Meet the Tide: Reagan Dykes
1/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Alabama welcomes six newcomers to the 2016 team. We will be posting Q&A features with all six leading into the season. Our third Q&A is with freshman Reagan Dykes from Collins, Miss.
What got you interested in playing softball?
"I started off with tee ball and little league. My dad was always my coach through elementary school. I really enjoyed playing and I didn't have an option to play another sport. One of the only sports you can play when you're younger is tee ball and I've been playing softball ever since. My love for softball was always there. I was always the one to roll in the dirt and have a good time."
When did you realize that you could take softball to the next level?
"Around my seventh grade year. I graduated from a small school so you could play varsity in the seventh grade. I had a big role as a catcher with a senior pitcher. My parents told me that I had to take this pretty seriously, so I did and that's when I decided that I wanted to play college ball."
What were some of the colleges that you were looking at and what was your impression of Alabama?
"I really wanted to go somewhere close to home. My top three choices were Alabama, LSU and Florida State. I actually went on my visits to LSU and Florida State first and they both offered me a spot, but I didn't want to commit because Alabama was my dream school. My parents told me to look at other options just in case. When I came to Alabama on an unofficial visit, my family and I went out to eat that night and I told them that I wanted to commit to Alabama. So, on that Sunday I told Coach Murphy that I wanted to commit. That was at the beginning of my sophomore year in high school. It was really about the family and the tradition here. There's something different about Alabama.
Did you feel relieved knowing that you already had made your decision that early in the process?
"It was a big relief just because the recruiting process is very stressful. Once I committed, my dad told me that I needed to continue to get better and better, so I just focused on that."
What have been some of your impressions so far adjusting to Alabama?
"During the fall I was extremely nervous playing on the field for the first time, especially playing next to girls that you've looked up to your entire life. I'm really looking forward to the spring because we have played games as a group now. I think it's going to be a great year. School wise, I come from a very small town. I came here and there were people everywhere! I have about 400 people in one of my classes and it's a huge difference. I graduated with 72 people."
What are some of your team and individual goals going into the season?
"Individually, I will accept whatever role that I play this spring. As freshmen, you don't really know all that you'll be doing but, whatever I do, I want to do it the best I can. As a team, of course we want to win the national championship. I want us to have great chemistry and work together."
What advice would you give to a young aspiring softball player?
"Keep working hard every day because your competition is trying to beat you. I would also tell them to go to camps because they're really important. I went to Alabama camps all my life. Go to camps so they can put a face to a name."
