2026 Softball interview with Madison McCallister from Cabell Midland High School, WV

 

Name: Madison McCallister

School/town:Cabell Midland High School, Salt Rock, WV

Positions played: Catcher/Utility

Class: 2027

Height: 5'4

Jersey Number: 41

Awards won or earned

WV 4A State Champion 2025, Extra Innings #5 Northeast Region Catcher, Extra Innings #49 National Catcher, Top 5 Watch list WV, Mu Alpha Theta, 41.67 CS% Fall 2025, .377 AVG HS 2025

Social media link for softball: X: @MadisonMcCalli1 

Other sports played: None


Please post something from last season that sticks out to you. It can be from a game, practice, or something funny on the bus ride to or from the game. Any moment that sticks out to you.

N/A

What is the best part of being a student-athlete?

The best part of being a student athlete is getting to go to school on game days and have my excitement build up throughout the school for our game that evening. 

What is the toughest aspect of being a student-athlete?

The toughest aspect of being a student athlete is having to even the school-to-softball ratio. 

What are your goals for the season?

My goals this season are to make 1st Team All-State, get the Johnny Bench Award, and throw out at least 50% of girls who try and steal on me. 

What team goals are you setting?

My team goals are to win the state championship again.

What is the hardest part of being a catcher?

The hardest part of being a catcher is keeping not only yourself calm but also your pitcher. Pitchers can get in their head sometimes, which can be hard to get them out of. But for me, it is also one of my favorite things to help do. 

What has been your biggest moment as a softball player?

My biggest moment as a softball player has been overcoming a very severe shoulder injury, where I had to have my labrum and bicep repaired. 

How would you describe your style of play?

I describe my style of play as impactful, competitive, and versatile. 

Who are some of the best pitchers you have faced, as well as the teams they were on?

Some of the best pitchers I have faced are Annie, Annie Shelton 2028 (Hotshots Nelson 18u), Chloe Bailey 2027 (Unity Amsler/Johnson 16u), and Morgan Maxwell 2027 (Georgia Impact Premier 16u).

What makes you a good teammate?

I think what makes me a good teammate is that I know how to help people with their emotions. I’m very good at helping when people are stressed out or struggling with confidence. I also am very loud and tend to cheer on my teammates excessively. 

What is something you would love to do in a game but may never get the chance to?

I would love to pitch; I admire pitchers so much for what they do. It also seems like it would be fun to ring a girl up on a ball that has extreme movement. 

What is your game day routine?

My game day routine is simple, throughout the day I like to listening to music that gets me hype, along with talking about the upcoming game. Before warmups I like to stay to myself and listen to the music only, for roughly 30 minutes to get my head in the right space. Before all games I like to pray and give all thanks to the Lord. 

How do you get over a bad game?

What I like to do to get over a bad game is wait until the next day to evaluate myself. I tend to have a lot of emotions the day of, so I like to take that night to have self-care and relaxation. The following day I will reevaluate any questionable decisions I made during the game, and go over ideas of how I can improve my decision for the next game. 

What scares you?

Softball is my happy place, so not much scares me. The only thing that scares me is re-injury. My PT and surgeon have both assured me that it would be extremely difficult to do so, so sometimes I just have to remind myself of that and go stretch a little longer. 

What is your favorite home-cooked meal?

My favorite home cooked meal is chicken broth egg noodles with butter garlic chicken. 

What are you doing outside of sports for fun?

Outside of sports I hang out with my friends and enjoy playing video games like Roblox and Minecraft.


Follow me on X @HEARTLANDFAN15

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