Vian Lady Wolverines softball pitcher/ utility player Kala Gibbins pretty much has known all her life that college softball was in her future. She turned that dream into reality Friday morning.
Gibbins signed a letter of intent with Carl Albert State College in a signing ceremony Friday morning at B.J. Traw Gymnasium.
“I am so excited,” Gibbins said. “I’ve been looking forward to this since I was 3. I’m thrilled and excited.”
“Every time I went and watched her play, and it didn’t matter whether it was high school ball or travel ball, she just always had a good attitude,” CASC coach Lexi Watson said. “Even if she had a bad day, she was still positive and uplifting to her teammates. I think she’s going to be a tremendous asset to our team, and we’re very excited to have her.”
Gibbins said she fell in love with CASC almost immediately.
“It was definitely the coaching staff,” she said. “I definitely love how they coach. I loved everything they were about. The biggest thing for them was putting your schooling on top. That’s really important to me. I just loved it there. I felt at home.”
It also didn’t hurt that the CASC-Poteau campus, where the Lady Wolverine senior will be playing her college games, isn’t too far away.
“I definitely love my family,” Gibbins said. “I love staying close. I felt like it’s far enough, but close enough.”
Watson will use her as a pitcher, but not strictly in the pitching circle 100 percent.
“We’ll use her for pitching, but we’re also interested in her secondary position,” Watson said. “We’re going to try a little bit of the corners (first and third base). We’re going to get her feet wet with the middle infield (second base and shortstop).So, she’s going to be more of a utility player, but for the most part she won’t have to pitch every single inning. She’ll still get to have fun in the circle and will be an asset to our defensive side.”
“She (Watson) talked to me about maybe having me play in the infield,” Gibbins said. “I’m mostly a utility player, so I can mostly play anywhere. She doesn’t want me to be a PO (pitcher only), so I love that.”
“Her, her sister (Kacie, currently getting ready to play her senior year this spring at Arkansas Tech University) and her family have been a big part of this program,” Vian softball coach John Mays said. “This is what she does. This is what she wants to do — to play softball. They go to workouts once or twice a week. She has put the time and effort in. She deserves every bit of this, and she has been so important to us here at Vian.”
Watson said she expects Gibbins to make contributions immediately, which also thrills Gibbins no end.
“It is very exciting,” Gibbins said. “That’s what I want to work towards. I want to fight for that spot. I’m excited. I have grit in me. I’m really excited to go down there and set an example for people.”
“All she’s going to do is work for Carl Albert,” Mays said. “I’m proud of her for it. She’s going to put in the same kind of work. That’s all she knows how to do. She’ll succeed, no matter what she’s doing.”
