Her heart pounds in her ears as her cleats create dust clouds in the dirt. Her left palm sticks to the inside of her glove while her right pulls down her catcher’s mask. The only movement on the field is the pitcher’s stance. Sophomore catcher Kirby Kleam extends two fingers and nods to the pitcher. Within seconds of the ball releasing it, it lands directly into the catcher’s mitt. Kleam barely processes the umpire’s callout as the adrenaline of the catch rushes through her veins.
Kleam has been participating in softball since she was four years old and now acts as a starting catcher. She has been on an assortment of different teams, including travel teams and a school team.
“Softball has always been my life,” Kleam said. “It has allowed me to grow and evolve and truly find myself.”
Kleam started her softball journey after her parents urged her to participate in any type of sport. Her first team in tee ball was named Krazy Kleats where she stayed for a year.
“There are a lot of people who have inspired me to keep going in softball,” Kleam said. “My dad is always yelling out there to get better and he’s the one that always helps me through everything.”
She joined the varsity team freshman year and has been a part of the 18 and up team Sneaky Cleats for a year. She currently participates in both teams and is the starting catcher for both.
“She’s one of our most dominant players on the field and she definitely leads by example,” assistant varsity coach Alyssa Moore said. “She is our brains and our eyes on the field.”
Kleam attends lessons outside of school with batting coach Adam Moore to improve her batting skills. She also attends school softball practices and her batting average improved from .299 to .375 as of this season.
“My batting average is one of the things I am most proud of,” Kleam said. “It really shows how much work I have put into this sport and the amount of time I spend on my passions.”
Kleam also participates in band where she plays the tenor saxophone. She recently earned a one, the best score you can receive, at a solo and ensemble event. This will allow her to advance to state competitions.
“A lot of things, including band, have taught me numerous important lessons,” Kleam said. “I think my participation in both band and softball has taught me discipline and will definitely help me in the future.”
She’s considering plans to continue her softball career throughout college at either Louisiana Tech or Stephen F. Austin State University. She also intends to play in the major league if she is able.
“I’m excited to see where I can go with softball,” Kleam said. “For anyone else thinking about pursuing a career in softball, follow your instincts and strive to be the best you can be.”
