By Derrick Smith

There is one thing that separates the good athletes from the great ones, and that is the willingness to put in the work in order to get better. Sydney Shotts says that there are a few things that go into her being the best athlete she can be.
“It has taken hard work and dedication,” she said. “And all the long hours spent in the backyard with my dad have paid off, and I can’t wait to see how much more successful I will be next season.”

Shotts is a junior at Hollis High School. She is a pitcher for the Lady Tigers softball team, a sport she has been playing for about eleven years. She also plays basketball at Hollis. Playing both sports have allowed Sydney to be a part of some great moments but she says that there is one moment that stands out the most.
“The highlight of my career would have to be when I reached 260 strikeouts this season,” she said. “At the beginning of the season, I had set my goal at 230, so I was proud that I surpassed that.”
Throughout her career, Sydney has had people that have had an impact on her life in different ways. For her, there are a couple of people that have had a bigger influence.
“I have always looked up to Turner Whorton, both on and off the field,” she said. “She has been one of my biggest supporters throughout my high school career in softball, and has helped me get to where I’m at today. Another person would be my favorite teacher, Mrs. Lindsey Adams. She taught me how to have a positive attitude and be responsible for myself and my actions.”
Outside of sports, Shotts is also a member of the Junior Aeolians and the United Methodist Youth Fellowship. She also has some advice for the younger softball players out there.
“I would like every little girl who plays softball to know she can be anything she wants to be with hard work, and dedication, as long as she believes in herself.”