Bettendorf’s Magistrelli on to the Naval Academy

“I wrote on her graduation card I think it was, I knew you’d do amazing things, I just didn’t know it would be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.”

Brooke Magistrelli is putting on that Bettendorf softball jersey once last time this week before going to the Naval Academy.

“I had a friend recommend it to me when talking about what we were going to do in the future. I wanted to do something with a bigger impact and more world spread,” Magistrelli said. “She recommended it to me and I took an interest in it. The more I researched it the more I found out it was the right place for me. It was a year long process. There was a preliminary application process I had to go through. Lots of essays. A physical fitness exam. The act and other standardized tests like that. One of the biggest parts was receiving congressional nomination from a senator or congressmen.

“When we sat down and talked and she told me she had to leave a little bit early, I was very very excited and happy for her next adventure but boy did a shed a tear over that one,” head coach Bob Matthy said.

Magistrelli says she knows she has the right mindset going in to succeed for the five years as an officer and beyond.

“A lot of people are talented and skilled and I think it just comes down to mentality,” Magistrelli said. “I think that’s what really has to set you apart and there’s a lot of difficult things you need to go through. As long as I have that mental strength, it’ll take me far.”

That mentality not only comes from starring in softball but five other sports at Bettendorf including basketball and volleyball.

“All these sports have helped me tremendously not only in the physical aspect but I’ve learned something from each sport. From the team, from my self, from my struggles,” Magistrelli said, “I think taking all those will help me go far in the Naval Academy.

“She’s a multitasker and able to go on and do a lot of different things. Able to go ahead and keep herself organized. Playing five sports and taking the hard curriculum in the classroom, she’s going to do amazing things there,” Matthys said.

When Magistrelli first steps foot in Annapolis is when she’ll really understand why it was the right choice.

“Knowing me, they’ll be some nerves but as long as I’m able to trust the people around me and remember why I’m here and why I wanted to do this, I think it’ll mostly be excitement.”

Catch Magistrelli in some Maction for her last game on Monday against Davenport West.