Becca Conrad, 16, is entering her junior year at Cabell Midland High School. Becca lives in Milton with her parents, Chris and Rachel Conrad, and her brothers; Jonah, 21, Zayne, 19, and Sawyer, 15, who also attends Cabell Midland and plays basketball.

"I started playing softball because of my two older brothers," Becca recalls. "They played little league, and I grew up watching them at the ball field. I decided I wanted to follow in their footsteps and play too."  Becca has been dedicated to softball since she was 5 years old.

Becca shared, "My favorite coaches would have to be my old travel ball coaches, Matt Nelson and Kenny Zigmond. They gave me a chance when I was 12 and never looked back," she explains. "Their kids and families welcomed me with open arms and loved me like their own. They taught me the hard lessons of life and the game and pushed me to be my best. They allowed me to grow my love and talent for softball, and I will always be grateful for them."

Becca shared with Stroll Barboursville that her favorite aspect of being on a team is the strong bonds she forms. "My favorite thing about my team and teammates is how they become like your second family," she shares. "It's cool to see a bunch of random teenage girls that you might’ve never met without this sport come together to love, learn, and cheer each other on."

Participating in softball has taught Becca valuable life lessons. "I've learned that softball is the game of failure; it's going to happen no matter what you do. But it's how you react to those situations that will define you," she says. The relationships she has built and the competitive nature of the game are what she loves most about the sport. "I love being there to cheer when someone hits a home run, laugh until I spit my water out, and be there for each other through the tough losses. There's nothing like feeling that little bit of pressure to field the ball or get that hit." Becca rose above that pressure and her success led to being selected with an honorable mention on the All-MSAC team.

One of Becca's favorite moments in her softball career happened this year. "My favorite moment would have to be when I hit the walk-off home run against Lincoln County to win sectionals. Seeing my teammates cheering for me as I was rounding third is something I'll never forget."

Looking ahead, Becca plans to play college softball and major in exercise science to become a physical therapist. She offers a piece of advice for those looking to get into the sport: "Control the controllable. Things aren’t always gonna go your way, but stay positive and keep trying!"

We congratulate Becca on a great season and will be cheering her on again next year.