PEMBROKE -- Off to Ohio.
On Thursday, Bryan County High School softball’s Mackensie Bailey signed her letter of intent to continue her education and athletic career at Shawnee State University.
The 4-year institution is a member of the NAIA and is in Portsmouth, Ohio.
Bailey was a four-year starter as a rightfielder, catcher, and first baseman for Head Coach Jason Roundtree as they arrived at Bryan County High in the same year.
She has the distinction of being the only senior of the 2022 class to come out of the Redskin softball program.
“She’s my first freshman class – that’s weird to say that my first freshman class is one person,” Roundtree said after Bailey signed on to Shawnee State. “And she didn’t wait until she was a senior to be a leader; she started as a freshman. She was the first freshman that came in with me. She will work hard. She’s always in the weight room or either out there on the field. That’s her life. And today she gets to fulfill that dream of playing college softball.”
A teary-eyed Bailey was appreciative of the opportunity to compete on the clay for four more years.
“It’s amazing, it’s a blessing,” she said after signing. “God is good. I’m thankful for it because not every athlete gets this after high school and I’m just glad that with all the levels I get to go to college and play and further on my education and my athletics. I’m just lucky.”
Despite Shawnee State being almost 700 miles away from Pembroke, Bailey felt that she was at home with the welcoming nature of the university and the coaching staff.
“Even though it’s ten hours away, it reminded me of home,” she said of her choice of higher learning. “The school structure and the coach reminded me of my coaches down here. I felt like I was still in Georgia. It’s home.”
Roundtree wants Bailey to carry the family-oriented practices that she learns from being a Redskin up to Ohio as she become a Bear.
He also wants her to remember the work ethic that she possesses as she goes into a new situation.
“A team is supposed to be like a family and her hard work will pay off,” Roundtree said. “When she came here as a freshman, she started in the weight room and I told her if she lifts weights and stay dedicated, you’ll be fine. That pays off today.”
During Bailey’s time at Bryan County, she made all-region first team and all-region second team.
She also had a Final Four and Sweet 16 appearance.
“My time here has been great,” Bailey reflected on being at Bryan County. “We had a lot of ups and downs. My freshman year we went 10-14 and then junior year we ended up going 31-6. This year wasn’t the best, but we went back to state. Every year we’ve just gotten better and better and better. And at Shawnee State, Coach (Sam) White is all about getting better. If you hit, you play. And that’s how it is down here. It’s the same I feel like. Coach Roundtree just wants the best out of us and so does Coach White.”
Once she begins classes at Shawnee State, Bailey wants to continue to work in the athletic field off the clay.
“I want to be an athletic trainer,” she said. “I know I want to do something medical because I want to help people.”