by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
In early March of 2020 before the pandemic hit our world, the Haskell Indian Nations University softball team were on a road trip to Myrtle Beach, SC. The junior pitcher on the team made a major impact by pitching a no-hitter and hitting an out of the park home run. During her impressive game, she also broke a bat in the process.
Kylee Sellers, 20, is from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Her parents’ names are Roger and Khristy Sellers. The family lives in Hugo, OK. Kylee attended Soper HS (OK).
“I’m currently a junior at Haskell Indian Nations University and I play softball,” said Kylee. “I am a pitcher and I also play third base. I made the Dean’s Honor Roll. Also, in our short season I made All-Conference, threw a no-hitter and hit a two run homerun in the same game.”
“My tribal core values have helped me tremendously on my journey as a student-athlete,” said Kylee. “My faith has helped guide me throughout my life and has transitioned me well with my student-athlete career. God has a plan for me and I’m just putting my trust in Him to guide me.”
“Another value that has helped me is responsibility,” said Kylee. “Being a responsible student-athlete is vital. Classes, practice, and assignments don’t stop. It’s important to take care of things on and off the field. You’re constantly busy, but you learn how to manage as time goes on.”
“Lastly, I would say that family and teamwork are very important core values. Obviously, softball is a team sport and I’m thankful for each and every one of the girls I play with. They are my family away from home and we all work well together. I’m very thankful for them and for what Haskell has given me these last few years,” added Kylee.
“I’ve had several positive influences in my life, but there are four people who stick out,” said Kylee. “First, my mom and dad are my number one supporters. Without them, I would not be where I am today or even have the ability to play how I do. I have been playing softball since I was three years old and they have been a crucial part of me learning and growing to love the sport.”
“My mom was an amazing softball player and my dad was a great baseball player who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. They practiced with me everyday, took me to every practice, and attended every game. They are a huge part of the physical success I’ve had in the game, but also the mental aspect as well. They were always supportive and uplifting. If I had a bad game they never griped or got angry, but instead they talked situations over with me and told me what I could do to be better. I’m so grateful to have such supportive parents and I could never thank them enough for instilling the love of the game in me,” added Kylee.
“Another influential person in my softball career would be my assistant coach in high school, Mark Hammock,” said Kylee. “Day-after-day he showed his love for the game and the love for teaching us all he could. When I think about the leaders I had in high school, I think of a coach who dedicated so much time to us and wanted us to be the best we could be. He taught me the meaning of hard work and how it can pay off down the road. Each time I step up to the plate, I can hear ‘trust your hands!’ He truly was a teacher of the sport and I’m thankful for all the lessons he taught me along the way that I still use to this day.”
“I first met Kylee when she was about 10 years old through summer softball,” said high school assistant coach Mark Hammock. “I was helping coach her team in the league. When she moved up in age group I was still helping and I could tell with hard work she could be a special player. As she got older and moved into high school she didn’t disappoint. She was a four-year starter and did a great job for the high school team.”
“On and off the field, Coach Tanner has been a positive influence throughout my college career,” said Kylee. “He taught me hard work and what it means to be mentally tough. He taught me that mental toughness isn’t just used during practice trying to push us, but it is also on the field facing all the pressures and still finding a way to power through and get the job done. Off the field he helps us in anyway he can. We all appreciate the time and effort he puts in to be a great coach.”
“Kylee Sellers has been a solid student-athlete since she came to Haskell three years ago,” said Gary Tanner, Haskell head softball coach and athletic director.
“She came as a pitcher and big hitter into our program and has work through hard times since arriving. She overcame some physical injuries that affected her pitching and pushed through strengthening and rehab for about a year. This year she was named All Conference in the A.I.I. that we belong to and finished this shortened season with a no-hit shut out and hit a homerun out of the park during our last week in the South Carolina Classic,” added Gary.
“Overall Kylee has done what has been asked of her and she was moving into a role of a leader and mentor this year to the new players on the team,” said Gary. “Kylee will be back next year and it is fully expected that she will continue to grow and improve where she left off this year. She is expected to be a leader when we return this next fall.”
“Currently I’m working on my pitching performance,” said Kylee. “I’ve really been focusing on spin and strengthening my legs and core to dominate in the circle. There’s always room for mental improvement in any sport. I think being a student of the game is very important. There’s always something new to learn and situations to go over. So another way I’m spending time is putting myself in certain scenarios on the field and going over what I’d do, and then see if what I chose was correct. If not, I go over what I should’ve done.”
“Throughout my life playing this sport I have always prayed before, during, and after each game,” said Kylee. “Before each pitch I would repeat Phillipians 4:13 which is ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Pitching can get really stressful and this usually helps me lose that nervousness that comes along with it.”
“In stressful game situations, I just take a deep breath, remind myself I’m here for a reason, and I can do it. Softball is a sport that absolutely tests your mental toughness and confidence, it’s important that I remind myself of my abilities, and try to use them the best I can.”
“I am currently following CDC guidelines, but also getting some work in,” said Kylee. “I am working out and overall trying to become a better player whether it be fielding, pitching, or hitting. There is always something to improve on. I am also keeping up with my classes and completing assignments. I will be receiving my Associate of Social Work Degree in May.”
“When I was young I competed in a competition called Pitch, Hit, and Run,” said Kylee. “There are four levels being local, state, regional’s, and national’s. I started competing when I was 11 and for the first two years I tried I only made it to the state level. I was determined to not compete again because I felt discouraged, but my grandma told me to try again and that she knew that the next year would be my year.”
“My grandma ended up passing away on January 1st of that next year, but she was right about what she told me. I woke my mom up the morning of the competition about 20 minutes before they were to start and told her I wanted to try again,” added Kylee.
“I competed at local’s and won all around champion in my division, made it to state again and got first place there,” said Kylee. “I made it to regional’s to compete at Texas Rangers stadium in Arlington where I scored high enough to be ranked #1 out of 685,000 other competitors in the nation and Canada. I was heading to compete in Kansas City, MO at the Home Run Derby and All-Star game. I ended up getting third at Nationals, but the experience is something I will never forget. I met so many MLB players, got to shag balls in the outfield during the homerun derby, and took my dad to his first MLB All-Star game.”
“The lesson that I learned was to never give up on your dreams,” said Kylee. “No matter the sport every player sometimes feels that they aren’t good enough, but they are, they just have to believe.”
“Keep working hard and never quit on your dreams,” said Kylee. “You never know where you’ll end up.”
Photo Credit: Haskell Indian Nations University Athletics
