By Derrick Smith
Athletes have to do a lot of preparation in order to be ready to compete on game day. Putting in the work in the gym or on the field, but Jorie Kingcade says that there is more than just the physical work to get ready. “I have put in a lot of hard work to get where I am today,” she said. “But I have also had the mentality to get the job done, no matter what. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice your social life in order to become a better athlete. Most of all, you have to be fearless.”
Kingcade is a senior at Covington-Douglas High School. She plays fastpitch softball, slowpitch softball, and basketball for the Lady Wildcats. Both sports have been a part of her life for a long time. She has played softball for as long as she can remember and she started playing basketball when she was in the third grade.
Kenny Daugherty, who is the head softball coach at Covington-Douglas, says that Jorie is a dependable teammate and is willing to do whatever is needed to help the team. “She is the most versatile player on our team,” he said. “When our pitcher got hurt late in the season, Kingcade stepped right in and became our pitcher. She has played multiple positions throughout her career.”
There have been some memorable moments during her career, but she says that a specific win is her favorite. “Beating Crescent in a tournament would have to be my favorite memory,” she stated. “I had a diving play for a line drive. I caught it and I felt like Superman but after that I hit the ground hard. Another was winning districts for fastpitch and slowpitch for three years in a row was pretty cool too.”
While she has put in a lot of effort to become the athlete she is, Jorie knows she could not have done it alone. “My parents are my biggest role models and supporters,” she said. “They’ve taught me that I’m a well oiled machine and nothing can hurt me. Softball is a game and there’s no crying.”
Kingcade is also a member of the National Honor Society, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America club, and yearbook.
