New coach takes over softball team

Mrs. Parker, a new psychology and history teacher here at AHS, has taken over the varsity softball team. She was hired as the new coach when she accepted her new job here.

This 2016-2017 school year is Mrs. Parker’s first year as a teacher here at AHS. She attended high school here during her teenage years and also played on our very own softball team during her attendance here. This isn't her very first experience as a coach as she was the JV coach last year and assistant Varsity coach.

Mrs. Parker has been playing softball since the age of 5. She continued her softball career throughout college. She attended Southern Wesleyan University and played softball there, and while playing there, her position was 2nd base. After majoring in education, she soon realized she missed the game. When asked if she ever saw herself becoming a coach and she said, “Yes. Once I got in college and majored in education, I realized it would be pretty hard to live without the game.”

Mrs. Parker has been blessed with the help of three fellow coaches. Coach Katie Sams is the JV coach this season and also played softball for AHS with Mrs. Parker, and Coaches Cindy and Cay Kessler, who have been coaching sports with Airport and BC high school for around 33 years.

Katie Sams has been playing softball for 12 years and has played with Coach Parker for 4. In college, they played against one another because they were in the same conference. Katie Sams replied in an interview about Coach Parker saying, “[She] has always been very passionate about softball so it was a blast getting to play on a team with her because you always knew she was giving it her all and she encouraged you to give it your all as well.”

Coach Cindy and Cay Kessler have been coaching sports for around 33 years. They're both on the Lexington Two school board and are very active coaches on the field. They fought for more female sports and were able to get gymnastics started in the beginning as long as they coached it for free. In the long run, they were able to get 4 new female sports teams. Gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, and finally softball.

Some people may wonder why they continue to coach even after retirement. Coach Cay has something to say about that, she was asked in an interview why she continues to coach even after retirement from education and her reply was, “the love of the sport and the opportunity to work with student athletes who want to learn.”

They're also very wise and know a lot about the game. Coach Sams says that the Kesslers “...help [coach Parker and her] to think about the game from a coachs point of view instead of a players view now.” Coach Parker said in an interview, “ [the Kesslers] are a wealth of knowledge that I am thankful for. They've been very helpful and have taught me a lot.”

Many student athletes want to play in college. In an interview, coach Sams says to any girl who wants to play in college “...I suggest finding a school that fits your education needs as well as has a softball team. Always give it 110% in everything you do and keep a good attitude.” Sadly, out of the 8 million student athletes in the US, only 480,000 will ever get the chance to play for a NCAA school.

If anyone would like to learn more about softball, coach Parker’s email is on the school website or you can find her in room 102 near the offices of Airport High School. If anyone would like to contact the Kesslers, their emails are on the Lexington Two school district website.