Gary Harris always has been honest with his players at Heritage Academy.
In 2012, when Harris arrived in Columbus, he didn’t mince words with Caitlin McLain when he learned the catcher/infielder wanted to play softball in college.
“I told her you are a long way away from being a college softball player, but if you do these things and if you will listen and be coachable, you can get there,” Harris said. “You have the ability. You have the talent.”
McLain proved Harris was right Wednesday when she signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball at Holmes Community College in Goodman.
“I don’t know if I have really figured it out that I am going to be on a college softball team,” McLain said. “It is really awesome.”
McLain said the college recruiting process began after she had a good game at a tournament at Carroll Academy. Following the game, she talked with Holmes C.C. softball coach Ricky Casey, who invited her to visit the campus, which she throughly enjoyed. After the high school season ended, McLain returned to Holmes C.C. to practice with the team. She said Casey gave her the paperwork to join the program following the workout. She said she wanted to “play it cool,” so she took 24 hours to think about it before she called him back to tell him she would love to play there.
McLain said it dawned on her prior to her senior season she needed to take advantage of her final year in high school. She said she tried to play every game last year like it was a state title game, and that kind of effort enabled her to realize her goal.
“I think I surprised a lot of people, but, most of all, I surprised myself. I didn’t know I was going to be able to do that,” McLain said. “I have always played softball. It has always been a part of my family, but I never really considered myself the college type. I didn’t feel like I was going to be good enough to play college ball.”
Despite hearing people tell her she was good enough to play in college, McLain doubted she could take the next step. It wasn’t until she started to email college coaches on a bus ride home from a game that she realized she could help sell herself, which helped her believe she could play in college.
Harris couldn’t help but smile before and after the signing as he talked about how he and McLain found ways “to push each other’s buttons” the past two years. He talked even more proudly about how McLain persevered and remained committed to her goal.
“I am very excited for her. I am as proud for her as I can be,” Harris said. “I am extremely proud of the fact she didn’t let anything deter her.”
McLain, Katlyn Petty, and Shiloh Ellis were the only seniors on a young Heritage Academy fast-pitch softball team that continued to learn how to win. In that time, Harris said McLain remained a steady presence at catcher who did a good job working with sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Oswalt. McLain also was one of the team’s offensive leaders, hitting better than .300 for most of the season and leading the way with 17 RBIs.
Harris said McLain worked hard to improve her bat speed. He said McLain’s improvement at the plate blended nicely with her knowledge of the game and her toughness. He said she wasn’t afraid to block the plate to deny a run and that she was someone who would motivate her teammates and do everything a coach expects from a senior leader.
Harris, who helped lead Presbyterian Christian to a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA state title in fast-pitch softball in 2010, hopes to build Heritage Academy to that level, too. He also wants returning players like Oswalt and sophomores Brooklyn Waldrep and Macy Walters to see what can happen when a player works hard and stays focused on their dreams.
“If hard work is going to make the difference, she will be fine,” Harris said.
McLain feels the same way about the teammates she will leave behind. After being referred to as a “mama duck” this past season, McLain hopes more Lady Patriots can follow in her footsteps in the coming years.
“It is crazy to have all of your college stuff paid for just because you enjoy playing something,” McLain said. “I know there are a lot of girls on the team that enjoy playing softball as much as I do, and if they can go and play somewhere big and great, I think that is something they should try and do.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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