Sophomore Celia Higgins has been playing well all season for the Lady Chargers softball team. Higgins leads in nearly every offensive category with a .485 average, 16 hits, 11 runs, 10 RBI and two triples. Last week, she went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run in Crest’s 12-3 win over Wharton.
I understand you’re homeschooled. What brought you to Strawberry Crest’s softball team?
I previously played at Seffner Christian. I went to Crest to help take my game to the next level. Higher competition is what really brought me there.
Do you like the change from private to public school athletics?
I really enjoy it a lot. It’s a different environment. Everything’s faster. I really like it.
You’ve been playing really well this season. What has gotten you to this point?
The extra practice. I worked on offense every weekend since the season started.
How do you feel about the team’s chances this season?
I’m feeling really good about this season. I know our record now is only 5-5, but I think we’re going to go really far this year and do well as a team.
How long have you been playing softball?
I’ve been playing for almost six years now. I started when I was 10.
What got you into it?
When I was 10, I had played golf. I thought it was the most boring thing, so I wanted something faster. Not necessarily a contact sport, but something with higher intensity and more action.
Do you play any other sports?
Just softball. I go out with my family and play golf sometimes, but it’s just for fun. I don’t play competitively or anything like that.
Is there any sport you’ve never tried, but always wanted to try?
No, not particularly. Since I started softball, I never looked back.
Who’s your favorite athlete?
Bailey Castro. She played softball for University of Florida, but she graduated. I look up to her a lot. She was always a team player, always did her job and was an amazing offensive player. I’ve always looked up to her because you don’t typically have people whose favorite players are outfielders.
What college would you most want to play for?
I’ve never really had a dream school. If I could go anywhere and play on a team, I would probably play for UF. I’ve been a diehard Gator fan all my life. I’ve been to so many games.
You get $1 billion in the bank. What do you buy?
I would say the first thing I would do is, probably, start a mission trip. I’ve always wanted to go on a mission trip to Haiti, so that’s the first thing I would do.
You get any superpower you want. What do you pick?
I would probably pick the ability to fly.
What famous person would you love to meet, and what would you do if you could hang out with them for a day?
I would probably want to meet Luke Bryan. I would probably want him to sing to me, and I would want to meet his whole family and spend a day with him.
A little girl is just getting into softball, and she asks you for advice on how to be a good player. What do you tell her?
I would tell her to always give it your all, always put in the extra work and always have heart.
Where do you think you need to improve, as a player?
I want to get better as an overall player. Being a utility player, able to play wherever coach needs me to play. I want to get to know every position a little bit better. I don’t have an absolute favorite position.
What goals do you want to accomplish before the end of the school year?
I would probably say what I most want to accomplish is for the team to go really far this year, win districts. And I want to succeed academically.