By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Time flies when you’re having fun, and nobody in the state has had more of that, slugging softballs into low Earth orbit, than Bedford North Lawrence superstar Ava Ratliff. Five years ago, she watched Sarah Stone, her predecessor and mentor, sign her name on an NCAA national letter of intent for the beginning of her college career.
Now it was Ratliff’s turn. After verbally committing to Auburn in August, Ratliff officially inked her name with that Southeastern Conference program on Wednesday evening. With a standing-room-only gathering of family, current and former teammates and coaches, with Stone making a special trip from Indiana University to support her protege, she joined an impressive list of Stars who have continued their careers on the next level.
From the time she exploded on the scene as a freshman, there was no doubt of Ratliff’s destiny. She just didn’t realize how quickly those years would vanish.
“It got here fast,” Ratliff said. “I still remember five years ago, when I was here for Sarah’s signing. That seemed so far away for me. It got here quick. It’s a slow process, but it sneaks up on you.”
The process had some twists and turns. Ratliff originally declared for South Carolina, but a coaching change steered her away from that program. When Auburn hired co-coaches Chris and Kate Malveaux from the Tennessee staff, Ratliff was one of their top targets.
“It all fell into place,” she said. “It’s a feeling you get. I just absolutely love it there. It feels like home. It’s the environment, the mindset of the coaches. They are so positive, and they care about the players as people, not just athletes.”
Auburn’s gain is everyone else’s loss. Ratliff has been one of the nation’s best catchers, and she’s a three-time All-State selection and Johnny Bench Award winner. She already owns the state career record for home runs (57), and last season she hit .482 with 14 bombs and 35 RBIs for the Stars.
She’s more than mere statistics.
“She’s so humble,” BNL coach Brad Gilbert said. “It would be very easy for someone like Ava to get a little arrogant, get a little cocky, think they don’t need to work. But she does the work. Her work ethic is why she’s here. People talk about God-given talent, but you have to work hard to get to that level. It all shows how hard she worked.”
Ratliff will be a leading candidate for the state’s prestigious Miss Softball award. If that honor is bestowed on citizenship and talent, she’s a frontrunner. Just as Stone was her role model, she has become the standard for leadership.
“There’s always little kids watching,” Gilbert said. “That’s why it’s important we maintain our composure during games. When you’re on that stage, there are a lot of people watching. There could be someone young, who looks at Ava, and thinks they want to work hard and be like her.
“It’s amazing, what she has done. We’ve had a few Div. I athletes the last few years. And that’s pretty cool. To think we have kids, not only going to the next level, but they’re getting national exposure.”
Ratliff’s focus will now lock on her senior season.
“I cannot wait,” she said. “I have a good feeling about this year. I’m excited to see how we do.”
