Leading Eagle
Published 8:35 pm Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Everyday, Amanda Griggs gets to play the sport she loves.
The Goshen High School junior has been a starter for the school’s varsity team since she was an 8th grader and this season, she is maybe playing her best.
“Gigi,” as her friends and teammates call her, is currently leading the Eagles with the highest batting average, floating right above .600.
She isn’t just an asset at the plate however.
For any given game, she could be in several different positions, most notably, catcher, pitcher, shortstop or right field.
And she does it all with a smile on her face.
This past Friday, Griggs was recognized for all that she does in the field with her selection to the North-South Softball All-Star game.
“This was a really big honor for me,” Griggs said Wednesday afternoon. “This is something that is really important to me.
“I don’t care which position I am playing, as long as I am playing, I will be happy,” she added.
The game will be played in the middle of July in Birmingham.
Along with the selection, Griggs will also have the opportunity to play in front of many different college softball scouts – something that she admits is a little nerve racking.
“That’s the one thing I am a nervous about,” Griggs said about playing in front of scouts. “But I think once I step on the field and start playing, I will be able to tone everything out and focus on the game.”
The junior’s coach, Dee Hughes, doesn’t think Griggs has anything to be nervous about.
“I am not sure if someone at (Goshen) has had an honor like this,” the coach said.
“Amanda is well rounded – she can do it all. “Something like this is going to make her get better and stronger,” Hughes said.
As the Eagles head down home stretch of the season, Goshen is currently 11-11 with just a few more games left in the regular season as it tries to earn a spot in the postseason.
A big key to making the playoffs will depend on Goshen all-star, according to Hughes.
“She is a high caliber ballplayer that is so sound mechanically, she can play any position for us.
“And on offense, she is leading our attack and doing everything she can to help this team win,” the coach said.
Griggs and Hughes will look to take another step closer to the playoffs with their game against Pike County today at Goshen.