DRIVEN TO WIN

Bauxite junior catcher lived up to hype, wants state tittle

Junior Bauxite catcher Taylor Sledd has started since she was a freshman. If it were up to coach Sara Tew, Sledd would have started way before that. “I couldn’t play her legally as an eighth-grader, but she would have been starting as an eighth-grader and starting as a seventh-grader — maybe even as a sixth-grader,” the coach said. That’s high praise, but Sledd has lived up to the hype. Starting at third base her freshman year, she was 4A-7 all-conference. Last year, when Tew decided that returning catcher Shelby Chavers’ speed could be used in the outfield, Sledd, who was the backup, moved to catcher. She returns to start there this year. “It seemed to be an easy transition,” Tew said. “She reminded me of me. I caught, too. She wasn’t so loud and obnoxious back there, but she just takes control from behind the plate. That’s really what I was looking for. It made our team so much better when I could move [Chavers] to the outfield. It worked out well.” Sledd also batted third for the 33-2 Lady Miners last year. She hit .549 with 5 home runs and 58 RBIs on her way to all-state honors. She is the 2018 Tri-Lakes Edition Softball Player to Watch. “I wanted her to hit in the first inning,” said Tew, who has coached at Bauxite for six years. “I was confident in our first two hitters, and [Sledd] got so many RBIs, so it really worked out.” Sledd’s instant varsity success hasn’t come without sacrifice. She started T-ball at 4 and has played travel softball for 10 years. Now that she’s in high school, that means playing games nine months of the year. She played on a travel team based in Oklahoma last year and helped the squad win a prestigious tournament in Tulsa. That included commits from several major NCAA Division I programs. She also has taken weekly hitting lessons in Little Rock for eight years and started taking catching lessons from Henderson State assistant David Martinez. “I’ve worked pretty hard,” Sledd said. “If I am not satisfied with my game that day, I’ll go to extra hitting lessons the next. I just keep working. I am not satisfied if it’s not good. I just have to work harder for the next game.” Last year was not only a banner year for Sledd, but for Bauxite. The Lady Miners beat Class 6A neighboring Benton and Class 7A North Little Rock on their way to 22 straight wins. A late-season 4-1 loss to fellow Saline County school Bryant was the lone blemish as Bauxite headed into the Class 4A State Tournament after breezing through district and regional play. However, a magical season came to a painful end when No. 3 seed Pottsville upset Bauxite 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Pottsville, whom Bauxite will play in the 2018 regular season, advanced to win the Class 4A title. “We should have done better than what we did,” Sledd said. “We didn’t come ready, and we weren’t excited on the bus. This year, we want to win it. This is our year.” Sledd still gets goosebumps when she thinks back to 2015 in the dugout when Bauxite won the state title at Bogle Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. It’s motivation for her, as she has two chances left to experience the same thrill as a contributing player. “When I was there my eighth-grade year, it was so exciting,” Sledd said. “It was really neat seeing everyone have so much fun. I saw how much it meant to the seniors.” Sledd can put all of her focus on winning a high school championship because she’s already made her college decision. She is committed to Henderson State University after also receiving an offer from the University of Missouri.

“I just like the campus, and the coaches are so sweet — they make you feel like family,” Sledd said. I also want to major in education, and [Henderson State] has a great education program.” She could get more Division I scholarship offers before her prep career ends but said she is firmly committed to the Reddies. Even with those plans set, Sledd won’t be satisfied leaving without a state championship. “We have several other college commits,” Tew said. “I think that has always been a goal for them. They deserve it, for sure. If we are going to win it, we need to win it this year. We have three seniors who start every game, and I think they know this is it. We aren’t trying to put pressure on them, but [a state championship] is a driving force. [Sledd] will be a big part of it.”