Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?
Randy Keen: What I enjoy most about competing in athletics is the constant need to better myself. I always want to be the best and perform the best for my team. Competing in athletics holds you accountable in the fact that if you don't fully prepare, you will fail and that is a very important life lesson.
D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?
Keen: Since graduating from Napa High School in 2012, I attended Napa Valley College for two years where I played baseball for the Storm and received an Associates degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. After my sophomore season of baseball I was selected to both the All-Conference and All-Northern California baseball teams for my play that season. After my two years at the JC I received a scholarship to continue both my education and baseball career at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. I have completed my junior year and I will beginning my senior year shortly. I am majoring in Kinesiology.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Napa High?
Keen: My favorite class at Napa High would have to be weight room because I learned how to lift and how to push myself with the help of my coaches. Although it wasn't an "educational class" I believe I learned how to keep myself healthier when my athletic career is over.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Napa High?
Keen: This is a tough one because baseball is my first love, but beating our cross-town rival, Vintage, in Big Game Football my senior year is probably my favorite Athletic moment at Napa High.
D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?
Keen: I believe I have grown exponentially since graduating high school. I now live 2,000 miles away from my family with only my girlfriend, Roni, and my dog, Kalel. We are both working, attending school, and learning to be independent on our own. I attribute most of this growth to athletics because like I said in the first question if you do not fully prepare for what life has in store for you, you will surely fail. Athletics have taught me that you must give everything in life your full effort and go above and beyond to be successful and happy.
D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?
Keen: I would say the most influential people within my family would be my parents, my girlfriend, and my girlfriends mother. My parents, Glenn Keen, Tina Payne, and Joe Payne, pushed me to be my best and supported me through all of my decisions. They let me fail in order to learn, but they also helped me through my mistakes. My girlfriend, Roni, is a very influential person in my life because she has supported me for the past five years. She dropped everything and moved with me away from her family and friends to help support me on this amazing adventure we share together 2000 miles away from home. I wouldn't be able to do it without her. Also Roni's mother, Sue, is a very influential person in my life because she has been through hell and back and continues to be a loving, supporting, stubborn, mother to anyone and everyone who needs one.
D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.
Keen: Jackie Robinson. This man had to play baseball at the highest level with the highest amount of pressure imaginable and succeed when everyone around him expected him to fail. He stayed composed and strong through it all and changed the game of baseball forever. I struggle with my composure now and then when I am on the baseball field and I am under no where near the pressure he was, so I would like to ask him how he was able to do it and what drove him to be so successful.
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