2020 Senior Spotlight: August Daniels

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.

August Daniels faced a lot of adversity last season as a pitcher for the Louisburg softball team, and a player in that position always does.

That helped her become a stronger player, but a couple months before the start of the season, Daniels faced something she might not be able to overcome. The Wildcat senior suffered a hip injury and was trying to do physical therapy to be able to play later in the year.

New Louisburg softball coach Nick Chapman tried to encourage Daniels through the process and there was some hope she would be able to get back on the mound again.

“I was really looking forward to this season,” Daniels said. “I really wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to play this season, though. Chapman still allowed me to be part of the team and help out at practices even though I couldn’t do much. He had full faith that I would recover and be able to play at least by the end of the season.”

Daniels played a big role for the Lady Cats last season as she was one of the team’s starting pitchers and also pitched in Louisburg’s run to a regional title a year ago. Despite the injury, Chapman saw a lot of leadership from Daniels in her final season.

“My heart goes out for August,” Chapman said. “She was hurt to start the year, with hopes of getting to finish it out towards the end of April/going into regionals. She was going to be one of our main pitchers this year. She had great accuracy and was able to mix up batters.

“Even though she wasn’t able to practice in those first couple weeks, she was an extension of the coaching staff. When we needed someone to throw to batters or help out with our younger players, she was on it and made everyone better. She was all in on this season, even though she couldn’t play until the end of it.”

Obviously that final season never happened as spring sports were cancelled across the country due to the spread of COVID-19. It was news that left Daniels and the rest of her teammates in shock.

“I was devastated when I heard the news,” Daniels said. “I immediately broke down in tears. It was unreal and I couldn’t really wrap my head around it at first. However, they did what they had to do. I wish we would’ve at least gotten to play that first game, but I’m thankful that we had the practices and time together as a team that we did.”

Although there was no official senior season for her, Daniels will still take with her those memories from the Lady Cats’ run to a state tournament last season. It was a season full of ups and downs, but one that ended on a high note.

**Senior pitcher August Daniels was hoping to bounce back from an injury to pitch later this season.**

“My favorite memory is wining regionals and going to state,” Daniels said. “We’ve always been the sport that gets looked down on and that a lot of people don’t really pay much attention to, but I think winning regionals really changed people’s views of us. Getting to experience that and going to state will be something I’ll always remember and cherish. Although we didn’t make it very far at state, just being able to say that I got to pitch in a state game will be something I’m proud of. It was a great memory to end my high school season with.”

Softball has been a big part of Daniels’ life as of late, but it hasn’t always been that way. In fact, she didn’t get started in the game until middle school, but it has left her with no regrets.

“I started playing softball since I was about 12 or 13,” Daniels said. “Before I had played like t-ball and coach pitch, but it wasn’t for very long. My brother, however, played baseball and I remember watching him in his games and was jealous of how much fun he was having and that’s when I told my parents I wanted to play softball. That was probably the best decision I ever made. It went from being on just a rec team and leading the game for a couple years, and then I was asked to play on a competitive team.

“Softball is a huge part of my life. To me softball isn’t only a game, but it’s a lifestyle. Stepping onto that field took all my other thoughts away. If I was having a bad day or something was bothering me, the field took all of that away. Nothing else mattered but what was going on in the field.”

Other than softball, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with August 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?

AD: I’ve missed my friends and seeing everyone at school, and of course, softball.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

AD: As an athlete, my most memorable moment was every time I stepped on that varsity mound. Every strike or strikeout. I’ve never really been someone who likes to be the center of attention or someone who likes to be watched doing things, but for some reason when I was on that mound all those thoughts went away. I wasn’t worried about messing up or people watching my every move. I was in control and the game was all I was focused on.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

AD: Probably fishing or playing with my dogs. Fishing is really calming and a nice way to relax and I love animals so of course playing with my dogs is always exciting.

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

AD: I haven’t quite figured that out yet. I’ve been thinking about just going to a community college and getting my gen ed’s out of the way until I figure out what I want to major in.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

AD: I’m most proud of how far I’ve came as a pitcher. When I first starting playing softball I would have never of guessed that I would have even consider pitching let alone getting to pitch at a high level. I look back to when I first started pitching to now and how far I have actually come and it just amazes me.

August’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Mike Moustakas

Pro team: Kansas City Royals

College team: Kansas

Movie: Bridge to Terabithia

TV Show: 9-1-1

Song: Cover Me Up by Morgan Wallen

Band/Musician: Jon Pardi or Morgan Wallen

Pregame meal/snack: Chicken Alfredo

Class/subject: Culinary

Teacher and why: Mr. Worthington. I only got to have him as a freshman for math, but I loved having him. He made class enjoyable and math not so terrible. I am not a math person at all but I always looked forward to going to his class. Even after not having his class anymore, seeing him in the hallway and talking to him was always nice.