There are a lot of athletes at Lakeland High School, but not like Payton Sterling.
Payton Sterling is a four-year varsity softball student at LHS. Sterling has been playing softball for 13 years and has been on varsity for all four years of high school.
Sterling has been a two-sport varsity athlete for all four years. Dwayne Curry, says she is hard-working, empathic, caring and helpful making her stand out from the rest of the team. She is an asset to the team, always pushing her teammates to do their best and work together.
“What makes her stand out is that she puts in more work outside of practice than most players,” The head softball coach Dwayne Curry said. “She also has more knowledge than even some coaches don’t have because she has been playing for over a decade.”
She has always been a dominant player behind the plate letting no balls go behind her. She always makes sure the team knows what is happening on the field and where the ball needs to go.
“Catcher is where she needs to be. I trust her to implement what needs to be done,” Curry said.
Through Sterling’s senior season, she has hit 19 pitches, ten being one base, seven being two bases and two home runs.
Sterling has played 98.2 innings as a catcher in just her senior year. She has stopped 32 bases from being stolen behind the plate and caught 5 runners stealing.
“She is a great general on the field. She knows what to do and how to get the girls to do it,” Curry said.
Sterling says that the failure pushes her to keep going.
“I like to see the best in everybody and everyone needs to be pushed but there is a right way to push people,” Sterling said. “I think I am good at pushing people the right amount.”
She also played basketball for 12 years and four for the high school, she was a guard with a 4.1 rebound average. She has always shot the three-point shots averaging 20.7 points throughout her senior season.
“Payton has always been willing to help, especially the younger girls on the team. She takes the leader position,” Hunter McMurray said. “She brings the team together and makes us work together on the court.’’
Sterling takes charge in all her sports willing to do anything to help her team. With Sterling’s senior year coming to an end she plans on going to Boise State University to get her nursing degree. With over a decade of experience in her sports, her time is coming to an end because she will not be furthering her athletic career.
“I think overall high school has made me grow into a better leader and it has shown me that I do not have to be the best in every sport to be a leader,” Sterling said.
Even outside of sports Sterling is always super friendly and caring.
“I was new junior year and Payton told me I had to come to a volleyball game,” Caitlin Eliuk said. “She is the person she is today because she genuinely cares about everyone’s well-being and making sure people are happy.”
Sterling chose to go into nursing to help people and it truly shows the traits that everyone sees in her.
“She always wants to help people and nursing is her way of helping them in so many different ways,” Eliuk said.
