Lady Patriot outfielder signs letter of intent

Lady Patriot outfielder signs letter of intent

Camryn Martin set to join Williams Baptist College Lady Eagles

sports@theeveningtimes.com

In front of a hallway full of friends and loved ones, Lady Patriots and Arkansas Chix outfielder Camryn Martin inked her intentions to attend Williams Baptist College and play softball at the collegiate level with the Lady Eagles.

Martin’s signing day served as the reward from an accumulation of work during her young athletic career. Wearing an enormous smile and glowing with pride, the future Lady Eagle expressed the significance of this day.

“This is definitely one of the greatest accomplishments of my life,” Martin said. “I’ve looked forward to this day for a long time now.”

Born and raised in Marion, Martin has played for the Patriots her entire softball career while maintaining a 3.6 GPA. The Lady Patriots centerfielder has improved her game greatly since joining the squad and exhibited excellent leadership skills, according to Lady Patriots Softball Head Coach Sean Gray.

“She’s increased how hard she works and has really become a leader of the team,” Gray said. “She does such a great job of keeping everybody on track and making sure they’re working hard. It’s those leadership skills that will be helping us in the upcoming season.”

Along with the commitment to the Lady Patriots softball team which Martin has been carrying out and will fulfill with this last upcoming season, the Marion native has also been contributing her talents to the Arkansas Chix traveling softball team since this past May according to Arkansas Chix Head Coach Randy Finegan.

Playing with the Chix allowed Martin to showcase her talents for a wider audience.

“I couldn’t thank Coach Randy [Finegan] enough,” Martin said. “He was the one that pretty much got me on the scholarship process. He got me with multiple coaches recruiting wise. He helped me make my profile. He’s definitely a big support.”

On the day his centerfielder signed to play college softball, Finegan commented on how much Martin has meant to the Chix ballclub.

“She really has a great work ethic,” Finegan said.

“She always wants one more pitch and she’s got great speed. She makes it very easy to coach because she’s so willing to learn.

You can’t teach speed or work ethic like she has.”

Heading into a new chapter of her life with Williams Baptist College, Martin plans to carry over the work ethic and traits that got her to where she is today.

“I’m just going to go out there and have fun and play like I’ve always played before,” Martin said. “I’m not going to let anyone ever tell me that I can’t do something different.”

Martin inks with the Lady Eagles after an extensive recruiting process which included visits to multiple schools. In the end the Marion senior just felt most at home at Williams Baptist College.

“Williams just felt right for me,” Martin said. “The girls and coaches there just made me feel comfortable. I’m excited to spend the next four years of my life there.”

Martin also expressed how important it is for her to be attending a Christian university and to be surrounding herself with the right people to guide her throughout this next phase of her life.

“Being raised in a Christian family, I want to continue that process,” Martin said. “I know I’ll be with a good group of people that won’t lead me in the wrong directions.

I’m excited because I won’t have to go home for church every Sunday because I’ll have it right there with me at school.”

Martin will play her final season with the Lady Patriots in the 2017 before enrolling at Williams Baptist in August.

By Collins Peeples