As a two-time, All-American and the Sunshine State Conference and Daktronics South Region Pitcher of the Year, senior Kayla Cox has quite a few honors under her belt as she prepares for her last season of collegiate softball. To make her final season one worth remembering, Cox plans on making it the best that it has ever been by having her sights set on the stars for her team.
“I won’t be satisfied until we win a national championship,” Cox said. “I am less concerned with my stats or records and more focused on winning. My main goal is to perform my very best for my team because getting a national championship is what’s more important to me.”
Knowing that they have a confident leader with the right skills and attitude, the team is confident that they will achieve the success that they are looking for this season.
“Our goal is to go all the way and get that ring,” said junior catcher Megan Paul. “Kayla will be a big part of us getting to that point. She will dominate the circle knowing we have her back and provide her composure and her attitude of going all the way and leaving nothing behind.”
It is obvious that there must be a highly advanced skill set in order to win games and make it in to post- season, however nothing is possible without the right mindset.
“Kayla’s pitching skills are definitely one of the top in the nation in Division II,” said head coach Leslie Kanter. “But what really sets her apart from her teammates is her constant positive attitude. She never gets down on herself or her team and that is what keeps us winning.”
Being awarded the Daktronics Pitcher of the Year award in May was a very high praise for Cox. However, her coach believes whether she is awarded or not, Cox has something special about her that achieves success regardless.
“The Dakronics Pitcher of the Year award is a great honor as it is voted on by all of the members of SIDA,” Kanter said. “But I don’t think that this award is going to change her mindset. She works hard and has a great will to win and that is what drives her. She is constantly looking to better herself and her teammates, any sort of award she gets for that is just an extra accolade.”
While being so highly recognized by coaches and the community has the potential to put extreme pressure on any athlete, Cox does her best to handle the situation in a way that will benefit herself and her team.
“I think that breaking records and winning awards adds a lot more pressure,” Cox said. “It is hard to think about trying to be able to uphold those high standards every time on the field. But I thrive under pressure. I love it.”
While Cox provides an immense amount of leadership on the field, it is important that she has a strong team behind her that holds just as much responsibility.
“We rely on [Cox] to do her best in the circle, while she depends on us to make the outs and get her runs on offense,” Paul said. “We have a mutual responsibility as a team.”
Ultimately, no matter how well an athlete can perform in their particular skill set, it is the power and chemistry within a team that can create the most successful season.
“I think that we will win games by working hard and playing the game as a team, not as individuals,” Cox said.
Tess Sheets can be reached at tess.sheets@spartans.ut.edu.