Anna Grace Lee, Shelby Freeman, Murphy DeMoss, Mattie Johnson, Cheryl Lamkin)
By Kyle Roberts
The advisory board for the Ruston Girls Softball Association has awarded 12 scholarships to area softball players for their participation with the RGSA and the Ruston Dixie Softball Association.
Every January, the applicants will be reviewed by the RGSA advisory board and then are awarded money based upon their scoring and having played a minimum of two years in the RDSA.
“I think it’s really neat to be able to give back,” RDSA president Stephanie Whitten said. “One of the great things is part of the application process is they have to give back to our organization. So once they get out of high school or become college students, we want them to come back and give and to volunteer and to help develop future softball players.”
Whitten noted that some of the ways the kids have given back to the RGSA has been through offering various clinics and umpiring games.
Ruston High senior Murphy DeMoss, who was part of a 17-win Ruston team that made the postseason for the first time in three years, spoke about the emotion behind receiving the scholarship from the RGSA.
“I think we all agree that it’s a huge honor, but it’s also kind of emotional for some of us because, as you know, we’re about to graduate,” DeMoss said. “It’s kind of sad. But as I said, it’s an honor. And we are all very appreciative because not only has RGSA has built us as people, but it’s also built us players and has carried us all through high school and will continue to carry us all through college.”
Mattie Johnson, currently a student at Louisiana Tech and a graduate from Choudrant High School, echoed DeMoss’s thoughts about the importance of receiving the scholarship.
“I’m very appreciative; I’m a second time recipient,” Johnson said. “This is very helpful with how expensive college is these days. And this program really helped me build into the softball player I was in high school; I spent a lot of time at the ball field, so it means a lot and I’m really grateful.”
Since the sale of the RGSA complex back in 2019, the advisory committee has been able to use the funds for scholarships on a yearly basis.
The entire list of recipients includes:
Chloe Brashear
Anna Grace Lee
Briley Jones
Peyton Muse
Landri Milsaps
Shelby Freeman
Ella Thomas
Maribeth Parette
Mattie Johnson
Murphy DeMoss
Allie Richardson
Kelly Caston
