2020 Senior Spotlight: Haley Cain

By Andy Brown
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Updated: May 28, 2020

Andy Brown / Louisburg Sports Zone

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.

Following her freshman season, Haley Cain made a goal for herself.

Cain, who was awarded a varsity letter in three sports her first year of high school, wanted to accomplish the rare feat of earning 12 varsity letters for her high school career. That means she would have earned a varsity letter in three sports in each of her four years of high school.

The last female Louisburg athlete to do that was Isabelle Holtzen in 2018, but before that, Louisburg Sports Zone was unable to find a record of that accomplishment. The closest before that was Krystal Bowes with 10 in 2001.

“It became clear to me after track season my freshman year, that I had the possibility of reaching that,” Cain said.

There appeared to be no stopping her as she was sitting at 11 letters going into her final soccer season. Her goal was all but assured of becoming a reality.

Unfortunately, a lot of us know what happened next.

The spread of COVID-19 cancelled the spring sports season, and in turn, ended Cain’s dream of making school history. There would be no shot at a 12^th letter.

“When I found out that not only school was canceled but my soccer season was cancelled, I was upset,” Cain said. “I was so close to accomplishing that goal and being able to say I earned a varsity letter in every season of every year of high school. But even though that will not happen now, I have to remember that I have had an amazing time playing high school sports and have made many friends and memories that I would not have otherwise. I can accept that and still be proud of myself for accomplishing what I did through these past four years.”

Cain has played a big role on the Louisburg volleyball and basketball teams the last four years and earned her first spring letter in track. Then, she decided to make the switch from track to soccer.

That change turned out to be beneficial for Cain as she was a part of two second-place state teams in soccer to go along with two state runner-up finishes and a fourth place finish in volleyball.

“I played soccer when I was younger for LARA, but I wouldn’t consider digging in the dirt or mud with your cleats as playing soccer,” Cain said. “I didn’t have many soccer skills when I started playing my sophomore year in high school. But I enjoyed team sports and thought it would be something I would enjoy. I knew I would have to work extra hard to even get close to the level of play of some of the girls, but I liked the thought of trying something new and pushing myself to get better.”

**Louisburg senior Haley Cain was one season away from accomplishing the rare feat of earning 12 varsity letters in high school.**

Louisburg soccer coach Kyle Conley definitely saw improvement from Cain since her sophomore year as she was all set to play a significant role for the Wildcats in the midfield this year.

“Haley is a good athlete with a great work ethic,” Conley said. “She really didn’t know much about soccer at first, but she worked hard to learn the game and the positions. She’s a smart kid that picked up the game quickly. She was a tough kid.

“For a student athlete to be able to letter in every season and every sport they played in while in high school is pretty special. That is a credit to her work ethic and how competitive she is.”

Cain was a part of a 12-member senior class that was all set to make a run at a third straight state championship game, and they were all hoping for a shot at the program’s first state title.

“The senior class of girls this year were going to be one that everyone would remember,” Cain said. “Every single one of us seniors have always supported and encouraged each other, even when times were tough and our coaches did the same. Having 12 seniors go out for a sport shows you how Coach Conley and Coach (Michael) Pickman have developed their program, making each girl feel important and needed. It never mattered to them if you were a star player or not, they always pushed you to be the best you could be, and I think that is what matters most.”

With the difficult last two months, Cain has tried to focus on the positives and look back on the good times she had with the Wildcat soccer program.

“I was extremely excited about this soccer season, knowing that we were going to do great things on the field and all the memories we would make,” Cain said. “That loss is devastating to me, my team and the coaches. We had a great possibility of making it to the state tournament again and with the talent we had this year we may have finally brought home the championship trophy. I really wanted that chance to see where we could go this year and end my high school sports career on a high note.

“My favorite memories are the ones where I bonded with my teammates at team dinners, on the buses to and from games, and on the field; either at practice or a game. These are my favorite because in 20 years I will not remember all the game scores or stats, but I will remember the good memories I made and how I felt playing on a team with great friends and amazing coaches.”

Other than soccer, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Haley on how she has been coping with an early end to her senior year and some of her other interests. Here are his responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

HC: It seems to me that what I miss the most are the things I took for granted. I miss hanging out with my friends at Sonic, cruising around town, and having sleepovers on the weekends and asking that questions of “what do we want to do now?” I also miss walking into LHS at 11:00 (I had late start) to see teachers, friends, and peers “hating” their day because they have to sit through another class or teach a class to ornery students not wanting to pay attention.

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

HC: The best memory I have as an athlete is state volleyball 2017. Our slogan was “believe the hype” and I truly think we did. The feeling I had knowing that our team made it to the state tournament was one I will never forget. The state tournament was a whole other feeling, walking into the arena as a team and knowing we had a good chance of becoming state champion was amazing and I will never forget that feeling or experience.

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

HC: One of my favorite activities is hiking. Hiking is something I can do to get away from the outside world. It also allows me to be able to spend quality time with my family. Spending time outside in nature is something I have always enjoyed.

LSZ: What are your plans for after graduation?

HC: I will be attending Pittsburg State University and I am undecided on a major right now.

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

HC: Maintaining a 3.7 GPA throughout high school is something I am proud of.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

HC: In July of 2017, my family and I hiked rim to rim of the Grand Canyon. It took four days and we had to hike in and back out with everything we would need including food, tents, sleeping pads, clothes, etc. Our packs weighed about 35 pounds each and the temperatures were unbearable. We did a lot of night/early morning hiking because of the heat, but it was an unforgettable experience.

Haley’s Favorites

Pro athlete: Jackie Robinson

Pro team: Kansas City Chiefs

College team: KU Basketball

Movie: A Star Is Born

TV Show: One Tree Hill

Song: Home by Phillip Phillips

Band/Musician: Old Dominion

Pregame meal/snack: Cup of Noodles

Class/subject: Math, maybe lunch?

Teacher and why? Kyle Conley – because he not only pushed students to be great in the class room, but he made sure every one of his athletes excelled on the field.