Stafford adds academic awards
Desoto Central volleyball and softball player Raegan Stafford is reeling in the academic honors.
The first bit of good news came courtesy of principal Cliff Johnston, who during a Zoom call, informed her that she’d been named Class of 2020 valedictorian.
“We didn’t know until a few weeks ago,” said Stafford, “because the rankings took awhile to get finalized.”
She had a 4.77 grade point average, which also helped secure another honor.
Every year since 1996, the Mississippi High School Activities Association puts its name behind the Lindy Callahan Scholar-athletes list of honorees, where according to a release, one boy and one girl from each of the governing body’s eight geographical districts are chosen for their academic accomplishments, as well as their participation in high school athletics and extracurricular activities.
Stafford, who played defensive specialist and libero for the volleyball team and second base for the Jaguars’ softball team, was selected this year to represent MHSAA District 2 and will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Callahan was a longtime coach and athletic director at Gulfport High School.
“Receiving the award just represents all the extra hours that came with going
to practice and then coming home and straight studying,” Stafford said. “You didn’t really feel the payout in that moment because it was just all stress, but now, knowing that it was all for something and it meant something, it’s a super-rewarding feeling to have.”
Stafford signed to play softball at Delta State last March. Her plan is to major in veterinary medicine.
“That’s what I think I want to do right now, but that could change,” she said. “Volleyball has always been something I did for fun, but I did grow to love it. So not playing volleyball in the fall is going to be kind of weird. I’ll be doing Honors College, too, so I’m pretty sure two sports would have been an insane workload. It will probably work out for the better.”
Said Desoto Central softball coach Phyllis Hicks: “Raegan is a gifted young woman who will undoubtedly make her mark in anything she attempts to accomplish. It’s been a complete honor to have her in the classroom and on the field.”
Stafford has played competitive/ travel softball since she was 7. She helped the Jaguars win back-to-back MHSAA Class 6A state championships as a sophomore and junior. DC won six of its eight games during the abbreviated 2020 season. Stafford had a .300 batting average and a team-leading eight runs.
“I feel like God blessed me with the talents that I have with academics and sports,” she said. “Since he gave me those gifts, then I need to use them to the best of my ability. That’s what really drove me through all of it. All the hard work and effort … it’s like a big weight taken off my shoulders. Everything that you went through is worth it, because you got your goal.”
Added Desoto Central volleyball coach Margaret Falatko: “I have had the joy of watching Raegan excel — on and off the court. She is a tremendous athlete with a competitive spirit and desire to succeed. She set goals for herself and worked so hard to accomplish them. She embodies what a student-athlete should be.”