By: Krissy Hetherington
Even without a junior season, Redwood Softball’s very own Sydnee Weber, ’21, and Hailey Smithson, ’21, were able to earn scholarships to further their academic and athletic careers based purely on talent and heart.
This past week, the girls were 2 of the 4 total athletes able to sign their National Letters of Intent securing a spot on their collegiate teams.
Unfortunately due to COVID-19, they had to sign from home instead of the traditional ceremony that takes place in the quad every fall and winter during school.
Athletic Director, Michael Wright, said “Hopefully, at some point this school year we will be able to celebrate properly. I know it is a special moment and they deserve the proper recognition and celebration so I am anxious to give that to them.”
His encouragement to the athletes signing is to enjoy the time they have in high school and to realize there is always time to get better.
Hailey Smithson- McPherson College- Softball
In November 2019, Hailey Smithson, ’21, made the decision to commit to McPherson College located in McPherson, Kansas.
She decided on McPherson because of it’s small town environment and somewhere she would love to spend her next 4 years.
“As well as being studs on the field the girls on the team are very kind. I was lucky enough to get to stay in the dorms with some of my future teammates and I enjoyed every second of it. I am very excited to experience the different atmosphere that this school and town will bring.”
Smithson was able to visit the college last fall and said she immediately felt welcomed.
“Everyone staff and students included were so kind and made me feel like home. Coach Segovia, the head softball coach, truly cares for his athletes which shocked me because you see most college coaches wanting to focus on winning and they do not seem to care about their athletes’ education as much as their athletic ability. Coach Segovia makes sure that his athletes are attending their classes on a regular basis and keeping their grades up. Everything about the school made me feel like they truly want their students to succeed.”
She intends to major in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice and a minor in psychology.
Smithson had the opportunity to sign to play alongside her best friend of 10 years, Sierra, from her travel team.
“She has always been by my side and pushed me to be a better player. We worked all this time together to be the best we could be and now we are finally able to go play the next four years together. Our entire softball careers have been working towards this moment,” says Smithson.
Smithson’s biggest influence has been her father, “My dad has always pushed me to be the best on and off the field. He may be hard on me sometimes but in the end it has made me into a better person, without him pushing me there is no way I would have become the player and person I am today.”
After being a part of the Varsity Softball team since her sophomore season, she is very grateful for her time on the Redwood Softball team as it taught her many lessons in adjustment and adaptation.
Head Coach of the Softball team, Bob Rooney, said, “Hailey is a versatile player who can play almost anywhere defensively. Offensively she hits from the left side. She can spray the ball around as well as bunt. She has grown and matured both as a player and a person over the past 3+ years. I’m excited to see where she is with her game this, her senior year. She has really developed into a solid defensive player in both the infield and outfield.”
He has enjoyed watching her grow in her maturity and confidence both offensively and defensively which have made her a great leader both on and off the field.
“Hailey has worked hard every year to improve her game and that desire to get better will help her at the next level both as a student and as an athlete.”
Bob Rooney, Softball Head Coach
His final words to Smithson are, “Keep doing what you’re doing. You have a great support system and a strong foundation!”
She has also been a part of softball team which has played a big part in her recruitment.
“While playing in a showcase the summer before my junior year I was approached by McPherson’s west coast recruiter after a game and from there it all took off. He loved the way I played and relayed my information to the head coach. If it was not for the experience of playing travel ball for so many years with girls I call my sisters I would not have made it to where I am today,” she says.
Sydnee Weber- Missouri Valley College- Softball
After visiting and verbally committing to Missouri Valley College this fall, Sydnee Weber, ’21, was able to officially sign her National Letter of Intent on November 4th.
What drew Weber to Missouri Valley is the fact that out of the 1400 students there, about 1100 are student-athletes so everyone understands each other including the professors. She was also very drawn to the coaches from the very beginning.
Right now, she is still deciding between aeronautical engineering and business and marketing for her major.
Weber says, “The softball program stood out to me because the coaches are truly invested in their players and care about them as people and not just as things to help them win. All of the girls got along and molded so well together …plus a couple girls I’ve played travel ball with are going there so that’s nice to see a familiar face.”
She also mentions that she enjoys the pace and people in Midwest since she’s visited there so many times.
“Every time I go I find another reason that I love it, I love the idea of it being far away from Visalia because I’ve lived here my whole life and I’d love to experience something new and this is the perfect opportunity. I have family friends out there about an hour away so I still have a support system,” she adds.
Weber is appreciative of her travel softball team because of the people she was able to meet and it’s speed of the game which is similar to college.
She’s been a part of the Redwood Varsity Softball all four years of high school and was also a part of the 2018 DII Valley Championship team as a freshman.
“Playing in high school has helped me prepare for college because we practice every day as we will in college and has helped with time management by having to make time for school, working out, and practice,” she says.
Coach Rooney adds, “She is definitely a “high energy” player. Sydnee is vocal on the field and in the dugout and we always need players like that. She leads by example. She has great speed and always plays the game at full speed that’s what makes her stand out.”
“I’m sure Sydnee will do well at the next level because she is expecting to do well and will work to make herself successful, she is a hard worker and driven to be as good as she can be and she doesn’t even know how good she can be. I will be watching her career for the next 4 years.”
Softball Head Coach, Bob Rooney
Rooney is very thankful for the opportunity to watch Weber grow and mature both as a player and person and is excited to watch her lead the team as a senior this year.
Weber is grateful for everyone who has helped her throughout her journey but someone that sticks out to her specifically is one of her coaches and mentors, Rylee Pierce.
“I’ve been working with her for so long and I’ve seen her do such amazing work and her passion for the game and her knowledge is so inspiring,” Weber adds.
Expectations for the potential, upcoming season
Although this year has been anything but normal, teams still remain hopeful for a sport season and final season before heading off to college.
Redwood Softball has always been a strong program and made that known in 2018 by securing a DII Valley Championship.
In the year to follow, the team finished with a 17-13 overall record and went 8-2 in League. Both Weber and Smithson were a part of that team.
Before the 2020 season was cancelled, the young team started off 1-9 heading into the regular season.
Rooney is “excited for this season and to see the growth in our returning players from last year to this year. I think they will be ready once we are allowed to start and anxious to redeem the season that we didn’t have last year.”
He notes that the team only graduated 2 players last year and there will be some experienced underclassmen joining the seniors for the upcoming season.
Smithson’s goals for this upcoming senior season are “to grow a little more as a player before I head off to college and just work to become stronger mentally and physically. I want to have some fun with my teammates before I step off Redwood’s field for the last time. It’s going to be difficult to leave both my school team and my travel team behind as I further my softball career but I am looking forward to the great things McPherson college has to offer me as both a student and an athlete.”
Weber’s main focus is for everyone to just have fun this season while also getting better heading into college.
“I want to win some games and get better as a unit. Personally, I’m just looking forward to seeing the girls and my main goal is just to refine and better my glove, better my understanding of the game. I just want everyone to have a good time and get better as a team and I expect everyone to feel the same,” says Weber.