TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Experience is invaluable on any athletic team, and the Lincoln softball team has plenty of it thanks in part to veteran senior Tayler Barrett.
"She does a stellar job in any position we put her in and offensively she gets the job done," said head coach Terese Waltman. "She's a major part of our team this year, and I definitely think she'll help in our success."
With four years of varsity experience, it's been perfected since her freshman season.
"It's kind of surreal, especially because last year we didn't get to finish," said Barrett.
What she's gone through to get to this point, makes her want to make her senior year one to remember.
"This year, we're trying to have the mentality that this could be our last game at every moment," she said. "We want to do everything we can to make this our best season yet."
"Don't leave the field with any regrets," said Waltman of the message she's told her players this season. "I think she's done a phenomenal job so far of every time she steps on this field whether it's practice. She's giving it 11% of everything she does."
She gives it 110% on the field, and in the classroom. Barrett has a 4.06 GPA.
"She's one of the kids that when we have report card check time, it's like okay you're good, just check!" laughed Waltman.
"I know what I want to do. I want to focus on softball and I want to focus on school," said Barrett. "Obviously, academics come first. I know what I want to do. I just have a plan and I follow it."
A plan for the future, but for now, Barrett's focused on bringing a district title, and hopefully more, back to Lincoln.
"We've just been building together more and more," said Barrett. "We know we have this group and we want to take advantage of what we have right now."
What they have now, that's been building, for the last four years. Barrett will play softball in college at St. John's River State College, where she plans to study elementary education.
