Southern Arkansas Technical College in Camden recently established a softball program. Coaches Phillip and Amy Diehl are going to lead the future Lady Rockets softball team, and they are looking for athletes that they believe are overlooked. They want to make sure that they not only grow as athletes, but as people as well.

Senior Henessae Shavers was the first person to commit to SAU Tech’s softball team. Not only is she excited to be the first, but she is also excited to be the face of the program.

“I personally don’t think darker-skinned women and girls are as widely covered and publicized in the sports world, especially not softball,” Shavers said. “I wanted to make a statement with my presence and title and come into the new program with a bang, and I knew I wouldn’t disappoint.”

Totally caught off guard by the signing, Shavers was unprepared for the event. She had not even planned on having a signing day before SAU Tech.

“[I] felt like it was out of character for me, but I changed my mind, because I didn’t get to share that moment with some important people in my life who helped me through my softball journey,” Shavers said.

Shavers wanted to go to SAU for a multitude of reasons: it is a small school, it specializes in the medical field that she plans to enter, it is affordable, and it provides an opportunity to continue playing softball.

“The whole branch of SAU schools has great opportunities academically as well, and their resume regarding their sports programs speaks for itself,” Shavers said. “The outdoor program for SAU Tech is new and fresh, and that’s how I am, always looking for something new to challenge me, something to keep me engaged, and that was SAU Tech.”