Kayleigh Smith has spent most of her life on a softball field, and this season the McLoud High School sophomore is putting that experience to work in centerfield for the Lady Redskins.
Smith has played the sport since age 4 and now covers the toughest ground on the diamond. “I play centerfield, and I think the most difficult part is having to cover the most ground in the outfield,” Smith said.
What keeps her grounded, though, isn’t just her glove work. It’s her teammates. “What I love the most about my team and teammates is how we are all so close like a family, on and off the field,” Smith said.
One of those family members is Macen Fixico, a teammate Smith has played alongside since tee ball. “My current teammate that has left an impression on me and still is leaving impressions on me is Macen Fixico. We have played softball together since tee ball. She has always picked me up and reminded me how good I can be. She doesn’t let me get in my head and pushes me to be better,” Smith said.
Smith’s biggest hurdle isn’t physical — it’s mental. Perfectionism has followed her onto the field, and last season taught her a lesson she’s carrying into this year. “One lesson I learned from last year is that you’re never too good to improve. I believe that if we had kept working harder, then the McLoud softball team would have made it farther,” Smith said.
That same self-awareness shapes what she’s working on now. “I am working to improve on getting out of my head. I have always struggled with this because I know how good I can be, so I expect it all the time. I have started to realize that some mistakes are okay as long as you don’t let it consume you and don’t let it affect your game,” Smith said.
Off the field, Smith’s biggest influence has always been close to home. “My mom inspires me every day through all the things she does as a parent. She is the strongest person I know, and I hope I’m an amazing mom like her when I’m older,” Smith said.
Smith is already looking toward the future, with softball as part of the plan well beyond high school. “I would like to have the chance to go play college softball, but after that, I would like to be a physical therapist or something that has to do with sports,” Smith said.
For now, Smith’s focus stays on the present: trusting her teammates, tightening her mental game and covering as much ground as she can for a Lady Redskins team built on togetherness.
