The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1232982
A-8 Wednesday, April 8, 2020 The Press-Dispatch SPORTS Submit sports items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: sports@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg FOUR LADY CHARGERS SEE THEIR SENIOR YEAR EVAPORATE By James Capozella Press-Dispatch Sports sports@pressdispatch.net Diamonds are forever and also a girl's best friend, but not this year. Just like all the spring sports we follow and enjoy, they are gone, including the softball diamond for four Lady Charger seniors. Baseball, tennis, golf, and track and field are also cancelled due to the pandemic. It's even more of a loss for those who play a sport but miss out on their high school senior year. In softball, seniors Alizé Padgett, Lauren Vaughn, Karsyn Pipes and Aubrie Dawson are missing out on nearly three months of their senior year and all of the softball season. ALIZÉ PADGETT Alizé had advice to future play- ers, "Don't take what you have for granted because you never know when your last game will be and al- ways strive to be getter than you were yesterday." She commented on the end of the season saying, "It stinks because I know I'm not gonna get to walk onto the field with my girls by my side with them backing me up ever again. Pitching to the last batter of the last game, anymore home runs I could've gotten this season and the memories that would have made my senior year" were wiped out for Alizé and her teammates. She said, "I'll miss the long bus rides with Lauren sitting beside me, my bus buddy and throwing/ hitting partner. Thanks for always listening to me when I had some- thing to say. The season wouldn't be the same without you. Thank you to my grandparents for watch- ing me play for the last time, and my mom and dad watching me transition into the next stage of life way before it needed to hap- pen. I was just hoping that walking off that field after our last practice wasn't going to be the last time. I was hoping that I was going to get to make the memories every senior should have on and off the field." Alizé said she would always re- member, "Singing on the bus to away games and breaking my bat in half at practice while hitting off the machine." One big accomplish- ment Alizé said she was thankful for was "getting to travel to the Dominican Republic to play soft- ball" under the direction of a col- lege coach. Alizé said, "I want to thank my mom and dad for all the love and support along this incredible jour- ney. For helping me strive to push myself above and beyond to be an outstanding ball player, for always telling me what I've done wrong during a game so I can go to prac- tice and work on it for the next, and for always showing up to every sin- gle game to cheer me on even if they had a long day at work. I want to thank my grandparents for com- ing out to support me and bring- ing drinks to the dugout when we needed them. I want to thank my boyfriend, Brandon, for coming to as many games as he could and al- ways telling me how good a job I had done. "Thanks to my sister, Tiffany, for sitting through all those long nights of softball and for cheer- ing me on even when she had her sports going on. My coaches al- ways had faith in me to pitch my heart out on the mound even in those tough situations. Thanks to the coaches for having my back when I didn't come through when I needed to. I want to thank Steph- anie for being hard on me at times to make me even better and get- ting onto me when she knows I can be a leader for the team. She has taught me so much in these last two years of coaching that I will never forget. I truly miss being on the field with her. "I want to thank all my team- mates for all the memories we've created, the laughs we've shared and the endless journey that made us who we are, because without softball I wouldn't have been able to have the friends I have today. Thank you for always having my back when I'm on the mound and for helping me get through those tough innings." Although Alizé is undecided on a college at this time, she is going to major in biology and chemistry and become a neonatologist. Alizé lives with her parents, Angie and Jeff Padgett, and is a pitcher for the Lady Chargers. LAUREN VAUGHN "I am heartbroken that my se- nior season has been cancelled. I worked extremely hard in the off season to prepare myself for my fi- nal season. I was looking forward to putting on my uniform and com- peting with my teammates. I feel that our team would have had a very competitive season." Lauren lives in Petersburg with her parents, Kurt and Jenny Vaughn, and was active in the Na- tional Honor Society and will be attending Purdue University and plans to major in physical therapy. Lauren said, "I am very disap- pointed that I won't be able to put on my uniform one last time, but I am grateful for all the wonderful memories this sport has given me. I have played softball since I was five years old. It has been a huge part of my life." KARSYN PIPES Karsyn is the daughter of Dave and Lori Pipes, of Petersburg, and is a member of the Student Sec- tion, Student Government and the National Honor/Society. She plans to attend Western Kentucky Uni- versity and major in nursing. The Lady Titan shortstop said, "Soft- ball has been my whole life since I can remember. I grew up going to both my sisters games until it was my turn to play. I started softball when I was four years old at the little league field in Petersburg. When I was nine I started playing travel softball for Southern Shock. I played year round on that travel team until I was 17. Traveling plac- es every summer to play in tour- naments. I played all