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Barnes Signs Full Scholarship To Play Softball For Stetson

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Heather Barnes, center, signed a full scholarship to play softball for the Stetson Hatters next season. Pictured from left to right: Heather’s mother Kelly Barnes, AP principal Stu Guthrie, AP athletic director Mort Jackson and Heather’s father Ronnie Barnes.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: November 16, 2007

AVON PARK — Heather Barnes is accustomed to wearing many hats. After all, the Avon Park senior is a star softball player, an outstanding diver and a top-notch student.

Next year, however, Barnes will don a new hat altogether after signing a full scholarship on Thursday to play softball with the Stetson University Hatters.

"It's an exciting time right now," Barnes said. "I got the paperwork last night and now its official. Now I can just concentrate on softball and beating Sebring.
"I can now just enjoy the rest of my senior year."

Barnes has enjoyed a standout career for the Red Devils as a two-sport athlete, batting .544 to lead the Heartland with 30 RBIs last season, while earning a spot in last month's regional finals in diving.
"She is just a natural all-around talent," AP athletic director Mort Jackson said. "Since she was 10-years old, Heather has been one of the best players on any team she's on — boys or girls.

"I think the love of competition drives her. She's going to be successful at anything she does."
Barnes, who carries a 3.7 GPA this year, had interest from several different Division-I colleges, but her heart didn't stray far from home.

"I didn't really want to go to a huge school," the senior shortstop said. "Stetson seemed very homey to me — a bigger version of Avon Park. It felt right to me."

When asking about adjustments to her game when at the college level, Barnes was quick to mention her involvement with college-level competition, but the snag is going to come on the mental side of the game.

"I think travel ball really helped me prepare for what I will face at the college level," Barnes said. "My [travel ball] team played against college freshmen, so that has helped me prepare for the athletic aspect at the next level.

"The mental aspect is going to be the biggest adjustment for me. Finding that comfort level and fitting in with the team is the first thing I need to work on when I get there."

The thought of her last game in Avon Park was the furthest thing from her mind, but the battles against arch-rival Sebring — a team that swept the Red Devils last season — was still at the forefront.
"I am focused on beating [Sebring] and bringing a district title to Avon Park this season," Barnes said. "We've already started conditioning and we'll be better this year."

But the thought of that final game, when she walks off the field a Red Devil for the last time, did creep into her mind, as she wondered what it will be like.

"I know it is going to be an emotional time for me," Barnes said. "I'm going to want to steal my jersey after my last game. It is going to be weird taking it off for the final time."

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