High school athletics can be a struggle sometimes. Whether it is a lack of the number of participants, a subpar record, or maybe something else, it can wear down a team. That is what happened to Carly Ryans and her Chickasha softball team. But she says that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

“We have been through some tough times with this team going through three coaches in three years,” she said. “We have felt like nobody had cared for us and started to see less people attending games. Until this season. We have had such a turn around with the new coaching staff. Yeah, our record might not show much improvement, but stats are showing the growth in everything. We have pushed every game and we have never given up. I want to give a big thanks to Coach Streber for taking on this role and believing in us. Him not judging us based on our record has earned my respect. Also Coach Johnson, he has stayed with us through thick and thin and where other people may have just left the team.”

Carly is a sophomore at Chickasha High School. Along with softball, she is also a member of the basketball and golf teams.

While she has had a lot of people in her life that have made an impact on her, there is one person that has been the most influential.

“My biggest role model is my mom,” she said. “She is my biggest fan and she has always been there for me through thick and thin. She’s my biggest supporter, and I will always count on her to push me to be the best that I can possibly be. She is always motivational, and it means a lot when she compliments me.”

Becoming a successful athlete is not something that just happens overnight. Instead, Ryans says that it takes time and dedication.

“It has taken me to be mentally and physically prepared before any game,” she said. “Having a pre-game routine makes me feel so much more confident walking into games. Having the same approach to the batter’s box and then in the basketball free throw line is key, in my opinion.”