Many seniors have excelled in their sports and have been recognized by colleges all over Texas. Kasey Simmons is one of the few students who has already signed and is ready to play softball in college.

 “I first started playing softball when I was about 5 years old,” Simmons said. “I played on a t-ball team at the YMCA.” 

Simmons learned to play softball from her idol and was able to learn from who she admired the most.

“My mom has always been my inspiration,” Simmons said. “She played D1 softball at Texas Tech, so growing up I always wanted to be like her.”

Not only was her mother her teacher, but a mentor she could learn from as well.

“The biggest lesson she has taught me is that hard work can get me anywhere,” Simmons said.

Being a student-athlete isn’t always the easiest thing to be and so Simmons had ways to keep herself going.

“Since high school started, my motto has been “just breathe” because I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself and overthink everything,” Simmons said. “Learning to control my breathing has really helped me stay out of my head.”

Although Simmons makes softball look easy, she had some difficulties along the way.

“The biggest obstacle I have faced is finding my self-confidence,” Simmons said. “I often struggle trusting my skill but learning to have confidence in my abilities has helped me to overcome this insecurity.”

It was an easy choice to pick which university she would attend after visiting. 

“I chose this university [Southeastern Oklahoma State University] because it felt like home as soon as I stepped on campus,” Simmons said. “The whole university just had such a wholesome vibe and it felt like everyone knew everyone.”

Just like many Lobos, Simmons had much fondness for Langham.

“From freshman year to now, one thing has never changed,” Simmons said. “My love for this school and my love for representing this school.”

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