Posted: June 30, 2009

 The person that veteran Homestead softball coach Dave Keel says he fears throwing to in batting practice more than almost anyone else in his 20-plus years on the job is a dedicated and focused athlete who worked like a demon to prepare herself for this recently completed 20-5 season.

But she's also a generous and kind person who happily does angelic outreach work through Lumen Christi Catholic Church of Mequon in the summer.

That's just the way NOW Newspapers All-Suburban shortstop Michelle Zoeller is built.

"We just got back from an outreach trip to Tennessee," said Zoeller, who will be a senior this fall. "We were helping people repair their homes and fix up their lives a little. I wasn't able to go on the trip last year, but two years ago we were in Detroit helping little kids. … It's nice to be able to give back to people."

Especially when she's busy giving opposing coaches nothing but headaches all spring.

"We really got lucky against her," said Rich Anderson, coach of Homestead's archrivals and North Shore Conference champion Germantown. "We were able to get her out, but she still hit a ton of atom balls right us. Just line shots. … She's such an athlete and that really helps them in terms of their defense."

Zoeller led the junior-dominated Highlanders to a 20-5 mark this season that came up just one game short of a fourth straight WIAA State Tournament berth.

Trainer improved performance

But that was not through a lack of effort, as the three-year letter-winner and her teammate at third base Britt Schlaeger intensified their off-season workouts with a trainer in the area.

"He knew specific strength exercises that would work great for softball and baseball, and by the time we were done, he could see changes in us," Zoeller said.

Indeed, as in the first North Shore game of the season, when Zoeller boomed two home runs, the first of an imposing nine such shots this season. But Keel had seen a difference earlier than that, as for one of the few times in his career, he became a little skittish throwing batting practice to Zoeller.

"The only other one that's done that to me was Michelle Bialas (all-state and Division I scholarship pitcher and hitter from about 1988)," Keel said. "I was honestly afraid."

Just imagine what opponents were feeling. Keel said that Zoeller is "not afraid of hard work" and he notices that in infield practice, she and Schlaeger just challenge each other constantly, throwing harder and harder groundballs to one another in an effort to get better.

It's in her DNA, too

But Zoeller also knows that genetics have played a bit of a role in her success. Her father, Tom, played catcher and first base for the Florida State University baseball team and her great-grandfather, Nick Zoeller, made it to the big leagues with the New York Yankees.

The genetics also include a love of the game.

"It's a great feeling when you and your teammates do something special," she said, "because we do have such a great level of communication out there. It's a much faster game than people think. It's very condensed but there's a lot of action out there."

Keel is grateful to have someone who likes the action this much on his side.

"She's a special kid," he said. "She's probably the most powerful hitter of all time here."

More coverage online

Visit your local NOW site for profiles of the All-Suburban coach and player of the year.