For Skidmore, 2 sports are better than 1

By Mike Kilroy
Eagle Staff Writer

Will it be softball or volleyball?
That's a question Butler's Amanda Skidmore hears a lot.
But the two-sport star has an easy answer.
"I enjoy both sports," Skidmore said. "But softball is my passion."
Volleyball, though, isn't far behind these days. The senior is turning in a spectacular season for the Golden Tornado in one of the toughest leagues in Pennsylvania.
She had 16 kills Tuesday in a 3-2 win over Fox Chapel. Against Seneca Valley, the No. 3 ranked team in the state, Skidmore had 11 kills despite the Tornado's 3-0 loss.
Skidmore has played her best against the best.
"Playing in our section is always a motivational factor," said Butler coach Meghan Lucas, who has guided the Tornado to a 4-4 record. "When three teams in your section have been ranked in the Top 5 at one point during the season, you know it's tough."
Tough has never bothered Skidmore.
She started playing softball when she was 6 and volleyball not long after, and she always has done both.
"She has a tremendous work ethic," Lucas said. "She's a year-round athlete in both sports, seven days a week, and there are very few female athletes who do that."
Skidmore was getting looks from colleges for softball last year. Now, some volleyball coaches have begun seeking her out.
Some schools, like Bethany College in West Virginia, have suggested that Skidmore could play both softball and volleyball in college, Lucas said.
That thought has intrigued Skidmore, who said if push came to shove she would pick softball.
"I would love to be able to do both, but it would be really, really difficult. I'd have more conflicts between the two sports in college than I do now," Skidmore said.
"I think it would be cool to be a superstar in two sports in college," She added. "But I have to snap back to reality."