By Derrick Smith

There are moments throughout an athlete’s career that stand out above the rest. These could be personal accomplishments or a team achievement. Either way, these moments have such an impact on the athlete that they remember it for a long time. Emily McConnell plays softball for Perry High School and she has one particular moment that is her favorite. 

“I have had a lot of fun playing softball,” she said. “The highlight moment of my career would be when I hit a grandslam during my sophomore year. It was a great feeling watching the ball fly over the fence.”

McConnell, who is a senior, is a pitcher and plays third base for the Lady Maroons. She is also invoeld with a number of clubs around campus, including Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Business Professionals of America, the National Honor Society, student council, and Leadership.

McConnell has invested a lot of time, effort, and hard work in order to be the best athlete that she can be. But she says that the physical work is not the only important part.

“There are different things that go into being successful,” she said. “Getting along with my teammates has been a big part of my success. Also, patience is key as well. I keep myself motivated to be my best because I want to make my parents proud.”

During her life, Emily’s life has been influenced by some outstanding people that she looks up to.

“The biggest role models in my life are the strong women in my family,” McConnell said. “I appreciate all of them and the impact they have had on me and helped shape me into who I am. Also, Mrs. Allred has shown me how to express myself and be creative.”

When it comes to opponents, Emily says that she always likes to win but there is one that she and her teammates always enjoy beating the most. 

“Blackwell is the opponent we always want to beat,” she said. “There has been a long going rivalry between Perry and Blackwell, so those games are always big.”