Ardmore’s Karla Hice has been an Alabama fan for as long as she can remember. On Thursday, she made one of her dreams come true by signing to play softball for the Crimson Tide.

Hice, a senior catcher for the Tigers, committed to Alabama back in July of 2016. She held firm to her commitment and made it official in a signing ceremony at the Ardmore High School gymnasium Thursday afternoon.

“This has always been a childhood dream of mine,” Hice said. “Ever since I was 5, I wanted to go to the University of Alabama. I committed in July of 2016, so I’ve been waiting two years for this. It’s just amazing to have this moment.”

Hice had .445 batting average with 44 RBIs and 53 runs scored last season, in which an injury prevented her from playing her natural catcher position much of the year. She still was selected to Class 5A first team All-State.

Hice is the first Ardmore softball player to sign with an SEC school, and Tigers’ softball coach Stephen Baugh isn’t surprised in the least. He still vividly remembers the moment he knew Hice was going to be a special player.

“My first or second year here, when I was still an assistant baseball coach, we were having practice on Saturday morning,” Baugh said. “The softball field is adjacent to the baseball field, and I kept hearing ping, ping, ping, coming from the softball field. I looked over there and it was Karla and her dad out there by themselves hitting. She would have been in seventh or eighth grade at the time, and to be that young and out there by yourself wanting to get better is unbelievable. Right then, I knew she could be an SEC player.”

It’s not just any SEC program Hice is going to. It is a program that has played in the Women’s College World Series 11 times and won the 2012 national championship.

“She’s going to a top five program in the entire nation,” Baugh said. “I know the type of work they put in based on my background as a student assistant in the SEC. I know what she’s going to go through, but I know she’s going to be able to handle it, and that’s what makes me excited to watch her the next four years.”

Even though she still has a senior season to go through, Hice is already looking forward to putting on the crimson and white uniform beginning in 2020.

“It just gives me chills, because everyone from my hometown will be rooting me on,” Hice said. “Everybody is excited to see me play. I just can’t believe this day is finally here.”