A Chat With Mo’ne Davis

Mo'ne Davis is the first girl ever to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series.

After Mo’ne led her team to victory last August, she became a celebrity overnight. She made the cover of Sports Illustrated. She appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She even has her own book. (Mo’ne Davis: Remember My Name is due out in March.)

That’s a lot for a 13-year-old girl. To ease my nerves about interviewing her, I asked my friends what they wanted to know about Mo’ne. After finalizing the questions with my editor, I practiced them with my mother.

PITCHING TIPS

Arranging a time to interview Mo’ne wasn’t easy. But we found an opening on December 2, between the end of her school day and the start of her basketball practice. (Mo’ne is a point guard on her school’s team.)

Despite all of my preparation and practice, I was still nervous before the interview. I almost forgot my questions, and my voice was trembling. After taking a few deep breaths, I calmed down.

Mo’ne made me feel at ease with her relaxed, generous nature. She not only answered my questions—she showed me how to throw a curveball and a fastball. I could hardly believe it. I was coached by a superstar!

“WORK HARD”

Mo’ne shared her motto with me: “If you work hard, good things will happen.” Hard work is the key not only to her success but also to my successful interview.

What inspired me most about Mo’ne is that she stays calm under enormous pressure and strives to live as an ordinary eighth-grade girl. She is true to herself, working hard and following her dream of becoming a professional athlete.

To learn more about Mo’ne, including why she carries “Lucky Money” in her back pocket during games, watch the video interview I did for Scholastic ACTION magazine.