Melissa Cox, if she channels what it took to be a world champion in Little League softball, may go on such a tear the next two seasons that she’ll become the hot infield prospect out of junior college.
Or, she’ll achieve her No. 1 goal of entering the field of the nurse practitioner while simply enjoying the experience of softball at the next level like those with whom she’s played all her life.
The Veterans High senior shortstop signed to play with ABAC’s two-year program in Tifton. She was a cornerstone both in the field and at the plate for the Region 2-AAAA championships won by the Lady Warhawks under former head coach Mitch Horton.
But before her high school days, the daughter of Ricky and Kim Cox spent time in the Warner Robins American Little League program and helped achieve those back-to-back World Series championships in Portland, Ore. She said one of the greatest thrills for her was continuing those relationships with teammates when they became a part of the Veterans program.
“All of us are going our different ways now (like Payton Stallworth and Sierra Stella to West Georgia),” said Cox. “It kind of hurts, but it all worked out. I’m glad for everybody going to play ball. We all have said we wanted to play college ball since we were 10 years old. We said it was going to be one of those days that it’s going to be sad when we venture apart. It’ll all blossom.”
But in high school, Cox admitted she didn’t think college ball would be in her future. That changed in her senior season.
“It got towards the end of the season and I couldn’t take it,” she said. “I wanted to play at the next level with all my girls. I wanted to play against them. When I decided to play college ball, you could tell from my batting average at the beginning to at the end. It was so much better because I stayed focused. I stayed after practice every day.”
Injuries may have had something to do with Cox’s original mindset. She missed most of her sophomore season with a broken wrist.
One of Cox’s reasons for choosing ABAC is the nursing program, and she said that kind of workload wouldn’t leave much room for softball play after two years of JUCO eligibility.
“I really want to do softball these two years to experience the college level,” she said. “I didn’t want to give it up yet. I think I’m either going to stay at ABAC my last two years, or I might transfer. But I probably won’t play.”
But two years from now???
“I already didn’t want to give it up my senior year,” she said. “Who knows? My major might change to where I do want to play my last two years. It just depends. Someone else might (recruit) me. I hope so.”
Whatever transpires away from the field, Cox said she will work to do her best each game and hopes playing will lead to meeting new players from all over Georgia.
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