Pee Dee Academy athletes sign with college

Faith Baxley and Summer Collins are two seniors at Pee Dee Academy that have a lot in common.

Not only are they in the same class that will graduate in 2010, but they both have excelled since the sixth grade for the Golden Eagles in their respective sports of tennis and softball. And, as of last week, they have one more similarity they can carry forever.

In the past two weeks, both have signed to continue their playing careers at Coker College starting in 2010.

Baxley described herself as "blessed to be able to play college tennis".

It’s a remarkable accomplishment considering she had not really played the game at all until sixth grade.

"I went with a friend to one of her practices, I picked up the racket and I loved it," Baxley said as she recalled one of her first trips to the court. "I felt at home, like it was my place."

She must have felt pretty much at home, because she carried it onto the playing surface for Pee Dee that following fall.

"Kathy Stedman was my first coach in junior varisity. Then came Coach Brewer, Coach Waller and Coach Coleman," Baxley said of her coaching leaders during her playing days for the Golden Eagles. "They were all different in how they coached, but they were all winners and I appreciate each one of them." And with them together, they made the Golden Eagles winners. In her years on the varsity level, Pee Dee brought home back-to-back state championships.

"That was such a great moment. I wanted to do it for my parents who did so much for me taking me to practices and everything, but I also wanted to do it for me," recalled Baxley of her favorite moment as a player.

"She is the kind of player every coach wants," Jerry Coleman said. "She does the extra things that make players great. She goes to the clinics, the tournaments and works on her game during the weekends. She is a class act and will be hard to replace."

The same can be said of Collins when it comes to Pee Dee Academy softball. The senior has been a part of the Golden Eagle program since the sixth grade and has been a part of a winner ever since.

"I first picked up softball when I was three, so I have been around it my whole life," said Collins. "I started pitching at age nine and also played some third and first base."

"I remember watching Kat Osterman when I was younger," Collins said when asked if any certain players were her favorite. She spoke highly of the Olympic gold medal winner and talked about how she wanted to pitch like her. "Osterman was a beast on the mound. I looked up to her and a lot of the stuff I do pitching is like her."

She also spoke highly of a former teammate who took her under her wing her first year on the varsity level. "Juliann Wiggins was a senior when I got started playing. She was a team leader and was always such a great person to be around. She was a leader off and on the field and I wanted to be just like that."

Collins has done so. With her playing third and starting as a pitcher for the Golden Eagles, the blue and gold have put together quite a run of success in recent years.
Every year Collins has played, Pee Dee has made it to Lexington for the state tournament. The highlight? "The 2008 State Tournament. Everybody played so well and played so together. That was such a great day for Pee Dee softball and for us as a team."

Her success led her to a great day this past week when she signed with the Cobras. "Coach Hanna came to spoke to me two weeks ago about playing. It is small, it is quiet, and I will get to play the game I love," Collins said of reasons why she chose Coker. "Also, some players I played against with Pee Dee are there and we know each other, so that will help. They took me in and showed me around and I so appreciate that."

Collins also wanted to give a big thanks to Wes Daniels, her long-time softball coach and also to her parents for all of their support.

Summer Collins signs agreement with Coker College.