By Derrick Smith

There can be different speed bumps that athletes experience throughout their careers. Whether it is a hitting slump, a shooting drought or some other issue with their game, an athlete will have to work to overcome it. One thing that they do not have any control over is injuries, and that is what Sierra Hughes had to deal with last season.

“I tore my ACL in September of 2019,” she stated. “It was really tough but after doing intense rehab for about eight months, I was finally able to get back on the softball field with my team. It felt really great to be back out there and play with my teammates.”

Hughes is a junior at Sapulpa High School, where she plays for the fastpitch and slowpitch softball teams. She has played for about twelve years and is also a member of the school’s golf team.

Becoming the player that she is today would not have been possible without a couple of special people that have been a part of Sierra’s life. “My dad is my biggest role model,” she said. “He always pushes me to be the best player I can be. I’ve also had to put in a lot of hours of practice. Coach Ken, our strength and conditioning coach, has helped me get stronger and he supports me. He is a former NFL player, so he knows what it takes to go to the next level and he knows that I can always do better.”

When she is not playing or practicing her sports, Hughes spends her time helping out an awesome group of students at her school. “I am a peer tutor for special needs kids at my school,” she said proudly. “I’ve always loved working with them and helping them. Once you spend time with them and get to truly know them it is a hard bond to break. Working with them helps you realize and have a better understanding of what the kids go through while they are developing in life, and it also helps me realize what they are capable of.”