Little showed leadership qualities on the field, court
Scores of Starkville residents and those that held Lake Little so dear to their hearts will pack inside First Baptist Church today to lay her to rest after a tragic plane crash that took her life a week ago.
It’s something that many still haven’t recovered from and only time will heal those wounds. What the loss has allowed those in this community and beyond to do, however, is reflect on what they’re now missing with her gone.
Little left an impact that won’t be replaced. She was a star student, a supporter of all things Starkville Academy, a friend, a sister, a daughter and a vibrant and beaming personality. But those that know her best know that she wouldn’t back down on what she believed in, either.
Just ask Starkville Academy’s Athletic Director and head football coach Chase Nicholson. He watched Little as she came through junior high and high school. He remembers her most from the debates they would get in on Monday mornings from the Friday night football game a few days prior. Little gave her thoughts from her sideline view of the game and why she might have disagreed with the coach on a call or two.
Nicholson could rest assured that every morning in first period Little was going
to be in class to debate. He could also rest assured that, at the end of the day, she supported him and the school above all else. He recalls a thank you card that Little wrote one day as proof.
“She said, ‘I hope you win every game from here on out,’” Nicholson said of the content of the letter. “She cared about SA athletics. That’s the impact.”
There’s plenty of stories that people will tell of Little impact in the community as Miss Hospitality in Starkville. She was inducted into Starkville Academy’s Hall of Fame upon graduating due to her excellent track record in the classroom. She had dreams of serving her country in the Air Force and had joined the National Guard.
All of those things represented Little’s life, but so did athletics. She got joy in experiencing life as a Lady Volunteer. Whether it be as a cheerleader, a Diamond Girl for the baseball team or excelling on the track, on the soccer field or the tennis court, it all worked for Little and she did it to the best of her abilities.
What she did though, was lead.
“Lake was known for so many other things,” Nicholson said. “The fact that she played sports could have been overshadowed because of her senior year, but she was built for a leadership role. She was one of those people that God gave her the ability to be a leader.”
Little’s tennis coach, Robin Holliday, remembers her not for her accolades on the courts, but how she treated her younger players.
Most memorable was Little best, choosing a sixth-grader to be her doubles partner at the district championships. Things like that earned her team captain honors and was a reason why people gravitated to her in the first place.
“She was always positive and always gave it her best,” Holliday said. “I had several sixth and seventh graders on the team and I can remember them being really nervous and she was so kind to them. She cheered for everybody and would do anything that I asked. She never complained. She came to practice with a smile on and had a lot of energy.”
In soccer, Little had a new coach every year. The team continued to have success because of players like her setting the standard and reminding the teammates what they do. She led by example on the way to a state championship as a sophomore and another appearance as a junior. She ended her career as an MAIS All-star.
Nicholson watched it all as Little’s AD and her government teacher and he knows the legacy that she’s left behind. Even though the 18 years wasn’t enough for those that loved her the most, it was enough for those to know what’s missing now.
“At the end of the day, all I can think about is the first time I met Lake Little and the last time I saw her and every time in between,” Nicholson said. “You reflect, you feel for the family and then you see the outpouring from the community, and you remember what an impact she had on people. She accomplished more in her short life than I’ll ever accomplished. It’s a testament to what kind of person she was.”