By By Matthew Nascone
Being a starter on a high school softball team is something that makes an athlete feel proud. Stephanie Covan has been a starter for the Northview Lady Chiefs for three years on the varsity team, but there is something different about Covan.
She has started at a different position each of those three years. Versatility is a valuable asset in any sport, but especially in softball.
"She can play anywhere on that field except pitcher or catcher," NHS head softball coach Sammy Day said. "She is a great athlete."
Covan started at second base in 2006 for NHS, third base in 2005 and center field in 2004. This versatility, plus a .450 batting average this year, allowed Covan to participate in the 2006 Panhandle Softball Classic Tuesday.
She represented Northview on the North squad and Day said the coaches who selected Covan to the team saw what she did to them.
"A lot of those coaches were the ones that saw her play and they saw that she could hit the ball," Day said.
Although she was selected to the All-Star team, Covan remained humble when explaining what it meant to her.
"It makes me feel great to know that other people think I am good enough to make an All-Star team," she said. "I strived hard all year to help the team win and to do well myself."
As a starter on varsity, Covan was in the Top 5 for batting average on the Lady Chiefs every year. She walked away in a tie for the 2006 Highest Batting Average. Faulkner State Community College has made a scholarship offer to Covan, but at press time she was still undecided about going to Faulkner.
Covan said she would miss Northview and Day.
"I will definitely miss coach Day because he has helped me a lot through my years here at Northview," she said.
This feeling of sadness is echoed by Day.
"I am going to miss Stephanie and all the rest of the seniors from this year," Day said.