By Dave Ongie, News Editor
Truth be told, there are some days when Kara Weems just wants to sit down and watch the world go by.
“But at the same time, if I didn’t have softball or all this stuff going on, I really don’t think I’d know what to do,” Weems said with a laugh.
The senior at David Crockett High School is one of the premier softball pitchers in the area. Last season she helped guide the Pioneers to a 33-11-1 record and a District 1-AAA tournament title while earning MVP honors.
Softball is a constant for Weems, who has been the starting pitcher at Crockett since her freshman year. She has over 500 strikeouts to her credit and plays the sport year-round. But that’s not to say softball is all-consuming – Weems says her faith in Jesus Christ as the top priority in her life, and that faith made picking a college an easy decision.
Last fall, Weems signed a scholarship to continue her athletic and academic pursuits at Milligan College, and growing in her faith was the main reason for the decision. She can also relate to the family dynamic at play on Milligan’s coaching staff. Wes Holly has been coaching at the school for over 30 years and is assisted by his son Wes Holly Jr.
Weems has been coached by her mother, Carla Weems, for her entire high school career.
“She’s a good coach and she knows what she’s talking about,” Weems said. “But her being my mom, it’s hard for me to keep my attitude in check at sometimes because I want to talk back or I want to like disagree with her,” Weems said. “But I know that with the team, I can’t do that because then it would give others the right to do that, too.”
In addition to playing softball, Weems has competed on the girls’ basketball and volleyball teams at Crockett, and she also finds time to sing in the school choir and at her church. Through it all, she has also excelled in the classroom.
Weems said the experience of playing sports has helped her hone her leadership skills and has given her memories that will last a lifetime.
“I’m excited to start my new chapter at Milligan, so that’s a good thing, but I’m also kind of sad to leave this behind,” Weems said.
