An assumption often made is that if a person is older, then that person is wiser. They’ve been through more. They’ve experienced more.
With that said, it would only make sense that the oldest, most experienced softball player be the natural leader of her team.
Callye Williams hails from Katy, Texas. She has played softball since before high school, and she is a college senior, starting at second base for the Bulldogs.
She is the only senior on the team.
“It’s tough when you’re all by yourself as a senior,” State head coach Jay Miller said. “Some of the juniors, though, have done a nice job in terms of helping to lead the team, but Callye’s done a great job for us.”
Surprisingly enough, Williams is very at ease with the responsibility that automatically falls into her lap with being a senior.
“I don’t necessarily feel pressure,” Williams said. “I do feel responsibility as a senior, and my responsibility is to step up and lead this team. That’s my job. Not necessarily pressure but responsibility.”
Williams is batting .234 through the Florida series. She has started in all 41 MSU games and is one of only four Bulldog players to have done so.
She has smacked two home runs on the year and has driven in 13 runs. Williams herself has tapped the plate 14 times this season.
She boasts a .950 fielding percentage at second base.
“Being a second baseman, Callye is sort of our quarterback on the infield,” Miller said. “She calls and sets the defense for us. She’s done a great job for us making sure everyone knows where they’re supposed to be.”
As the solo senior, Williams sees and appreciates the diversity among classes on the 2006 softball squad.
“I think, more than anything right now we’re unified as a team because of all the different kids we have,” she said. “We have a lot of juniors, a lot of sophomores and a few freshmen as well. Having so many kids from so many different classes has really caused more unification on this team than really any other team I’ve been on.”