program, and, I too, believe that I am a good fit for that program.