For Grove High School junior Raelynn Hanes, varsity fastpitch softball means more than the competition found between the lines. As a shortstop and third baseman for the Lady Ridgerunners, Hanes values the lasting connections the game has created.
“I have mostly played shortstop and third base. The thing I enjoy most about being part of a team is the friendships I make. I love the number of people this sport has brought into my life and the relationships I know I will carry with me forever. The people. The friendships. The memories. That is what makes this sport so special to me.”
Hanes draws daily inspiration from her parents, whose examples have shaped both her work ethic and perspective. Her father works as a firefighter and paramedic, while her mother has encouraged Hanes to appreciate the opportunity to compete.
“There are two very important people in my life who inspire me every single day: my mom and my dad. My dad is a firefighter/paramedic. He is the definition of blue-collar and has taught me to work for everything I want. He tells me all the time, ‘Nothing gets handed to us, sis, so you got to work your butt off and be proud of what you have!’ That mindset has stuck with me. My mom has always reminded me to thank God for the ability to play this sport and to do it all for his glory. She has taught me patience in a way that I don’t think anyone else could.”
Within the Lady Ridgerunners program, teammate Kinsey Guinn has also made an impact on Hanes.
“A current teammate who has really left an impression on me is Kinsey Guinn. Being around someone who has the same wants and dreams as me is incredible. I truly believe that if we want to be successful in life, we have to surround ourselves with like-minded people.”
After graduation, Hanes hopes to continue her softball career while pursuing nursing and eventually working as an emergency room nurse at a Level I trauma center.
