Softball this senior’s passion

For Lakeland High School senior Erin O’Hara, there is nothing much better in life than playing softball.

“It is awesome to reach over that fence and grab that ball that should’ve been gone,” said Erin.

Previously an outfielder, Erin recently moved to the catcher position for Lakeland’s varsity team.

She is devoted to the game which occupies her time eight months a year. The high school season runs from February to June and when that is finished, Erin plays summer league for the Coeur d’Alene Crush.

“I’ve played for them about six or seven years,” said Erin, who has traveled to Seattle, Portland, Kalispell, Boise and Butte for tournaments.

When the summer league ends, Erin at times joins a fall league in Spokane.

With graduation just a few months away, Erin says she is unsure where she will attend college but knows the criteria she is looking for in a school.

“I’d really like to play softball in college,” said Erin. “A physical therapy program, softball and cost are my only criteria.”

Erin is specifically interested in a career in hippotherapy – a form of therapy which uses the motion of a horse to stimulate the patient to improve the patient’s balance, mobility, coordination and strength.

Erin first read an article about hippotherapy and then met a woman named Diana Clemons who runs the Harmony Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center in Rathdrum. During the months that the ranch is open, Erin volunteers about three hours a week.

“It’s a ton of fun,” said Erin. She said Clemons and another staff member, Jared, have become wonderful mentors for her and the experience has helped her confirm that she would like to work in physical therapy and hippotherapy when she completes school.

“I also would like to do equine massage therapy,” said Erin.

A love of horses is nothing new to this 18-year-old. She has always enjoyed horses and has a neighbor who allows her to come over and work with his horses.

“I’ve been working with this one horse for a really long time and I just finally got to ride him,” said Erin as her face lights up.

Erin is a self-assured young woman who is active in her school and maintains a 3.9 grade-point average.

Among her classes are government, honors chemistry, college prep English and a leadership class.

Erin is a member of the student government for Lakeland High School and enjoys her role as the senior class secretary and as ASB historian last year.

“I like running things even though it gets a little hectic at times,” she said. She and the rest of her classmates in leadership help with activities including homecoming, fundraisers, assemblies and special events.

Although Erin doesn’t typically like to miss classes, there is one hobby which she doesn’t mind missing school so she can participate in it.

“I love hunting,” said Erin. She and her dad attend a hunt in Southern Idaho and it is time she enjoys spending with her dad. This year, she said, they were on a ridge when she saw a sea of elk across from where they stood. “It was like a brown waterfall,” said Erin. “I looked and just said – ‘This is so awesome. This is so worth missing a week of school for.’ “

She also shot an elk and was so excited she said she was sure the rest of her group probably heard her shouting back at camp.

The fifth of six children, Erin said she is close with all her family but is especially grateful for being blessed with brothers.

“It’s nice because not everyone can have brothers, and I get to have two of them,” said Erin.

Another activity Erin enjoys doing with her family is participating in church choir at their parish, Mary Immaculate Queen Church in Rathdrum.

“It is pre-Vatican II and still has Mass in Latin and traditional dress,” said Erin. She and her sister and dad sing in the choir and Erin enjoys the traditional Mass.

“You go into some churches and they have like rock bands set up in the corner,” said Erin. “I know that a lot of people go to those and like it, but for me it’s almost like it’s for more personal comfort of the people than it is for God.”

If there is anything this young woman lacks is time. She said she has few regrets in her young life, but she does regret not playing more sports in high school. And there are other things she hopes to pursue in her future, too.

“I would really like to learn to play the piano and the bagpipes,” said Erin. “And I would love to travel to Ireland.”

But for now she is going to enjoy the rest of the time she has left in high school.

“You only live high school life once so you need to take advantage of it,” said Erin.