Anna Carder is The News Courier’s Athens-Limestone softball player of the year after a senior season that saw her as the leader of a state championship team for Athens High School.

Carder was the catcher for the Lady Golden Eagles, which went on a dominant run in the Area, Regional and State playoffs, ending with Carder and her teammates bringing home a blue map.

She is now on her way to Southern Illinois after signing to play for the school.

The News Courier interviewed Carder and her head softball coach, Travis Barnes, about her time at Athens High School, the memories from a championship-winning season and the impact she left on the program.

Anna Carder

Q: Now that you have had some time to look back on it, what was it like being part of a state title team?

A: Being a part of a state title team was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being able to play with my best friends and for Coach Barnes was a real full circle moment, because we all had worked so hard for it.

We also hadn’t won state in softball since 2010 so this was a big deal for our whole community.

All the hard work that we went through as a team payed off when we got to bring the trophy back home to Athens.

Q: What are some qualities you think a catcher has to have in order to be a good leader as well?

A: It takes some hard work to be a catcher physically but you also have to be the loudest person on the field and be able to take charge. You also have to be the biggest cheerleader and sometimes that is hard to do when you aren’t having a good game or you are in a slump, but as a leader and a senior on the team I can’t get down or have a bad attitude because then it will effect the whole team.

Q: What are you looking forward to about the next chapter of your life?

A: I’m so grateful that my softball career isn’t over and that i get to play at the next level. I’m honestly most excited about just getting better and being able to keep playing the sport that I love.

Q: How has softball impacted your life for the better?

A: Softball has impacted my life so much. It has brought me my best friends and so many memories with my teammates that I wouldn’t trade for the world. Don’t get me wrong it is tough but I have had the most fun this season than I ever have and that’s what I love most about this sport. Getting a ring was just the cherry on top!

Travis Barnes

Barnes wrote up a statement about what Carder meant to his program and her role on the team winning the state championship. 

“Most people see Anna Carder for the outstanding softball player that she is on the field and the many, many awards that she has won. Anna is much much more than what you see on the field. She is the ultimate leader, ideal teammate and a coach’s dream.”

“She is such a positive person who not only brings energy during the games, but brings energy to every practice every day. Never mind, she brings energy every rep of every drill. I am so proud of Anna, and can’t wait to see how well she represents Athens softball as she moves onto play at Southern Illinois.”

Carder is the second profile out of 22 for The News Courier’s Athens-Limestone High School players of the year.