Gazette MVP: Junior Katie Rubino started in new leadership role for Medina

Junior Katie Rubino was a model of consistent excellence all season for the Medina softball team. Whether it was in center field chasing down every ball hit remotely in her direction or at the plate, where she hit .547 with six doubles, seven triples, six home runs and 36 RBIs, or on the basepaths, where she stole 13 bases and broke the school record with 43 runs, Rubino was the cornerstone the Division I district finalist Bees built around. With half of Medina's team new to varsity this season, Rubino's exemplary approach to the game and the work it takes to be great was priceless to the team's success. That value made Rubino this year's Gazette MVP in the sport. "She's played varsity for three years now, so she knows what it's about," Bees coach Eric Mizner said. "We had six new girls to varsity this year, and Katie leads more by example. She goes up there and does what she does and the other girls kind of look at her in admiration. They look at the character and integrity behind what got her there. They want to be like Katie." Rubino just wanted to be someone her teammates could count on, whether that was defensively, where she didn't make n error in 42 official chances, or at the plate, where she hit safely in 25-of-26 games and had 17 multi-hit games. "I think a big part of (leadership) is just being there for everyone," Rubino said. "(Varsity) was really new to some girls. It's such a different level of competition that it can be really shocking at first. "Defensively, I like being someone that my team, especially my pitchers, can rely on. When the ball is hit to me, they don't have to worry. Offensively, I'm going to be aggressive and put my all out. I like to lead off so I can show (my team) that they can do it." Rubino's ability to be a model leader for the Bees traces back to the great examples she has had throughout her softball career, starting with her mom, Jodie Rubino, and grandfather, Ken Richardson. She remembers stories of their athletic prowess in the sport and is thankful for their encouragement early on, when she admits she found the game boring. That all changed in the eighth grade, when she moved from pitcher to the outfield and found where she belonged. She also credits her father's encouragement and willingness to help her in any way he can. There's also Mizner, who was Rubino's hitting coach before taking the Medina job this season. The confidence he has instilled in her helped her thrive as a player despite him being Medina's third head coach in as many seasons. "(Mizner) has improved my confidence so much," Rubino said. "It's been difficult having three coaches in three years, but Coach Eric has stepped into this role and did a great job. He knows how to communicate with the girls so well. He has helped me more than I could imagine." Lastly, there was Rubino's first high school coach, Medina County Sports Hall of Famer and former professional softball player Jessica Toocheck. "She is to this day one of the best coaches that I've ever had," Rubino said. "The conversations that we've had have brought up my confidence. I look up to her so much. I still communicate with her and she's been such a role model." The Bees battled an extremely tough schedule that included the likes of district champion Mentor, the Greater Cleveland Conference champion, regional finalists North Ridgeville and Perrysburg, as well as state semifinalist Massillon Jackson and finished with a 12-14 record while learning every step of the way. "This season was so much fun for the girls," Rubino said. "We had such a tough schedule and really had to battle. That was hard on us at some points, but we learned how to fight and as a team come together." The biggest example of the fight Medina had inside of it came against Jackson when the Bees battled back from a 10-0 deficit to win 14-13, with Rubino going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. "I've never felt so much energy from our team," Rubino said. "I've never seen so many people attend a softball game. It was so much fun and an incredible experience." The Polar Bears play Centerville on Friday for the chance to reach the D-I championship game the next day. Mizner also recounted a 5-4 win over North Royalton in which Rubino led off the game with a home run and later made a diving catch in center field before doubling a runner off first base. It was a play Mizner called the best he's ever seen in person. Rubino's ability to make plays like that, as well as being a complete hitter that has plenty of power but can bunt or slap when the situation calls for it, comes down to her work ethic. "She works very hard, putting in the time and the reps," Mizner said. "Kids in the middle of summer would rather be at the pool and Katie will come and literally sweat her (butt) off. She'll work, work, work. "You see her success, but what you don't see is the work she puts in behind it." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.