Carlisle completes history with NKU signing

By Sam McClanahan
    For Raegan Carlisle, signing on the dotted line was the easy part. But in her history-making path to becoming the first D-I Fastpitch Softball player produced by Pendleton County High School, the journey was anything but easy.
      She has dreamed of this moment since she was 11 years old, and despite many challenges that arose along the way, Carlisle remained focused on her goal. She spent countless hours honing her craft in the batting cage, in the field, and spent the majority of her teen years traveling to various cities and states throughout the South and Midwest playing travel ball, all while trying to catch the eyes of college scouts. She even lost her entire sophomore season due to the onset of the pandemic.
      "There are so many challenging parts that no one talks about. The recruiting process is hard," Carlisle says. "Sometimes it seemed like maybe my goal was out of reach. But I had plenty of people who were by my side for every obstacle, from listening to me cry to having to adjust to different rules in recruiting, and limited opportunities due to COVID. Finally achieving this goal to play the collegiate level means a lot to me. I'm honored to be the first Ladycat Softball player to sign at the D-I level," she added.
      For all the miles traveled and games played (well over 400 between high school and travel ball), in the end Carlisle chose to play for the place that felt most like "home" to her, Northern Kentucky University. She'll join a Norse program that will feature plenty of homegrown talent just like herself, and she's eager to make an impact once she arrives on campus next fall.
      "Throughout this whole process I kept looking for a place that felt like home and nothing made me feel 100 percent confident about my decision until NKU. It turns out being close to home (Pendleton County) was a lot more important to me than originally planned. I love the coaching staff, the player's, the campus, location...everything," she explained.
  In Carlisle, NKU will get a talented infielder who can hit the ball to all parts of the field. She features blazing speed on the base paths along with razor-sharp focus and discipline in the batter’s box. Norse head coach Kathryn Gleason spoke highly on her newest addition.
      "Raegan will add depth to the middle infield position, as well as a left-handed bat to the lineup.  Her speed and athleticism will also add another element to the lineup.  Raegan has played at a high level in travel ball with the Louisville Sluggers organization, so we are looking to add that experience to our program.  We are looking forward to welcoming Raegan and her family to our Norse softball family," Gleason said.
      Now with the biggest decision of her young life out of the way, Carlisle looks forward to concluding her varsity playing career with the Ladycats on a high note. The program will once again be a regional and state championship contender boasting a roster of both experienced and youthful talent.
      "I won't be the last player from Pendleton County to accomplish this goal. The team keeps building and we've set a foundation for it. I'm extremely honored that our Softball program isn't overlooked anymore and we've set a high standard for PCHS Softball in the future. I can't wait to see more PCHS girls accomplish their goals too!"
      Carlisle also acknowledges that she has had plenty of support and companions on her journey. The love for Softball along with Baseball runs deep in her family, on both her father Larry and mother Kelley's side. Without them and her extended family, she knows none of this could have been possible.
      "Having a strong support system has been big throughout all of this. It takes a village to achieve such a big goal. My family has stuck by my side and gave words of encouragement, even when they were stressed themselves. The game is fun for all of us, so when times were hard, that always helped."
      The life of a teenager is hard enough without the pressures that can come with high-level athletics. Raegan Carlisle has juggled it all masterfully and been just as successful in the classroom as she's posted a 3.7 GPA to go with her other long list of accolades. She can now take time to exhale and focus on soaking in the final last months of high school and go out and do what she loves with a lot less weight on her shoulders.
    "Now with this goal accomplished, it's all a sigh of relief. I'm happy to now just be able to go out and play a game that I love."