For Sebring's Sammie Lower, Softball's A Family Affair

Sammie Lower's not worried about tougher pitching, bigger stadiums or the pressures of playing ball at the Division-I level.

Anyone who knows the feisty Sebring softball star from her time on the diamond knows the senior has never been one to back down from any challenge between the lines.

Instead, the biggest adjustment Lower will have to make next season when she plays softball for East Tennessee State University is being away from her biggest fans - her family.

"I basically live with my grandparents, I'm there so much," said Lower, who signed a national letter of intent on Wednesday to play ball for the Buccaneers. "And I'm always with my parents.

"It's going to be tough."

A Family Affair

After considering a number of in-state programs, Lower leaned toward ETSU after speaking with coaches and visiting with current players, all the while gaining confidence she wouldn't be cutting any family ties by moving 725 miles north.

Instead, she'd be gaining a whole new family, according to her dad, Gary Lower.

"Sammie would get recruiting emails from coaches, but she isn't real big on email so she'd call them right up because they couldn't call her," Gary Lower said. "Most of the conversations lasted 20 minutes, but the call to ETSU lasted for two hours."

And when it came time for Sammie to visit the school, the entire Lower clan came along to not only tour the campus and facilities, but also to meet the family of coach Andrea Mangrum.

That gesture went a long way with the Lowers.

"We could tell they were real big on family," Gary said.

And so is Sammie: She cherishes her close relationship with her grandparents, and says the entire family helped her get to where she is today. Her mom, Tracy, said the old adage "it takes a village" rings especially true with Sammie, who's been to nearly every U.S. state and as far away as Peru to play softball. A standout since the age of eight and on traveling teams since 11, the Lowers have logged plenty of miles in the car for their daughter, especially considering the two to three weekly trips to Tampa to play for a traveling team.

But Sammie's also made her share of sacrifices. Since she was 16, those tri-weekly trips to Tampa have often been solo runs.

"I don't know how many Friday nights all her friends are doing something or spending the night, and she's home by 9:30 or 10 p.m. because she has to be up by 4 a.m. to play ball," Gary Lower said. "There's been times where I've said, 'The heck with it. Go do what you want to do. If you're tired, fine.' "

One such situation was this year's homecoming, when Lower stayed out until 2:30 a.m., only to drive home, catch a few hours of sleep and make sure she was up early enough to be in Tampa by 7 a.m.

"She did well that day," Gary Lower smiles. "Hit a couple of home runs."

"Oh man," Sammie quipped. "But I was like a zombie."

Big Bat, Big Goals

Lower, who played second base for the Streaks last season, led the Heartland in batting with a .552 average and 17 doubles, five triples, 20 RBI and 32 runs. But beyond her numbers, it's evident that Lower's desire is unmatched, and her talent was apparent at a young age.

"From her first softball camp, when she was eight, I told former coach Larry Johnson this girl's going to go a long way," said former Sebring coach Lee Tolar, who attended the signing. "She's the ultimate athlete and a great student, and she's the perfect example that if you work hard, you can attain that scholarship."

Now that the scholarship is secure, Sammie's focusing on making her senior year a special one.

"I'm going to play even harder this year, because I don't want to be the weakest link when I get to ETSU," said Sammie, who noted she'd be fine-tuning her mental approach and working on base running this season for the Streaks. "Coach Mangrum said the way I hit, I could be one of their bigger hitters.

"I just want to go in there and play my best and be a starter."

Once she cracks the lineup, there will be a familiar face across the diamond at least twice per season: ETSU is in the Atlantic Sun Conference along with Stetson University, where Avon Park's Heather Barnes will play this season.

"We were destined to be rivals," Sammie said.

Eye On The Future

Besides the family atmosphere, Tracy Lower liked how coach Mangrum stressed academics, which was also a big reason why Sammie chose ETSU: The school has a fine criminal justice system, and Sammie hopes to be an FBI agent some day.

"The coach is strict, and that made me feel good," Tracy Lower said. "We've been lucky because Sammie is a good student, but it's good to know they stay right on them and don't let them get off track."

Sammie said academics will certainly be a focus (teammates told her she didn't want to make coaches mad on the academic front "or you run a lot"), but right now, she's just excited about living out her dream of playing softball at the highest level.

"I can't ever see myself not playing softball," Lower said. "That would be a bad day."