Waukomis High School’s Paityn Willard
For Waukomis High School softball player Paityn Willard, the game is about a lot more than balls and strikes. It is about faith, family and a tight-knit group of teammates who feel more like sisters than classmates.
Willard, a sophomore, splits her time between catching in fastpitch and playing third base in slow-pitch, embracing two of the most demanding spots on the field. She describes catching as being the “quarterback” of the defense, and she admits she puts a lot of pressure on herself to be the best leader she can be from behind the plate. At third base, she is locked in on every pitch, ready for hard line drives that can change an inning in a heartbeat.
Her approach at the plate reflects the same focus. Before every at-bat, Willard said she has a simple but important routine: she prays, gets her mind right, steps into the box with confidence, locks in her stance and then waits for her pitch. That mental process, she said, helps her slow the game down and keep her faith at the center of what she does.
Willard points to her parents and Waukomis coach Nathan Pearson as the people who inspire her most. Her parents, she said, did “pretty awesome things” in sports when they were in school, and she wants to push herself to be just as good or better. Pearson, meanwhile, sets the tone for the program with his standards and belief in his players.
“He pushes me and my teammates to be the best we can be,” Willard said, adding that she is grateful to have him as such a strong influence in her life.
In the classroom, Willard’s favorite subject is math, and she lists Mrs. Hicks as her favorite teacher. Away from school and softball, she spends her free time hanging out with friends, lifting weights, playing basketball and going to church, a mix that mirrors her competitive drive and strong faith.
Willard said the best part of being on the Waukomis team is the bond she shares with her teammates. She describes it as gaining “so many sisters and best friends” and loves that the group is God-centered and sticks together through the highs and lows like a family. When it comes to personalities, she says teammate Torie Rhodes is the most vocal, while Ava Milacek is the one who keeps everyone laughing.
Softball has already taught Willard lessons she expects to carry far beyond high school. She said sports have shown her the value of hard work to reach goals, being a team player and being a good leader — traits that show up every time she pulls on what she admits is probably the dirtiest uniform on the team.
