Kelsie Gerhart has realized her dream.
Although she had a feeling for several months where she would end up, the New Hope High School senior made her plans official Wednesday morning when she signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville.
“I am definitely excited about it, but I am very nervous about playing college ball,” Gerhart said. “I was going to have to go to college anyways, whether I played or not, so I knew it was coming. It is going to be hard going from high school to college.”
Gerhart attended a showcase at Northeast Mississippi C.C. in November. She said she received an invitation to return to the school this month to participate in hitting camps that are held Mondays. She said she attended hitting camps Jan. 9 and Jan. 16, and that she visited the campus following the second camp. She said she received a scholarship offer to attend the school after the second visit.
“I thought about it for a little while and it wasn’t long before I accepted it,” Gerhart said.
Gerhart said she enjoyed her interactions with assistant coach Kevin Connell. She said Connell explained things well at the showcase and was energetic in his approach to the game. She said he also let her know the coaches were interested in getting her to come to Booneville.
Still, Gerhart wasn’t sure she was going to get a scholarship offer. She said that doubt vanished when she toured the campus because she had a feeling that was where she was supposed to be.
“I have worked hard since I started playing in seventh grade for coach (Tabitha) Beard,” Gerhart said. “I felt like I would get the chance, but I have worked really hard to get to this point.”
Bobby Taylor, who has coached Gerhart in slow- and fast-pitch softball at New Hope, said Northeast Mississippi C.C. is getting a player who loves the game, who works hard at her skills, and is a great teammate.
“She is probably the best all-around player I have got,” Taylor said. “She is solid on defense. She is probably the best hitter I have had in the two years I have been coaching the teams. She has a great attitude.”
Taylor agreed Gerhart is always positive and does her best to keep her teammates’ spirits up. He said he expected Gerhart to continue her softball career in college. He didn’t think those expectations placed any extra pressure on Gerhart because he feels she is a strong athlete who is motivated to improve. He feels Gerhart, who plays shortstop and third base on the school’s fast-pitch team and who played outfield on the slow-pitch squad, has a chance to move to the right side of the infield when she goes to college. He said her height gives her a chance to play first base.
Wherever Gerhart plays, Taylor is confident she will make an impact. He feels she has the potential to continue her softball career at a senior college.
“She is pretty even keeled all of the time,” Taylor said. “She is smart and, like I said, wherever she goes she is going to be an asset to the team.”
Gerhart said Connell told her there is a position at shortstop and that is what she is going to work toward getting. She said Connell also said there is a chance she could play in the outfield. Gerhart said she doesn’t care where she plays because she just wants to be on the field. She said it would be the first time she would play in the outfield on a fast-pitch team.
Gerhart said she remembers her first days on the diamond when she played T-ball at Propst Park. She takes pride in how far she has come and hopes the younger players on the New Hope High team look at her like she looked at the older players when she was in the seventh grade.
“We won the state championship (in slow-pitch softball) my seventh-grade year, so seeing them play is kind of like where I am now,” Gerhart said. “I can only imagine how the seventh-graders feel. It is really amazing. I cannot believe I am already here. It feels like yesterday I was in the seventh grade.
“I feel like a completely different player. I hope the younger girls see that, and that if they work hard they can get to where I am.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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