Valley Star

Issue date: 5/26/04 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jorge Gallegos DON´T LET THE SMILE FOOL YOU - Christie Sotelo´s dogged determination as the Lady Monarchs´ star shortstop should serve her well as she works toward an FBI career.

She was a late transfer from a rival school, she's only 19 and she was a career outfielder and pitcher who was asked to convert to shortstop as the season began. If the stellar year that the Valley College softball star and aspiring FBI agent had is any indication of how she responds to a challenge, criminals had better run for their lives from Christie Sotelo.

Sotelo racked up huge offensive numbers, ranking first or second on the Lady Monarchs in most categories, while learning the most difficult infield position from play-to-play. Did she regret transferring away from friends and a spot in the pitching rotation at Mission College only two weeks before the season?

"I think it's the best decision I've ever made," the ebullient sophomore said. "I'm way happy at Valley."

Christie Sotelo is lithe and quick, with a pretty, angular face that frequently breaks into a smile. Her mother, Irene Puentes, describes her as "always so happy and outgoing - she doesn't judge anybody. ... I can't explain her. You know that Dory fish in 'Finding Nemo?' That's her. She's just so ... Christie."

On the field, however, Sotelo has a totally different demeanor. It's easy to spot her hunger; she looks like she wants the ball to be hit to her on every play. In a recent game, after a diving stop deep in the hole followed by a long throw to retire the batter, she gave no indication that she was impressed with her feat. She simply got up, dusted herself off and returned to her spot for the next hitter.

"What nobody really knows is that she was a cheerleader [from] when she was 4 until she was 7," said her father, Frank Sotelo, an assistant coach for the Lady Monarchs. "They had competitions, and she was winning gold medals. But when she was 7, she saw me play softball and wanted in."

Media Credit: Jorge Gallegos ON PATROL - Sotelo on the job this semester.

"I'm a competitive player," Christie acknowledges. She's also a vocal team leader. "I said what I had to say. [Sometimes I] put people in their place. I made good friends ... the team got along. You could say we consider it a big family of sisters."

Sotelo went to Mission College straight out of high school, but it didn't work out.

"Too many distractions," she said. "I was distracted by my cousins, my boyfriend. ... I didn't like the coach or the team. My cousin [Tommy Sotelo] practiced here and endorsed coach [Frankie] Garcia ... so I transferred two weeks before the semester began."

Valley's star catcher, Lorena Arreguin, had played with Sotelo on and off from the time they were 8 years old. She was thrilled to learn that her friend would be joining her on the Lady Monarchs and was impressed with the way Sotelo picked up the shortstop position.

"Sometimes she made plays like it was natural to her," said Arreguin. "I wouldn't want to play against her."

Unfortunately for Valley sports fans, Sotelo is moving on to Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee, where she will be the regular shortstop. She was originally set to go to the University of North Carolina, but an injury to their pitching staff forced them to shuffle their scholarships, leaving her the odd woman out. Sotelo, however, is characteristically upbeat about the change in plan.

"I'd rather go out there and play," she said, "rather than redshirt [in another program]."

Frank Sotelo said he's not worried about his daughter's move to Tennessee. "The coach kept calling - they've got six girls from California on the team. [Christie's] got a good head on her shoulders."

At Lincoln Memorial, Sotelo will study psychology and foreign languages in order to prepare for her application to the FBI.

"They don't accept many criminal justice majors," she explains, saying that she's drawn to the forensics side of investigation. "I like to analyze."

Sotelo expects to be in school at least five more years to achieve her goal.

"My uncle used to be in the government," she says of her inspiration to join the bureau. "He used to do communications for the United Nations. When I was 8-to-10, I got to go to the White House and flew in the green helicopter.

"Plus, my uncle's best friends are in the FBI ... and it's not as stressful as the Secret Service," she adds with a smile.

"She's so determined in whatever she's doing," said teammate Arreguin, "I wouldn't want to be on her most wanted list."

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