There is a reason some athletes are more successful than others. It’s not enough to just have talent. That talent has to be combined with hard work in order for athletes to reach their ultimate goals.

Elkmont shortstop Haven Kirby and Ardmore pitcher Sydney Hall are two players who have combined outstanding talent with a strong work ethic, and it resulted in both players being named to the softball All-State first team, as chosen by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Kirby made the Class 4A All-State team, while Hall was selected to the Class 5A All-State team.

Both Elkmont coach Mary Jane Hobbs and Ardmore coach Stephen Baugh raved about their players’ work ethic more than their ability.

“Haven is a go-getter,” Hobbs said. “She’s a workhorse. She comes to work every day with a mindset of she’s going to get better. She’s going to get dirty. She works hard in the weight room and on the field.”

Kirby, a rising senior, batted .504 with 12 home runs, 12 doubles and 47 RBIs this past season. She said being named first team All-State was a great reward for her work on the field and in the weight room.

“I was surprised at first, but I was also really excited because that is a great accomplishment,” Kirby said of her reaction to finding out she was first team All-State. “And it makes me feel like everything I’ve worked for all the years I’ve played has paid off.”

Kirby said she spends lots of time outside of practice working on softball. She works with her father for hours on end to improve her skills.

“Whether it’s working at home hitting the ball off a tee into a net, or going up to the field to take extra ground balls to work on charging the ball, or hitting at the field to work on my timing, he works with me to help me be a better player,” Kirby said. “He also works with me working out to help me get stronger.”

Hobbs said Kirby sets goals before each season and has already set goals for next season that she will work on during the offseason.

“She sets her own personal goals, and some of them she is working on this summer,” Hobbs said. “She just has that drive to get better.”

Kirby said one of her goals is to be a more complete hitter.

“One of my weaknesses is hitting the outside pitch,” she said. “I’ve got to perfect hitting the outside pitch so no matter what the pitcher is throwing, I can make sure I hit it. That will improve my game a whole lot.”

Hall, also a rising senior, also strives to constantly improve, which led to her changing her pitching motion before her junior season.

The new motion features a deep knee bend, nearly a squat. She then rises up out of the knee bend, uncoils her body and hurls the ball to the plate. She said the new delivery gave her pitches more speed and power, and it paid dividends, as she increased her strikeout total from 146 her sophomore season to 278 her junior season. While she did pitch 15 more innings this season than last, her strikeout per inning total went from 0.70 to 1.24.

She finished the season with 28 wins and a 1.56 earned run average.

“I really believe it did help, because I just felt more confident on the mound with this new technique I’m using,” Hall said. “I wanted to grow as a player, and I feel I did that this year.”

Baugh said it was fun watching Hall pitch throughout the season.

“Sydney was lights out all year,” Baugh said. “It’s fun to watch her go at it. I can’t say enough positive things about what she means to our team. The type of talent she has is amazing. But it’s not really just about the talent, it’s about her character. That’s what makes her great.”

While Kirby and Hall were the only local players to make the All-State team, several others were named All-State honorable mention.

Athens designated hitter Gracie Green was named honorable mention in Class 6A, while East Limestone pitcher Olivia Crouch and Ardmore utility player L.B. Smith were named Class 5A honorable mention. West Limestone catcher Raegan Clem was named honorable mention in Class 4A.