three years of middle school and high school. Karsyn said, "Getting to my se- nior year I was so excited for the season. It was going to be a great year. We had big plans to win a lot of games and to hopefully win a sectional. It was our year. We had been working so hard in the off season. I have practiced hard my whole life to be able to have the best last season. "To have all that taken away, breaks my heart. I honestly don't know how to describe my feel- ings or really know how to put it in words. It just all feels unreal. I would do anything to put on my uniform one more time and play on the field with my girls again. I'm going to miss it more than any- thing. I know this doesn't only af- fect me but my family as well. My mom is always in the stands cheer- ing me on. My dad was my coach most of my life and never missed a game. He was always there to cheer me on or be hard on me, whichever was needed that game. "He loved the game just as much as I did. My advice for the under- classmen is to never take anything for granted. Work hard every day, every time you take the field be- cause you never know when it could be your last. So always give it all you have. Although I am heart- broken it ended this way, I will forever be thankful for the great memories, friendships and life les- sons this sport has given me." AUBRIE DAWSON Aubrie and her parents Todd and Amanda reside in the White Oak Community. National Hon- ors Society, Student Government, Class Treasurer and Student sec- tion were among her high school activities. She plans a major de- gree at Indiana University in ki- nesiology to become a physical therapist with a minor in psychol- ogy. When commenting on the ef- fects at school of the pandemic, Aubrie said, "I'm saddened to see what was supposed to be the best and most special season of my ca- reer be gone. However, I have to think o how fortunate I have been. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had in being able to pursue one of the things I love the most. "Softball was much more to me than just a game. Being an athlete can be one of the hardest, but most rewarding things. It fills you with joy, pain, strength, defeat and so many of the emotions. I grew up playing softball. Beginning when I was four years old when my dad introduced me to my favorite sport ever, where he coached in teeball and for several of the following years. This is affecting my family just as much as me. Anyone who knows my mom knows she doesn't just like sitting in hot or cold weather. However, she always did it to support me and cheer me on and I know she would do it again just to see me play another time. "My dad has been one of the most influential people in my life. That developed in softball when he always pushed me to work my hardest. I would give anything to have him watch me play once more to have that long car ride home with him discussing the game with me or back when we spent every weekend together playing travel ball. Softball gave me and my dad many memorable moments that I will hold onto forever. "My family has always been my number one fan group and al- though softball is over I know they will continue to be in my life. Lots of time was invested in going to practices, game and tournaments. My summers revolved around travel softball. I would not change any of it though. It gave back to me both on the field and off the field. I learned so much about life and the game. I also made several friendships that will last a lifetime. I knew my time of being an athlete and playing softball would come to an end eventually but what I didn't know was that it would end so un- expectedly. This has all felt so un- real and has been difficult to put my emotions into words. I would do anything to put my jersey back on, knowing, for the last time to play with my teammates that have become my closest friends. "My heart breaks for myself, my team and every other softball player that no longer has a chance at their senior season. I want to thank every coach, teammate, ri- val and fan that has supported or pushed me to be a better player and overall person. I'm very fortu- nate for my experiences and will cherish them. I hope the current and future athletes will make the most every moment and opportuni- ty given to them, because one day it will all be over for you too. It will be the end of your favorite sports season and you'll have to turn in that jersey with "your" number on it. I have loved my time playing softball and I will miss it and ev- erything it gave me." COACH RICHARDSON Asked about the cancelled sea- son, Lady Charger coach Stepha- nie Richardson said, "I feel hor- rible for the girls. Many of them on the team are only softball play- ers and dedicate so much time to their game. We have a great over- all team attitude. All the girls have great friendships on the team. Sad. "Alizé Padgett has been in con- tact with several coaches at the col- legiate level, but if she decides to go on to play it will be a last min- ute type of decision." The Indiana High School Athlet- ic Association (IHSA A) staunch- ly supports the Governor, State Commission of Health and our State Superintendent of Public In- struction during their herculean effort during the COVID-19 pan- demic. Following the closure of K- 12 schools throughout Indiana, the IHSA A has issued the cancellation all spring sports for the 2019 -20 - 20 school year. The hope is that our schools will be back in session in the fall of 2020 with a complete complement of IHSA A sports. Stu- dents, parents and the general pub- lic are urged to follow the guidance available at IN.gov/coronavirus. Alizé Padgett Karsyn Pipes Aubrie Dawson Lauren Vaughn