MOVING ON UP: Karns City’s Jada Polczynski Used Lessons Learned From Seniors When She Was Young to Mold Herself Into a College-Bound Softball Player

KARNS CITY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Jada Polczynski was a sophomore surrounded by standout seniors on the Karns City softball team.

She was a bit intimidated.

(Pictured above, Karns City senior Jada Polczynski signs her national letter of intent to play softball at Pitt-Bradford with her parents, Ken Polczynski and Lori Baletich)

“Oh, definitely,” Polczynski said, chuckling. “I mean, I definitely learned from it, from players like Ashley Fox. I admired her. I just tried to be my best because she has one of the best work ethics and I wanted to be the same.”

Polczynski batted .352 on that team as a sophomore with two home runs and 12 RBIs while hitting out of the No. 9 hole in the Gremlins’ loaded lineup.

Karns City won the District 9 championship that year and also won its first-ever PIAA playoff game.

Last year as a junior, Polczynski moved up into the heart of the lineup with those seniors she so admired like Rossi McMillen, Zoe King, Maura Patton, Sarah Patton and Fox lost to graduation.

She batted .491 with 24 runs scored, 21 RBIs, five doubles and seven stolen bases while playing a stellar outfield for the young and inexperienced Gremlins, who finished 7-9.

She had three four-hit games and only four hitless ones during the campaign.

Now heading into her senior year, she wants to be the type of player she looked up to when she was a freshman and sophomore in a Karns City uniform.

“I made such good friends with the class that graduated two years ago,” she said. “They’re still my friends. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have the work ethic I have now because those girls work so hard.

“I want to be a role model for the younger girls now that I’m a senior,” she added. “We have a lot of incoming freshmen and it just reminds me of when I was a freshman. I just want to give them a good season and show them how hard they should work and what the program expects from them.”

Polcynski is also following in the footsteps of those players she admired when she was younger.

Just like some of them, she will move on to play softball in college.

On Wednesday, Polczynski signed her national letter of intent to play at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

“It feels special,” Polczynski said. “I’m glad I can add to the (Karns City program’s legacy) and make my coaches proud.”

Pitt-Bradford was always on her radar during the recruiting process.

“I really liked the campus,” Polczynski said. “Then I asked (Karns City assistant softball coach Mike Graziolli) if he’d be willing to send them an email for me and he sent a very nice email. The coach and I have been in contact ever since.”

Polczynski visited several other campuses, such as Indiana (Pa.) University and Clarion University, but they didn’t resonate with her like Pitt-Bradford did.

“As soon as I toured there and met the softball team, I was like, ‘I can see myself going here,’” she said. “I really liked the atmosphere up there.”

It was a culmination of a dream that Polczynski has had since she was young.

She began playing softball at the age of eight. Not long after, she realized she was quite good at it and that she wanted to be on the field for as long as she could.

Watching collegiate softball games on television hooked her. She wanted to play beyond high school.

So, she went to work, playing for travel teams like Pittsburgh Power at a very high level and then making an impact on the high school diamond.

“I always loved softball,” Polczynski said. “I dedicated myself to it for so many years. I loved all my coaches. I just love the sport. I love the connections I made with my teammates. It’s such a loving sport. You gain such a connection with your coaches and you make friendships that last for the rest of your life.”

Polczynski began her softball career as a catcher. She figured that would be where she would stay.

But she moved to the outfield shortly before high school and she has stuck there.

She has excellent speed and a good first step, which allows her to cover a lot of ground. She also has strong instincts for tracking fly balls.

Polczynski’s biggest challenge now, she said, is working on her mental game ahead of her senior season and beyond.

“I think mentally is where I need to get myself together,” she said, chuckling again. “Sometimes I just psych myself out. I just need to believe in myself, knowing I have done it before and I can do it again. I just need to focus and work hard.”