Gibbs signs letter of intent to play softball with LCU

By Melissa McCaghren

Slatonite GM

Slaton High School senior Kamryn Gibbs signed to play softball for Lubbock Christian University Thursday morning (Dec. 5) during a letter signing in the school library.

LCU is a Division II school.

Gibbs is the daughter of Reggie and Anisa Gibbs, and the sister of Braeden Gibbs.

She thanked everyone for coming out.  “It’s been a long time coming I would say – sweat hours and knees,” she said. “Thank you, it means a lot.”

Gibbs said the decision to go to LCU was an easy one. “As soon as I stepped on campus, I knew it was the place for me. I really enjoyed the friendly vibe the staff and students portrayed. I also like that I will be close to home,” she said.

She added she was looking forward to playing softball “at a whole new level” with the Chaparrals as well as building long-lasting relationships with her new teammates.

But that’s not the only part she’s looking forward to doing.

“Academics has also been a huge part of my life and I look forward to advancing my education at a university that values education as a whole.

Head softball coach Brandon Langston congratulated Gibbs on her achievement. “It’s an exciting day for her, as well as the entire softball team and program. It’s exciting to see her every day, what she does on the field, in the classroom and everything,” he said.

Education too was a key to Gibbs’ decision to go to LCU.

“As soon as Lubbock Christian talked to her, I think she was pretty excited it fit her academically as well as athletically. It’s a great program that she’s getting to go join and help improve that program as well,” Langston said, adding she had both an athletic as well as academic scholarship to attend there.

“She’s been a huge part of the success that we’ve had the last few years, so it’s a super, super exciting day for everyone involved but especially for Kamryn and her family.”

Coach Rustin Klafka also talked about Gibbs’ success. “You often hear people talk about the ‘it’ factor with athletes. It’s just an intangible quality that somebody has that you can’t put a finger on, but when they get to competition they elevate above the competition,” he said, adding this was also true for teammates and practice.

“Kamryn has that. There’s not anything you can point to that specifically gives her that but it’s the work she’s put in. It’s the investment in the process that has gotten her to where shes at. It’s gotten her to this next step of her journey because she’s worked hard to get here.”

Langston said the school had one more year of her playing with the softball team, which is hoping to break a new record and advance to the Regional Finals round.

The team advanced to the Regional Semifinals for the first time ever in 2018.

Still he’s looking forward to her future as well as a Chaparral – athlete and scholar.

“It’s special to me because we talk a lot about academics and in the classroom, so to get a lot of academic scholarship money is also a  huge thing, because all that hard work in the classroom is what’s going to propel you on in life and truly make you successful,” he said. “So it’s exciting.”

Gibbs said she is looking forward to her senior year in softball as well as the rest of her time at Slaton High School.

“I just want to go out with a bang. It’s crazy that four years turned into a couple months so fast, but I’m excited to start a new chapter at LCU,” she said.

“Go Chaps!”