COLLINSVILLE – It hasn’t been an easy road for Collinsville senior softball player Emma Terrell. She had surgery on her hip her freshman year, but she stayed the course. She worked through rehab and continued to work hard on the diamond, not letting her setback deter her dream of having the chance to play college ball.
On Wednesday morning, Terrell realized that dream. She signed a softball scholarship with Georgia Highlands.
“Softball is all my life has been,” Terrell said. “I’m just so thankful to be able to go and play at the next level. It’s like a big weight has been lifted off my chest. I’m so thankful God put me in this position, to let me be the player I am and give me the ability.”
In 31 games this season, Terrell has batted .409 with nine doubles, six home runs, 12 walks, 41 runs and 23 RBIs.
Terrell becomes the latest softball Collinsville softball coach James Coker has seen to earn the opportunity to play at the next level.
“It’s always very special to see an athlete be able to achieve something they’ve dreamed about for a very long time,” he said. “I think she’s going to be an asset to the college she’s going to, not only as a softball player but as a student and a person. She comes from a great family. She kind of come to Collinsville a little bit late in her career, and after going through hip surgery, but she’s fit in real well with our team and has done a great job on the softball field for us.
“She can play multiple positions – catcher, third base, shortstop, any middle infield, basically anywhere except pitching. Here, she didn’t get to catch as much as she would’ve liked, but she took that position of shortstop and third base and excelled at them. That’s just the kind of player she is. She’s a very non-selfish person, which makes for a great teammate.”
Charger assistant softball coach Jordan Fortel said Terrell is the definition of what their program looks for in a softball player.
“We’re looking for kids who not only can play some ball, but have good character and leadership, those types of things,” Fortel said. “That’s something that’s great about Emma. She’s bringing that character and that passion and that work ethic we’re looking for. We’re really excited about it and think she’ll be a great fit in our culture.”
Fortel said Terrell came on Georgia Highlands’ radar through travel ball connections.
“Catching is what we needed, and we need somebody who bring passion to the ball fields,” she said. “Softball is a game of adversity. It’s a game of failure, and we need those girls who can handle that failure, take it and work with it and move forward with it. That’s something we tell our girls all the time, to keep moving forward.
“Last week had one of our best players go down when she smashed her face against the fence, but she was at our game yesterday cheering on her teammates. That’s something we’ve seen in Emma, and we’re excited to bring that to the team as well. We think she’ll be a good leader on our team.”
Terrell said she’s excited for her new journey to begin.
“It’s really been a lot of hard work, but you’ve got to work hard no matter how much talent you have,” Terrell said. “I’ve been doing it my whole life. I’ve always loved it. I’m just so thankful to be able to go and play at the next level. That’s all I’ve ever dreamed of.”