The Leader of the Pack

Playing a sport at the college level can be very stressful and demanding, but not for senior softball player Alex Keyes. At times she finds it difficult during season to balance out academics and softball but always finds a way to do so. Keyes is the only senior on Albright College’s Softball team and holds two records as well.
Alex currently holds records for the most homeruns in a season and has a high of 19 career homeruns coming into her senior season. Alex has come a long way since freshman year, and for the past three seasons has played under the same coach. This upcoming season she has two new coaches and is the only player leaving the team at the end of this 2009 season.
“It’s completely different being the only senior. There’s a lot more pressure on me personally to be a good team leader. I don’t have other seniors to help share responsibility with, but luckily for me a few of the underclassmen stepped up tremendously,” says Alex Keyes.
Not only do her teammates respect her because she is a senior, but because of the dedication she puts into the team. Teammate Marry Dwyer said, “I look up to Alex as a teammate, captain, and a person. I do not just respect her because she is captain and the only senior, but she's pretty much the heart and soul of the team.”

It is obvious Alex is respected in many ways other than just as a senior. She has motivation and dedication, which help her strive to be the player that she is.

Alex states, “I think that being a good player makes it a lot easier to gain respect from your younger teammates.”
Another fellow teammate Megan Keohane says, “The respect I have for Alex is ten times higher than the respect I have for the other juniors and sophomores that also lead the team. This isn't really because she's older, but because she works the hardest at getting all of us to play our best.”

There is no argument amongst the players that Alex Keyes is the most respected on the team and it seems that it is going to be a major transition next year without her. Keyes is a great asset to Albright College’s Softball team and has learned a lot from her team. “Playing college softball has taught me how to manage my time better, how to be a good team player, how to work with others to accomplish a common goal”, states senior Alex Keyes.

It seems that not only has Alex taught her teammates a little bit about heart and dedication, but she has also gotten some things in return that she will take with her past the sport of softball.

To get scores and see how Alex Keyes and the rest of the softball team are doing this season, check out the Albright College’s Softball website. http://www.albright.edu/athletics/softball.html

*Photos Courtesy of Alex Keyes