Katie –
We are still in shock that your softball journey was cut short due to an injury at the end of your high school season. Not what we were expecting, but thankful we had twelve wonderful years watching you play the game you love.

Your family is extremely proud of all you have accomplished so far. You grew up on the softball field, watching your sister play softball for years before deciding to play. I remember you yelling ‘check three, go one’ when you were eight years old. All of the coaches and parents looked at each other in disbelief and continued cheering. That cheering never stopped! You had an amazing twelve years playing the game you love. You continued to grow as a softball player learning new techniques, plays, hitting and playing hard.

Some of the best memories were traveling to new locations, going site seeing, going to the beach, playing softball on the beach or visiting colleges. We loved how the team bonded together on and off the field. You’ve made many lifelong friends and had coaches that taught you more than just the game of softball, but life lessons in confidence, character and how important it is to be a good teammate. All your accomplishments on and off the field have made us happy and proud parents.

We can’t wait for your next life adventure at University of South Carolina studying Marine Sciences following another one of your passions. We are super excited you get to share this new journey with one of your original Inferno teammates, Taylor McKinney. Good luck Katie! You’re going to do amazing things.

Love you,
Mom & Dad

Katie - Thank you! Hard to believe that you joined our team when you were 9 years old and stuck with the same team and coaches for your entire travel career. You played such a huge role in the transformation of our team over the years. Thank you for all the fantastic softball play over the years…all the huge hits and phenomenal plays in the field. But also thank you for your leadership, quiet confidence and your humor. And most importantly thank you for being an awesome teammate and for being so coachable from start to finish. I’m appreciative to have been a small part of your journey. I also want to say thank you to the entire Novak family…your support over the years and friendship means a great deal. See you all in Columbia, South Carolina. Go Gamecocks!!

Sean