TODAY I CONTINUE MY SENIOR SPOTLIGHT LOOKING AT THE RECENTLY AWARDED BAYLEE STAFFORD. STAFFORD WAS ONE OF THE MANY SENIORS INVOLVED IN CODY ATHLETICS THAT GOT HER SENIOR SEASON CUT SHORT. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN HER MEMORIES OF HER TIME AT CODY HIGH SCHOOL AREN’T PLENTIFUL AND JOYOUS. STAFFORD SPEAKS ON SOME OF WHAT SHE WILL MOST CHERISH OF HER TIME AT CODY.
“PROBABLY OUR THIRD STATE TITLE FOR SOCCER, BECAUSE WINNING TWO IS COOL BUT NO ONE REALLY THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD WIN THREE SO THAT WAS COOL. AND JUST BEING ABLE TO DO IT WITH 35 OF MY BEST FRIENDS WAS REALLY THE BEST PART.”
SHE DOESN’T GLOSS OVER THE FRIENDS AND COACHES THAT HAVE HAD AN IMPACT
ON HER LIFE HERE AT CODY HIGH SCHOOL.
“I’VE NEVER BEEN A PART OF A TEAM THAT I DIDN’T LOVE OR THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE A GREAT DYNAMIC FOR IT. THROUGHOUT ALL OF MY SPORTS AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND THE GIRLS AND BOYS, THEY WERE ALL SO SUPPORTIVE AND IT WAS FUN TO BE ON TEAMS WITH THEM. THEN WE ALSO HAVE GREAT COACHES HERE. MAGGIE PUTS HER HEART AND SOUL INTO RUNNING. MARIAN’S OBVIOUSLY DOING WHAT SHE CAN HELP US WIN STATE TITLES. I AM SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THE PEOPLE.”
STAFFORD IS HEADED OFF TO LARAMIE WHERE SHE WILL CONTINUE HER ATHLETIC
CAREER WITH CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK. SHE IS EAGER TO GET TO TRAINING.
“I AM SUPER EXCITED, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE TRAINING WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I’VE SEEN BEFORE AND IT WILL BE NICE TO SWITCH THINGS UP AND SEE WHAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH ON ANOTHER TEAM, WITH ANOTHER COACH.”
TRAINING RIGHT NOW ISN’T NECESSARILY ORTHODOX BUT SHE THINKS SHE IS
READY WITH WHAT COACH MAGGIE HAS DONE TO PREPARE HER.
“I TALKED TO MY COACH A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO AND HE SAID TO HOLD OFF ON TRAINING FOR NOW BUT BY JUNE HE WANTS OUR LONG RUNS TO BE AROUND 10-1. I FEEL LIKE MAGGIE ALREADY PUT US THROUGH ALL OF THE TRAINING THAT WE COULD. SO I KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT I GUESS. WHAT’S REALLY JUST GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IS I’M GOING TO HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TEAM. SO I’LL HAVE TO BUILD SOME BONDS WITH THOSE GIRLS WHICH I’M SURE WILL GO OVER FINE.”
STAFFORD’S FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT ON AND OFF THE FIELD AS SHE HEADS TO LARAMIE THIS FALL, BUT HER TIME AT CODY AND THE PEOPLE HERE WILL ALWAYS BE OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO HER.
“I DO LOVE THIS PROGRAM AND THIS SCHOOL. I’M SUPER FORTUNATE TO GET TO GO TO SCHOOL HERE AND PLAY/PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS. OUR SENIOR CLASS IS REALLY ONE OF THE BEST THAT I COULD ASK FOR. EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN’T END THE WAY THAT EVERYONE WAS HOPING FOR, IT WAS STILL A BLESSING TO EVEN GET TO BE A PART OF EVERYTHING WE WERE ALREADY A PART OF.”
STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK FOR MORE STORIES ON SENIORS
AROUND THE AREA.
