SPRINGFIELD — Taylor Morgan can breathe a sigh of relief.
The Effingham County senior softball player on Monday signed a letter of intent to attend East Georgia College. It is a dream come true for her.
Like many high school athletes, Morgan often wondered whether or not she’d have to hang up her cleats forever. But late offers from EGC and Reinhardt were more than enough to make Morgan realize her desire to play college softball was not as far away as she once thought.
“It’s great,” Morgan said. “I was scared I wasn’t going to find a team, that I wasn’t good enough. And then (East Georgia) found me and offered me. That was the happiest day of my life.
It’s a great feeling.”
One must-have for prospective college student-athletes is a family-like atmosphere. For Morgan, the environment within EGC athletics was the No. 1 reason she chose the Bobcats over the Eagles.
“I felt more at home at East Georgia and I felt like that was where I needed to be,” she said.
The centerfielder for the Rebels said she isn’t sure what her role will be in college.
“I have no clue yet,” she said. “All I know is that I want to go to college.”
Morgan isn’t intimidated by the idea of being a student-athlete at the next level. The senior believes her ability to wear many different hats will pay off in the future.
“I keep my grades up here and I also serve as the manager of the baseball team,” Morgan said. “School comes first and I’m going to try to keep up with both.”
The Bobcats are members of the NJCAA, competing at the Division 1 level in Region 17. EGC went 25-17 a year ago and 12-6 in region play. E
Morgan is ready to add her competitive spirit to the team.
“I am always upbeat and I want to win,” she said. “I push my teammates to be better and I’m a very good leader when I’m on the field. I know that I have to keep my teammates up and push them to keep going.”
ECHS head coach John Coleman harped on Morgan’s accolades and is confident she has all the qualities needed to be a great student-athlete at the next level.
“Taylor has been a three-year starter at ECHS in centerfield,” Coleman said. “This year she was selected to the Georgia Dugout Club All-Star Game. She was second-team all-region. She batted .341 this year with two home runs and 14 RBIs. Taylor's outgoing personality and leadership will be missed as she goes on to play at the next level. We are very proud of all that she has accomplished here and what she will accomplish in the future.”