With one more season to go with the Lady Redskins, Laura-Kate (LK) Tully is looking to help lead Social Circle back to state.
Tully, who is a senior for the Lady Redskins, spends most of her time on the diamond in left field or first base.
Getting to the state playoffs is nothing new for Tully, who has been there on more than one occasion.
However, the one-year hiatus Social Circle took from the playoffs last year has inspired Tully’s main goal for her final season.
“I definitely want to make it to state for one last time, because I got there my freshman and sophomore years and that has been my favorite experience,” Tully said. “Definitely state and region champs.”
Out of her two trips to state, her second one serves as Tully’s most memorable.
“Sophomore year in the state championship,” Tully said. “We lost, but it was the coolest experience ever. Just the team and the atmosphere of everything was amazing.”
The team took a hit over the offseason with the departure of many seniors, but Tully shared her hopefulness about the team going into this new season.
“We just lost a great group of seniors that have been with us, but we are hopeful,” Tully said. “We got some new girls in from other schools. I feel like we are doing good and can be even stronger than we were last year.”
Many people have served as an inspiration or motivation for Tully throughout her career.
In practice, Tully credited assistant softball coach Kevin Dawkins for the work he has done to get the team better.
“Coach Dawkins really helps me a lot,” Tully said. “I can always take criticism from him because we are close, and anything he tells me, I know he means it because he is just trying to help me.”
As a whole, however, Tully’s biggest motivator is family.
“[It is] my dad,” Tully said. “He is always pushing me to be the best I can and my mom, too. They have always pushed me.”
When describing her own style of play, the theme always stood around keeping the team’s spirits up.
“I like to keep the team happy,” Tully said. “Keep a high energy, I take it seriously enough, but I try to keep everyone up and have fun at practice. Just trying to make it as enjoyable as I can.”
