McLoud’s Ella Smith
McLoud High School junior Ella Smith has built her reputation in the circle, but the right-hander knows her greatest challenge is not any opposing lineup—it is her own thoughts. As the varsity softball pitcher for the Lady Redskins and a member of the National Honor Society, Smith balances high expectations on the field and in the classroom with a calm, deliberate approach.
“My strength is pitching, and I am working to improve my hitting,” Smith said, summarizing both her current role and her long-term goals. She describes the mental side of the game as the toughest part of her position. “I am a pitcher and the hardest thing about being a pitcher is a pitcher’s own mind,” she said. Learning to reset after a mistake and stay composed in pressure situations has become as important to her as perfecting movement pitches or spotting the ball on the corners.
That steady mentality is shaped by the team environment at McLoud, where Smith says the Lady Redskins’ culture makes long seasons feel like time spent with family. “I love the culture and how we can always be ourselves around each other,” she said. Teammates fill specific roles beyond the stat sheet: “Taycee Lewis is the most vocal on the team and Makenzie Lane keeps everyone laughing,” Smith said. Bus rides home after big wins have become some of her favorite memories in softball, moments when competition gives way to shared stories, music and inside jokes.
Support from home has been just as important. Smith points to her parents as the foundation of her success and work ethic. “My parents, they have always pushed and supported me in everything I do,” she said. That encouragement has helped her pursue year-round softball, including travel ball with OK Exclusive National 18U Hughes, a competitive program that plays a demanding schedule against top regional and national talent.
In the classroom, Smith is as serious about academics as she is about pitching. She said math is her favorite subject, and she still feels the impact of teachers from earlier in her school career. “Mrs. Ogle my 4th grade teacher, she still comes to all of our softball games,” Smith said. Smith’s commitment has earned her a place in the National Honor Society at McLoud High School, where students are recognized for scholarship, leadership, service and character.
Away from school and softball, Smith prefers simple downtime. She enjoys hanging out with friends or her dog when she finds rare breaks in her schedule. Those quiet moments help her reset before returning to a calendar full of high school games, travel tournaments and school responsibilities.
Asked what advice she would share with younger players, Smith returns to the mindset that guides her in the circle. “Some good advice is to never let anyone or anything bring you down,” she said. For McLoud’s pitcher, that message is more than a quote—it is the standard that shapes how she competes, studies and leads.
