Ashley Miller grows through softball leadership

It’s often been said that some are born to lead; others have it thrust upon them. For Liberty High School senior softball pitcher Ashley Miller, she probably would tell you it was the latter.

“In my attitude and my leadership roles, I went from not knowing a lot of people and not knowing a lot about the game to becoming in my junior and senior years one of the leaders and team captains,” Miller said. “I grew as a player, becoming better and proving to myself that I was a good player.”

Miller led a youthful Lancer softball squad this spring within one game of the state tournament.

“Last year we went to state, and we have a really good team,” said Miller, who also played first and third base for Liberty. “It’s a young team, because most of them are freshmen and sophomores. I was the only senior. We were hoping to make it to state this year, but we were one game away from making it. We almost achieved our goal.

“A lot of the underclassmen, I didn’t really know them. Now we all have friendships. They all looked up to me, and it was a role I just had to take on because I had not played a lot of varsity softball before. It was a learning experience for me as well as for them.”

In addition to her four-year softball career, Miller also played four years of volleyball for the Lancers.

“We didn’t have the best season like win-loss-wise, but I had a lot of fun,” said Miller, who played middle and right outside hitter. “I made a lot of new friendships.”

For all of her athletic prowess, Miller’s fondest memory from Liberty was off the court or diamond, as a member of the school’s FFA Organization.

“At state (competition), when we were walking across the stage when we received second in the state,” Miller said, “it was upsetting being so close and not quite there, but knowing we were second in state and being in Beasley Coliseum and experiencing that in front of all the FFA of Washington.”

With her Lancer playing days behind her, Miller cherishes her career at Liberty.

“They’re adamant about me coming out and seeing them again,” Miller said of her softball teammates. “The softball coach actually wishes I was younger so I could still be out there because he didn’t actually realize I had as much talent as I did until this year,” she said with a laugh.

“He’s kicking himself over that, I guess. I’m ready for something new, but also I’ve been going here for 13 years with my friends, so it’s going to be hard not seeing them every day.”

Miller, who carried a 3.9 grade-point average at Liberty, will now move on to Central Washington University, where she will study pediatric medicine.