by By Dan Ninham
Future college athletes need to make the most of the school year training and competing at a high level.
Lizzy Kary, 17, will be a senior next school year at Shawano Central HS in Wisconsin.
During the summer she plays club softball for FirePro, based out of Stevens Point, WI and her school team the Shawano Community HS Hawks. She previously played for the club team Appleton Heat.
“I’m really focused on representing the Menominee Nation and the bear clan and reaching my athletic goals in the future,” said Lizzy. “I want to play softball during my college career. I intend on making my dream a reality by going to various camps, working with different coaches and I play every game like it’s my last.”
“My main athletic accomplishment has been taking runner-up with my Appleton Heat team at a national tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC and winning other tournaments across the Midwest,” said Lizzy.
“Some of my mentors have been Heather Haefliger and Brian Johnson,” said Lizzy. “They both saw the potential I had and pushed me to be the best I can possibly be and are still pushing me to continue working towards my goals.”
“Lizzy is very driven,” said Heather Haeflinger, 14U Shawano softball coach and Shawano junior varsity softball coach. “When she buckles down and focuses on something, nothing will get in her way. Being a catcher, she was basically in charge of the field and was not afraid to do so. She was able to call pitches on her own and needed very little guidance. This also helped spark the leader in her. As her 14U coach and JV coach, I’ve seen her progress from just a player to a leader.”
“Lizzy is an extremely versatile player,” said Brian Johnson, head softball coach for the Shawano Hawks. “She catches, plays both corner positions and can also play outfield. She is always willing to jump in wherever needed. She is a tremendous asset to our team.”
My father Chad Kary has been by my side helping me grow as an athlete since I’ve been seven years old,” said Lizzy.
“My favorite attributes of Elizabeth aew her unwillingness to quit and her constant and continued adaptability,” said dad Chad Kary. “When she didn’t make varsity as a freshman she was very upset and hurt and instead of letting it discourage and derail her, she used it as a motivation to double down on her work. She went on to play club ball for two years continuously and worked on all parts of her game. She went from being just a catcher to being able to play all over the field at a high level.”
“She missed her sophomore season due to Covid but made varsity this year as a junior and went on to lead her team in batting average, hits, doubles, and home runs and was voted first team all-conference by all of the Bay Conference coaches as a utility player. She worked her butt off and earned it.”
“My mentor was my grandfather Pete Waupoose who passed away two years ago,” said Lizzy. “He was my biggest fan and supporter.”
“Pete was an amazing grandfather who always supported his grandchildren in all of their endeavors, not just sports,” said Chad. “He took a ton of pride in their accomplishments and always had a positive outlook. He was constantly laughing and joking and took a lot of pressure off of Lizzy. His loss was a huge shock, but I think Elizabeth used her grief as a motivation to play through adversity. She plays for him in a lot of ways.”
“I play every game for my sister who sadly passed away two years ago,” said Lizzy. “I try my best to be the big sister she could’ve looked up to.”
Photo Credit: Kay Kristof
