The Shadow
The Alleghany Lady Mountaineers have enjoyed a successful season thus far in 2023 with a record of 7-1 amid a 6-game winning streak.
One player who is contributing heavily to that success is junior first baseman, Abbie Fridley.
Fridley has played softball her whole life and is a tall target at first on the defensive side of the diamond, and a force at the plate as well. She is hitting .392 and has driven in eight runs in the first games.
Fridley, also a basketball player, is a great kid and great teammate who has her priorities in order, and her first one is the most important to her, outside of her family.
“I have great faith in the Lord, and I couldn’t be more thankful for everything he has done and continues to do for me. My faith is the reason I’m where I am,” Fridley said.
“Whether I’m stressed out, upset, mad, happy whatever the emotion may be, I know I can overcome it because of my faith. My favorite verse is Proverbs 31:25, and it talks about laughing without fear of the future and so no matter what I’m going through, I just rely on that verse to kind of guide me through,” she added.
Speaking of her family as well, from her mom all the way down to her brother, Fridley’s support system comes from a wide range of people.
“My family’s support has meant everything to me. I couldn’t be more grateful. There’s never a game that a family member is not there, whether that be both sets of grandparents, my dad, my mom, even my brother. I’m just very thankful that no matter how I do in a game or whatever I’m doing in life in general, I have such an amazing support system,” Fridley stated.
From those two focal points of her life, Fridley combines them to gain the inspiration and competitive, winning fire she possesses.
“My biggest inspiration and motivation for playing sports is my teammates and us winning as a team. I love to win and when we have a good team win it makes everything 10 times better and makes me want to keep working hard in practice and do my very best. I know that taking a win with my teammates is so rewarding,” Fridley explained.
It is that will to win that makes Fridley believe big things are possible this year, and she does not have to wait until her senior season to make even more noise on the field.
“I think we have a chance to go pretty far this year,” Fridley stated.
“We are a young team, but we are a very talented team and I think that when we play how we know how to play and work as a team, that we excel tremendously,” she continued.
Another reason Fridley would like to go on a deep tourney run this season is because of the consolidation next year. Not because she is not looking forward to new teammates, but to be the last Lady Mountaineer team to do it. However, she does see a positive next season when some talented Lady Cougars will join forces.
“My first thoughts on consolidation were honestly up in the air, it’s obviously very hard to merge with your rivalry school, but I believe that when we come together as one, in the long run it will help us all succeed, and the merge will be for the better,” Fridley said.
And with her junior season moving quickly, Fridley is ready to take everything one step at a time.
“My time at Alleghany has meant a lot to me. Everyone talks about how fast time flies when you’re in high school and it really has flown by. Senior year is approaching very fast for me and so I’m just grateful for everything that has happened thus far, good, and bad,” Fridley said.
Luckily for her, she has her fast-approaching future planned out.
“As of right now, my plan after high school is to pursue an education in nursing. I’d love to work in orthopedics or OB. I have my heart set on that, so I’m just going to enjoy the rest of this junior year and take senior year one day at a time because I know it’ll fly by,” she concluded.
