DeKALB — Kali Kossakowski, senior softball middle infielder, leads a busy life.

A nursing major, the director of publications for the Student Nurses Organization and a part of a Bible study group, Kossakowski’s days are usually full.

She has a .333 batting average, a .419 on-base percentage and a .568 slugging percentage this season and leads the team with 11 stolen bases. Kossakowski, along with senior first baseman Kayti Grable, leads the team with seven home runs.

Q: What’s a typical day for you?

A: I’ll have clinical for eight hours Wednesday, and I usually miss practice that day. Then, I’ll come straight to the field, and I’ll have to do make-up time for practice. It depends on the week how much time I have to make up. This week, I had three hours to make up and did it all on Monday because that was the only time I could get it in. So, I was at the field for six hours straight Monday. We had a practice for three hours, and then I had the make-up time, so I just hit and did some grounders and fundamental stuff. Everything else is just school and meetings. I’m in a Bible study group and have that Tuesday nights, and I’m the director of publications for the Student Nurses Organization.

Q: Can you explain what exactly your Bible study group is?

A: It’s different every week. There’s not really a set structure for us. We all meet up and say how our week went. Depending on what struggles we’re going through, we’ll pick a certain verse from the Bible to go off of and feed off of that and each other’s thoughts. It’s a really big support system that I have throughout athletics and it creates other friendships. It allows athletes to communicate with each other in a different setting. You realize that a lot of people are going through things bigger than their sport or bigger than school. It puts things into perspective. and it can be really helpful.

Q: What are some things you have discussed in Bible study that are bigger than your sport?

A: I lost my grandpa a couple weeks ago, and that was a really hard time. I ended up having a really bad day on the field too. It helps knowing that I have other people that have been through that, and they kind of understand it. They’re not going to be like, “Oh my gosh, she just had a terrible day.” They’re going to be like, “I understand. I’ve been there.” It’s not fun, but having people have your back and just knowing that you have people supporting you is a good feeling.

Q: You’re graduating in December, but this is your last season playing softball. Have you had a chance to reflect on this being your last season?

A: I definitely have. It’s hard. We only have eight practices left and three or four weeks left of softball. I’ve been doing it for over 15 years, so it is hard. Thinking about what I’m going to do with my day — my four hours a day that I usually give to softball is crazy, but it’s a new chapter of my life. I know softball is always going to be there. I’ll probably stick with coaching and have my kids get into it. It’ll always be there.

Q: Your entire career at NIU, you’ve pretty much been a starter. Has there ever been a time in your softball playing career when you weren’t consistently starting?

A: I think it was the first fall season I had here. It was a hard adjustment for me, and we had like, eight games that fall. That was the first time I never really started in my life, so it was really hard, and it made me work a lot harder. By the time our actual season came around, I worked my butt off, and it paid off. I ended up starting. It was a good thing I guess because it kind of lit that fire for me.

Q: One thing a lot of athletes seem to have in common is that they don’t get to be involved as much in other areas on campus. Is there anything socially you wish you could’ve been more involved in or done on campus?

A: I guess I don’t really get onto the main part of campus anymore at all, especially with the location of the nursing building. I get to know all the athletes here through my Bible study group and just by knowing other athletes. I guess one thing socially is that we have our Pediatric Cancer Awareness game coming up with Cal’s Angels. I’ve volunteered for them for at least the past 10 years, and I wish I could’ve gotten that more involved with the athletics teams. I’m going to try to this fall by hopefully getting the awareness games for the football team, basketball teams and volleyball and such. I wish I could’ve done a little more of that from the start instead of just this year, but I’m hoping to get that going, and hopefully they can do it when I’m gone.

Q: What are your goals for the season?

A: I had a lot at the beginning, like hitting a certain fielding percentage and hitting a certain batting percentage, but looking at it now and only having a month left, it’s just to go out there and embrace every chance I can. Every time I put my cleats on — just enjoy it. I guess all the statistical goals are kind of out the window now, and I just want for the last time I walk off that field to be proud of what I did.

Q: How do you balance being a nursing major and an athlete?

A: It’s been tough. It’s just a lot of planning out. I color-code a lot of my schedule and utilize every half-hour or 10 minutes I have here and there. I run through some questions before practice, getting every little bit of the day that I can for school. Then, when it comes time for softball, I just have to focus on softball and leave school.

Q: How long has religion been such a huge part of your life?

A: My family is a Christian family, so we grew up that way in the Catholic Church. At first, it’s just something that you always have to do. I’d say once I reached high school, it became a lot more personal for me. I took my faith into my own hands, and it was amazing. It’s the reason why you can be so happy and get through tough times and celebrate the good times. I love it.

Q: Are you thinking about coaching and being a nurse?

A: Maybe eventually, but not right away. I’ve been a coach the past couple years for my old travel ball team, the Wasco Diamonds, and I’ve really enjoyed it. Those were a couple of good years, seeing a different perspective than being a player. It’s fun watching everybody grow and giving them the tips that I can with what I’ve learned. It’s something that I enjoy and will probably get back into a couple years down the road.

Q: Which ages were you coaching?

A: I coached older girls. I did 16-U and 18-U. They’re like, sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school.

Q: You said you started playing softball about 15 years ago?

A: I don’t remember exactly when. It was probably when I was like, five years old. Oh my gosh, I’m 22, so it was like 17 years ago.

Q: You were really young. So, was it a situation where your parents got you into it, and you stuck with it?

A: Yeah, it was tee-ball. My dad and my mom played ball when they were younger and enjoyed it. They were throwing in everything like gymnastics, volleyball, tee-ball, and that one stuck with me. It’s funny looking back at pictures of me then being stubborn with my glove out there in the outfield.

Q: Besides softball, are there any other sports you like?

A: I used to play volleyball a lot in high school, and I really enjoyed that. I wasn’t tall enough to be a hitter, though. So that’s where that fell off. I enjoy watching hockey. My brother’s a hockey player. I’m watching the Blackhawks right now — they’re not doing so great, but I’ll stick with them until the end.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I’m just going to see where life takes me. I’m not really sure what I want to do. I eventually want to go into pediatric oncology nursing, so that’s my ultimate goal, but I know I’ll probably have to start off in some other areas before I get there. I’ll accept that and just keep working towards that goal. I’ll probably go to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner.

Q: You’ve been batting leadoff a lot this season. Is there a different mentality batting leadoff than batting in other spots?

A: I’d say so, especially when we’re away or the first pitch of the game. I have to know that I’m not going to see the best pitches that first at-bat. For me, I like seeing a lot of pitches within that first at-bat because it helps my teammates know what she’s throwing or how the pitches are moving. Finding a way to get on base is the biggest part. No matter how I figure it out — just get on base.

Q: Softball was predicted to win the MAC West. How’s that feel?

A: I think we definitely still can do it. We’ve improved a lot since the beginning of the season. We’re getting more consistent, and that’s been feeling really good. Hopefully, it just continues to go up from here. If we don’t win the MAC West, hopefully we’ll at least win the MAC Tournament.

Q: What do you do as the Director of Publications for the Student Nurses Organization?

A: I do a lot of the arts and crafts, so I’ll do a lot of the flyers for our meetings, for our blood drives that we have or certain things. We have bulletin boards that I’ll decorate outside of there and help any of the other members too. It’s a little bit more of a low-key job, which works better with athletics. I’m thankful for that.