2020 Senior Spotlight: Allie Boles
Louisburg Sports Zone will be running senior spotlights through April and May everyday (Monday through Friday) in an effort to honor seniors who had their seasons taken away due to the spread of COVID-19.
Softball holds a special place in the heart of Allie Boles.
Boles has been playing the sport for as long as she could remember and she grew up always with a bat in her hand. Her father, Dave, brought her up in the sport and coached her till she was 17.
It has been a big part of her life and gave her things that will remain with her forever.
“Softball isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of living life in my opinion,” Boles said. “It brings a lot of life lessons to you. You meet a lot of people. The game of softball to me is unexplainable – you have to love it and know who you want to be on that field for. Softball is and will always be a part of my life. I have big goals and dreams that I look forward to accomplishing.”
After not playing for the Louisburg program since her freshman year, Boles was excited to join her friends and go on one final run her senior season.
“I was super excited and I really wanted to make some memories with some of the girls I used to play with,” Boles said. “I was excited to be coached by coach (Nick) Chapman because he knows a lot about the game and how it goes. I thought we could have been really good this year, not only because of the skill we improved on, but the team’s chemistry was built strong over those few weeks.”
Boles was slated to be a starter and one of the Lady Cats’ biggest bats in their lineup this season, but when she got word that their season was over due to the spread of COVID-19, her heart sank.
“When I first found out I was with my friends,” Boles said. “We found out over a phone call from one of our moms. Hearing her cry and the news that our senior year, and all that we have been looking forward to, had been ripped away from us made us pretty emotional. There were a lot of tears shed.
“Driving by the school, football field and softball fields gives me a pain in my chest every time. I think when you play ball with anyone they automatically become your family and having that ripped away from you hurts. We’ve all been in touch and getting through it together.”
The Lady Cats were on a mission in 2020 to try and earn another trip to state after winning a regional championship a year ago. Boles figured to be a big part of that run, along with the six other seniors on the team.
“She has a bright future in softball,” Chapman said. “She has raw talent that I am excited to see grow at the next level. I think she would have had a huge year and helped our team take the next step along with the rest of these seniors. She committed to this team from the very beginning and demonstrated what it means to play with passion. I am very grateful for her leadership and excited to see what her softball future holds.”
Softball still figures to be a fixture in Boles’ life moving forward as she has signed to play in college and is looking forward to growing even more in the sport. Still, she has several fond memories of her short time with the Lady Cat program.
“One of my favorite moments was one of the last moments I was with them,” Boles said. “We had a team dinner on what we didn’t know would be our last day, and during that time we grew together. It felt like a family that had known each other forever, even though it had been a couple short hours. We were playing games all night and laughing, throwing hot dogs at each other and just being goofy.”
Other than softball, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Allie on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are her responses from the rest of our Q&A.
LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?
AB: Honestly, I have been missing the people more than anything. I wish I could be walking down those hallways one more time, or riding to the games on the bus jamming out with the girls. I wish I could have the anxiety of getting ready for finals again, knowing my class is having that same feeling. I would go through all the hard times if it means we could go back to school again. It’s really just shocking that the true meaning of high school is over.
LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?
AB: I think my freshman year of basketball was the most fun time of my life. That group of girls are some of my closest friends and playing with them was super fun.
LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?
AB: I really like to explore, or be with my friends outside or just driving around with the sunroof open. As long as I’m with the people that I love, then I’ll be having a good time.
LSZ: What are your plans after graduation?
AB: After graduation, I will be attending Temple College in Texas to continue my academic and softball career. My goal is to transfer to Oklahoma State after that. I am still undecided on a major at this time.
LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?
AB: I think my greatest accomplishment was finishing with a B in College Algebra. When it comes to math I’m not the best, so I was pretty proud.
LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?
AB: I would say people don’t know about my eye. One pupil is larger than the other because I had surgery when I was a baby and they accidentally cut it making it larger and a darker shade.
Allie’s Favorites
Pro athlete: Sydney Romero
Pro team: Pride Softball
College team: Oklahoma State or University of Oklahoma
Movie: Any Marvel movie
TV Show: The 100
Song: Better Off Gone or Homemade
Band/Musician: Cody Johnson
Pregame meal/snack: Fruit Roll-Up, orange and a granola bar
Class/subject: Biology
Teacher and why: I like too many to pick a favorite