Hora signs to play softball at DMACC

Last Friday was an important day for one Highland senior, as Kelsey Hora signed her letter of intent.

Hora committed to playing softball at Des Moines Area Community College, joining fellow Huskie Cheyann Adamson, who began attending DMACC this fall.

?It?s exciting and a big relief knowing where I?m going next year,? Hora said. ?(I know) the program I?m going into is a good one and I know they are going to improve me a lot.

?I try not to think of it like (following Cheyann), but it?s nice knowing someone I?ve played with for years will be up there.?

Hora?s speed has been the key for her softball career, as she routinely finishes seasons as one of the top base stealers in the state of Iowa.

Over the summer, in her junior campaign, Hora led the team with a .585 batting average (.611 on-base percentage), while scoring 42 runs, and stealing a team-best 33 bases.

However, despite getting offers from programs like Northern Iowa, Hora believes she can continue to develop and become a full contributor at a big school after DMACC.

?I could have gone to (the University of Northern Iowa),? Hora said. ?They offered me a good amount of money, but I would just be running and I wanted to (hit and field) and the coach suggested going to DMACC because it?s a good program. Visiting the campus really helped my decision.?

One of the key areas Hora noted she wanted to improve on was her hitting, where she hopes to develop a different approach at the plate.

?I want to improve my hitting skills and not just be a slapping short-game hitter,? Hora said. ?I want to be able to stroke the ball when I need to and improve my defense.?

Of Hora?s 62 hits last season, seven went for extra bases, with five triples and two doubles.

Hora is the next in a recent string of Highland softballers moving on to play at the collegiate level, something Highland head coach Carrie Wieland credits to the program.

?The program does that,? Wieland said. ?We work hard on staying really simple on what their goals are in life. Our goal at Highland is always to win the state title, but we want to make them better people, and be someone more than just a Highland softball player.

?We start discussing this with them in sophomore year, because we don?t want them to worry about it,? Wieland added. ?This is the time they need to start deciding who they want to be and making those choices that will help carry them to that point.?

With one more year of Hora at the high school level before moving to the college game, Wieland is confident her senior will move on to be successful.

?Everything she?s done (will make her successful) and her dedication to being an athlete and her athletic way of thinking, her academics and her family,? Wieland said. ?She is going to be successful in whatever she chooses to do.?

The Highland senior just wrapped up her final volleyball season at Highland, and will be looking ahead to what should be another successful Huskie girls? basketball season.

Hora noted that she is eyeing a one-year stint at DMACC and hopes to catch on to a Division I program.