MADDIE BALLARD
Eufaula Lady Ironheads
Written by Mike Kays
Maddie Ballard can be found on any sports stage at Eufaula – from fastpitch to now basketball and later in the year, slowpitch.
Within each, she’s versatile. Something first-year hardwoods coach Jason Radomski has learned as he comes here from assisting on both sides of the gym – boys and girls – at Class A power Seiling.
“She’s not real big, about 5-5, but what I like about her is she’s physical and plays hard,” Radomski said. “She’s one of our main ball handlers but recently I started trying to push her inside a little bit to find different ways to get mismatches. If you put a small guard on her she can go in and bully around a little because she’s so strong. I think she’ll be one of our leading scorers because she can score in different ways. She’s going to be one of those kids who is pretty solid at all the positions.”
Ballard is a senior and just finished her final season in fast-pitch with a second consecutive state tournament trip and was named an alternate at first base for All-State.
While she’s an athlete in multiple sports, she keeps her attention squarely on the sport at hand and stays off the other stages until said season is finished.
“I keep my focus that way so we’re all in and can go really far in the playoffs,” she said. “The main adjustment is the different level of running and getting in basketball condition. We still try to play as a team. There’s going to be arguments at times but at the end of the day we’re all family.”
And Maddie says she’ll help the family in whatever chores there are.
“Whether it’s bringing the ball down the court or going inside, I just view my role as being whatever the need is at that time for the team to be successful.”
That kind of thinking explains her choice as her sports role model. Don’t look at the pros. Think closer to home – her softball coach, Ryan Green.
“His leadership has been really great. He was all-state in baseball at Dewar and he just teaches us to be a family more than anything and I think that is what really matters when we’re all playing,” she said.
