Crowder signs with Ottawa to play softball

Louisburg senior Hailey Crowder signed her letter of intent to play softball at Ottawa University on Nov. 28 at Louisburg High School. Sitting next to Hailey (from left) is Ottawa assistant Aurelia Gamch and Hailey’s parents Shauna and Scott Clark.

Softball has been on the mind of Hailey Crowder for a while now, and as she enters her senior season on the Louisburg High School softball team, she began to wonder what her future was going to hold.

She doesn’t have to wonder any longer.

Crowder recently signed her letter of intent to play softball at Ottawa University in front of family and friends at a ceremony Nov. 28 at the high school. She will join the Braves program next season.

“I’m very excited about playing college softball,” Crowder said. “I have been thinking about it for a very long time and I am very glad I get a chance to be part of something bigger.”

Crowder recently had a chance to take a visit to the Ottawa campus and she liked everything she saw, including the opportunity to get to know some of her future teammates and coaches.

She will join an Ottawa program that finished last season with a 34-20 record and a 17-5 record in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

“I really love the campus,” Crowder said. “It is small, and I like small. The coaches are very nice and I have met some of the Ottawa softball players. They are very funny and really nice, as well.”

As a junior for the Louisburg softball team, Crowder was a starting outfielder for the Lady Cats as they finished with a 5-16 record a year ago. She came up with several big hits on the season and hopes for an even better senior campaign as she prepares to start her new collegiate career.

“The coaches see me as a fit on the junior varsity team and I’m perfectly ok with that,” Crowder said. “I have a lot of time to improve and become better. I’m going to do my best to succeed and I plan to make it up to the varsity team before expected. I’m very glad to become an Ottawa Brave.”

Although softball is important for Crowder, she knows her first priority is school and plans to major in nursing.

“I would like to be a pediatric nurse because this year I realized that I really love being around kids and all the positive energy they give off.”