By Hayden Swope
Maize’s Lila Collins spends most of the year focused on the game of softball. With so much riding on the game, Collins focused both on physical and mental toughness.
“One area I struggled with last year was my mental game,” Collins said. “Over the summer, fall, and winter, I focused a lot on how I react to underperformance and rebuilding my self-confidence. Now, I see underperformance as an opportunity to learn and grow.”
On top of those mental exercises, Collins still stayed in shape and trained over the offseason.
“My goal this year is to keep growing as a player,” Collins said. “I want to improve in every aspect of my game, but my primary focus is on my barrel percentage; how often I catch the barrel of the bat. I’m determined to hit the ball with more consistency and power, ensuring I make the most of every at-bat.”
With this being her final season as an Eagle, Collins is pushing it to the limit and giving it her all to make it to the big game.
“I’m most excited about the potential for our team to make it to state,” Collins said. “There’s something special about playing at regionals and state. The nerves and excitement are at a whole different level because you’re fighting for a chance to be the best team in the state. The atmosphere and intensity are unmatched, and it’s an incredible opportunity for our team to show what we’re capable of.”
Collins has aspirations to continue playing the sport she loves after high school.
“My future career in softball is still unfolding,” Collins said. “My ultimate goal is to play Division 1 softball in college, and I’m fully committed to putting in the work every day to reach that goal.”
