Normally, varsity teams are made up of juniors and seniors, but Kylah Marzette attained a spot on the varsity softball team as a freshman. Marzette has been working since the age of six to play on the softball team and has hit over 8 homeruns over the fence, as well as a batting average over 600 during the 2017 season.

Marzette first got into softball because of her dad and the rest of her family since they are all athletic. She kept up with the sport because, as she got older, she realized she could have a good chance at getting into a few colleges with softball. In fact, Marzette already has a couple of colleges interested in her. This situation brings on a mix of exciting and nerveracking emotions.

“Having colleges look at me is both stressful and exhilarating because I have to focus on my grades and also perform on the softball field. So, if ones lacking, I’m kind of stuck. It’s stressful, but at the time cool because I’m a freshman and colleges are already looking at me,” Marzette said.

To be a freshman in high school and play on a varsity team can be very tough because there are quite a few things to balance and you have a lot on your plate.

“Being a student athletes means you’re held accountable for a lot more things than a regular student. If you get in trouble, your coaches find out. I feel like people expect more of you because you have to do well in both areas: academics and athletics,” Marzette said.

Although Kylah Marzette has had a lot of great times on the field, there are times in her life that make her become uncertain of her capabilities.

“When we were playing Waxahachie, I doubted myself while hitting and all that because I was going through a slump and I would strike out a lot. I thought to myself, ‘Well, maybe this really isn’t for me,’ but my coaches helped me through all of those struggles and games,” Marzette said.

Even though the softball player has faced many challenges, she has learned to never give up and to not try to let other people get in the way of her goals.

“You’re going to want to quit. There’s going to be some coaches you don’t like and some girls you don’t like, but don’t play for the coaches. Play for you and your team,” Marzette said.

Kylah Marzette has not only influenced her future, but her present day team at Lake Ridge. Teammate Brittany Jackson, senior, has received a lot of support from her during hard times.

“Kylah has helped me personally through a lot of adversity. She has always been there to help me when I was low and encouraged me when I was at my high. She’s the type of teammate you dream of. We call her “wild thug” because that’s exactly who she is. She keeps you going through the lows and the highs and she is always cheering,” Jackson said.

Junior Kayla Parnell, another teammate of Kylah’s, likes her determination and work ethic and what they do for the team.

“She is like a little sister and I really appreciate that she never gives up in games. She’s brought us out of some dull moments,” Parnell said.

With her “powerful wing, positive attitude, and strong arm,” Kylah Marzette has been a great addition to the team and not only has a light shined on her because of her achievements, but she also shines a light on others.