Personal Statement

Hey! I am Kaitlynn Ayers and have been playing the game of softball for five years. I am only playing today because a coach decided to take a chance on me when I was eleven years old. Since that decision, I have dedicated much of my time and passion for the game of softball. I uprooted myself and moved to a new high school; my old school didn’t have softball, to continue my softball career. I am now playing nine months a year only taking time off for basketball season.

Academics and athletics have been a massive part of my life because of my parents. Both of my parents are teachers who instilled a love for education in me from a young age. My dad has been a football coach for 25 years and took me to my first practice when I was six months old. As a Kindergartner, I wanted to help. I started by being the team's water girl, and then I did the team’s stats. Being on the sidelines gave me a firsthand glimpse at what teamwork and coachability look like. Watching and listening to my dad showed me what I needed to do to become an athlete who had the intangibles: effort, attitude, and a love to compete.

My love of competition brought me to CrossFit. I have been doing CrossFit for four years and have loved every minute of it. The workouts have helped me gain a level of mental toughness I have never possessed before. This new level of mental toughness has enabled me to push my body past its old limitations. Playing basketball has also helped my mental toughness. Being a two-sport athlete has shown me the value of time management, perseverance, and the importance of individual effort in creating team success. Without my parents and coaches support, none of my softball dreams would ever be able to come true.