Bailey McCarty
Miami High School
By Trina Walker
Continuous hard work pays off. Bailey McCarty learned this lesson playing softball. As a senior playing first base for the Miami High School softball team, she puts in the work to make herself a better player and teammate.
She is passionate about the life lessons her sport has taught her and the lifelong memories it has created. One memory that stands out is making it to state her sophomore year. Being part of a team builds friendship and camaraderie, which is what Bailey loves most about her team.
Representing MHS as an athlete is an opportunity to show respect for her school as well as the other schools they compete against. Playing for coach Strack has influenced Bailey by instilling respect for the game. “She inspires me because she has always pushed me to be better than I was the day before,” says Bailey.
Like many softball players, Bailey was introduced to her sport playing T-ball. She is thankful to her mom for being her biggest supporter and encouraging her to play. “I started softball because my mom did it when she was younger. She was determined for me to be a softball player.
“The teammate who left the biggest impression on me was Jordan Shirley, who happens to be my sister. Jordan didn’t really get to play varsity much, but she never let that get her down. On her senior night she finally got put in the game and hit a bomb over the fence!” exclaimed Bailey.
Former OSU Cowgirl softball player Samantha Show is a player Bailey has looked up to since she was young. “When I was younger, I always wanted to hit it over so I could do her famous bat flip,” she said.
Bailey’s future dreams include a summer vacation to Tokyo, Japan with her sister. This would be the experience of a lifetime.
Along with playing for her high school softball team, Bailey is also on a travel softball team, she is a cheerleader, does powerlifting, and is part of the National Honor Society.
