Who is she? Kristin Scharkey, a former speedster and outfielder for the Northwestern Wildcats.
What is she known for? Scharkey was the Wildcats’ starting centerfielder for the final three seasons of her career, recording double-digit stolen bases in each season of her career and posting a batting average over .300 in each of the final two years of her career. Scharkey was three times named Academic All-Big Ten and earned a pair of all-American scholar athlete awards. During her career, Scharkey also earned notoriety for her popular Schark Bytes blog on the Northwestern website that gave fans an inside look at NU softball.
Here’s something interesting… In addition to her softball resume and journalistic endeavors, Scharkey also happens to be a talented musician, playing the piano and guitar in addition to singing!
Quotable quote: “No job is too small for the best leaders. Complaining isn’t productive. Getting out of my comfort zone is vital to growth. Glass ceilings can be (and are being) shattered. It’s always a good idea to be a good teammate. All of these lessons propel me today in my professional career.”
What’s she up to now? Scharkey currently serves as the editor of DESERT magazine, a monthly publication covering the Southern California desert. In addition to that role, she is the community content editor at The Desert Sun newspaper, covering the same region, including events like Coachella and Stagecoach for the USA Today Network. Along with former Northwestern teammate Emily Allard, Scharkey co-owns Be the Momentum, a brand of slapping clinics that take place all over the country.
Keep up: You can find Kristin on Twitter and Instagram @kscharkey.
