The Jewish Link of New Jersey and Gotham Burger would like to recognize Rachel Mirsky as this week’s Sportstar of the Week. The twenty-year-old Yeshiva University basketball and softball player made history last month, becoming the first Yeshiva female softball player to earn a spot on the Capital One / College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District team for District 3.
Mirsky was outstanding for the Maccabees in their first year as an NCAA Division III program. She batted a team-high .348, with team-highs of 23 hits (23-for-66), 22 runs, seven doubles, three homeruns and 39 total bases. She drove in 15 runs and had a .591 slugging percentage. As a pitcher, Mirsky tossed 67.0 innings, struck out 60 batters and earned three wins.
In the classroom, Mirsky is even more impressive with a cumulative 3.958 grade point average. She is a biology major with aspirations to work in the medical field.
JLNJ was privileged to spend a couple of minutes with the Capital One / College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District team member.
Rachel, who are your role models? My parents. To me, they are the perfect examples of parents, friends and people. I see how they have found the balance between working hard and playing hard and instilled that ethic in me. I hope that I will be able to live up to their example someday.
Who is your favorite athlete and why? My brother Daniel fits that title for me. Day after day, week after week I have seen how he practices and plays; his drive, his commitment and his skill have always impressed me. His persistence and dedication to his sports has influenced me to strive for excellence. Also his selflessness by insisting on me practicing even if it means he has to stand under the basket and rebound for me, or step behind the plate and catch for me. I see a true athlete in him because I see how these qualities are essential in becoming a great player.
Do you have a pregame routine? At least an hour before each game I need to put my school books away, turn on my pregame playlist, take out my peanut butter and banana sandwich and focus on what’s about to happen in the next two hours: envision myself pitching strikes, hitting the ball, keeping my form on every shot, boxing out, and most importantly giving it my all.
What is your earliest sports memory? I remember when I was seven and I went to a gymnastics camp for a month in the summer and fell in love with all the jumping and flipping and bouncing. At the end of the summer the coach asked me to join their gymnastics team, “The All-Stars,” and compete.
What is your favorite sports memory? My favorite sports memory so far is the first over-the-fence homerun I smashed. Last year, my college softball team was playing Sarah Lawrence College and I was up to bat. The pitch came in; I swung, and took off after contact. I didn’t realize where my hit went until my teammates started going crazy and coming out of the dugout to surround home plate. Then I realized that it was over the fence. To this day, it is still as exciting to see the ball fly over that fence and step on home plate with my teammates surrounding me.
What are some of your favorite things to do when you are not playing sports? When I am not playing sports I like to seek out new adventures with my friends and family.
What is the best thing about being a Sportstar? Being able to show people that it is possible to be a committed athlete and have other strong values as well, including a strong work ethic and a strong commitment to Judaism.
Please send your nominees for next week’s Gotham Burger Sportstar of the Week to [email protected]
