FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Faith Will, South Putnam

Faith is a senior at South Putnam and participates in one sport, softball.

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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Faith Will: “I’ve learned about leadership and how to work within a team.”

BG: Talk about softball.

FW: “I’ve played since I was four-years old. I’ve played on a couple of travel teams. I hit my first home run last year in the first game of the season. Softball has been my life really.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

FW: “Last year, we had a girl caught in a pickle and, as catcher, I was in-between first and second base during the rundown. The girl ran right into me and I fell flat on my back. I did get the out, but the girls was 5’10” and I’m about 5’2”, so it was a little embarrassing getting knocked flat like that.”

BG: What does your game-day routine look like?

FW: “My warmup normally consists of stretching before going off to hit half a bucket of balls off the tee. I then go with my pitcher and we will throw together for a bit while joking around and playing some music. We then do our warmup on the field. This year, I had the enjoyment of being a captain with two of my favorite junior teammates and got to go up to the plate before each game with them and my coach, listen to the umpire, talk about the game and then get out their and played.”

BG: As unfortunate as it is, Monday was your last game for South Putnam. How were these last three years playing for the Eagles?

FW: “It was very different going from travel ball to high school softball. High school is competitive, with our coach being a travel ball coach as well, but not all the girls have played travel ball and maybe weren’t as competitive as those like me and others who have played travel ball. It’s a different environment but it was a good environment, a place where I got to see a mix between both.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

FW: “I do like Florida State. My uncle lives in Florida and he would send me their stats all the time, so I started to enjoy watching them.

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

FW: “I will be a 10-year 4-H member this year. I am also a camp counselor and Gobin and work at Panera Bread, so between that and sports, I didn’t have a lot of time for other things,”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

FW: “I like to hang out with my friends as often as possible. I also like to cook and bake.

BG: What are your favorites in movies, books, TV and music?

FW: “I don’t really watch much TV but I do like rom-com movies and like to watch Hallmark Movies with my mom. I like country, rap and pop music.

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies, stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc. or something else (gaming, reading, etc.)?

FW: “Definitely watch TikTok videos.

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

FW: “I’d either want to jump out of a plane or go bungie jumping.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

FW: “Spiders.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

FW: “Chicken, green beans and a baked potato.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

FW: “I have two dogs, a Chihuahua named Lilly and a Jack Russell Terrier named Jack, as well as a cat, Patches.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

FW: “Outgoing. I talk to anyone I’m around and it seems to always happen to me and my mom where someone will come up to us and just start talking away.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

FW: “We went to Europe over spring break, visiting Paris, London and Normandy.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

FW: “The trip to Europe was a class-related trip.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

FW: “It’s very important. I definitely have done a lot on my own but without my family and friends’ support, I wouldn’t have gotten through some of the times that I’ve had.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

FW: “Academically, it’s been very good. The teachers are very good at one-on-one work and provide extra help, whether it’s before school or staying late after school. They do a lot of good things in class of helping us understand what we’re doing. Athletically, we didn’t have a great season but for a senior year, the girls definitely made it a good time. We always had good practices and because there were only 12 of us, we got close as a team.”

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

FW: “A culinary class or home ec.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

FW: “I’ll be attending USI in Evansville and am going to major in dental hygiene.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

FW: “This year not really as I didn’t have as much homework but last year, definitely. It was quite difficult. Junior year is an important year. With softball being just two months, it would get kind of hard with three or four games in a week and having to do work late at night.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

FW: “Mrs. Henry, Mrs. Bye, Mrs. Hodge and Mr. Clark. All of them are good at one-on-one with students, helping us understand everything while helping us succeed in school.”

BG: In the future, once you’ve established yourself, if you had your choice, would you want to live somewhere more remote, such as in the mountains or the countryside, somewhere more flashy like down on the beach or in the big city or in the neighborhood?

FW: “Somewhere down south, in the area of Florida or Georgia, out in the country with some farm animals but also near the beach.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

FW: “It has gone by really fast, especially after COVID cut our freshman year short. I’ll miss my friends the most but the ones I’m close with now I feel I’ll be close with the rest of my life.”