BY JARED PORTER
Webb City athletes Cale McCallister, Stacy Tyndall, Reanna Blinzler, Keira Jackson and Ian Edwards each signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the college level on Wednesday inside the Cardinal Dome.
McCallister, an all-Central Ozark Conference selection last season as a pitcher for the Cardinals' baseball team, inked with a Missouri Southern program he had wanted to o play for since he was a Little Leaguer.
"I'm just very excited," McCallister said. "Honestly, when I was a kid I wanted to play for Southern. I didn't want to go far away from home. I get to play the game for four more years, and I couldn't be more excited. … Just to see all the work you've done and to see it pay off, it feels amazing.
"I've grown up with (MSSU head coach Bryce Darnell's daughter, Darcy Darnell), and I've known them for a long time. It's a good family and I know he's going to be a good coach."
The Cardinals' softball team was represented by three individuals in Tyndall, Jackson and Blinzler, who signed with Crowder College, Allen County Community College and Labette Community College, respectively. The three players helped lead Webb City to a 21-7 season and a run to the Class 4 State Tournament this fall.
Tyndall, a first-team all-COC performer who was recruited as an outfielder, said she chose to ink with Crowder due to her connection with the team's coaching staff and its players.
"(Crowder) has a really good coaching staff and the team is really good," Tyndall said. "They're known for their softball program. I feel a little bit of pressure, but that's what will push me harder to play and earn my spot on the team."
Tyndall hopes to earn playing time in her first campaign with the Roughriders.
"It was really cool to have two of my teammates up here with me today, and I think it just proves how good Webb City softball really is," Tyndall added.
Jackson, also an outfielder and a first-team all-COC selection, said she chose Labette (in Parsons, Kan.) because "It's close to home and feels like home."
"The way the coaches talked to me and treated me (stood out the most), and I saw the community stuff that was going on
around campus and just liked it," Jackson said. "(Signing to play college softball) means a lot. I don't think I would know what to do without softball. So just getting the opportunity to play is a big achievement for me."
Blinzler aims to compete for a starting role at first base in her first season with Allen in Iola, Kansas.
"Mainly, I just really want to work as hard as I can and show how hard I've worked for this," Blinzler said.
Edwards, a senior defender for the Webb City soccer team, signed with Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville,Kansas. Edwards aided the Cardinals en route to a 15-10 season and a district championship appearance in the fall.
"Signing my letter of intent today is beautiful because it means I don't have to worry about any of this (recruiting) stuff later on," Edwards said. "Coffeyville tries to take players and actually make them go Division I, and they have programs to help you prepare you for that step. And my goal is to one day go to a Division I school for either athletics or just academics. So it felt like the perfect fit for me."
Joplin Globe 11/14/2019 (Used by permission)