By Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



Talent is important to athletic success, but so is motivation. A talented athlete, who keeps herself motivated has a chance to make it to the top of her sport.

Mortimer Jordan’s Danae Hays outstanding freshman year that lead to her selection on the Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State team was due in part to her motivation to be the best.

“I’m a hungry person,” Hays said. “I’m hungry for the game of softball. Every time something good happens for me, I want to work harder and see if I can get better. I have a hunger to succeed and I have a passion for softball, that’s why I think I had a solid year.”

Things didn’t start out as well as Hays would have liked this spring, as she was hitting in the low .300s a third of the way through the season.

“I was a little nervous being out there,” Hays admits. “When I was a kid, my dad took me to see the Jordan varsity. It was great to see the older girls playing the game and being successful. It had a big impact on me.”

Hays began telling everyone who would listen that she was going to be part of the Jordan varsity one day. She held the goal for so long and the desire to play for the Lady Devils was so strong, it caused her a case of nerves for a while this spring.

“The first time I put on that jersey, it was an amazing feeling,” she said. “I had waited so long to wear it and so long to play for the Lady Devils.”

Hays began to settle down as the year progressed and when she did, her bat became a key weapon in the Jordan line up. As Hays settled down mentally, she became more aggressive physically.

“When I started to relax later in the season, I began to take more chances early in the count,” she said. “Early in the count, that’s when they throw you the meat pitches you can hit hard.”

Hays began hitting plenty of balls hard and her extra base hit numbers climbed higher. By season’s end, Hays had posted a .414 batting average, she has also collected 15 doubles, eight home runs and four triples. She drove in 51 runs and scored 47 more, all the while playing steady defense from her shortstop position.

Hays had always thought of herself as a contact-hitter who could produce runs, but her homer total this past year has changed the rising sophomore’s mind.

“I’ve never hit that many home runs in a year before,” Hays said. “I guess I can consider myself a power hitter now. I always thought I was a good hitter and run producer, but now I can consider myself an all-round hitter.”

Hays play was one of the reasons the Lady Devils won their second state title in school history.

Once the state title was in sight in the final inning of the state title game, the girl with the burning desire to succeed gave in to her emotional side.

“With just one to go, I started thinking who I would hug first,” Hays said. “When the final out came, it was an amazing feeling and I let the tears flow.”

Hays is determined not to concentrate on last year’s success. She’s always looking to get better before next season begins. One reason for her drive is her goal of playing softball at the college level. Hays has set her sights on playing at an SEC school.

“I’ve got a hunger to succeed,” she said. “I’ve got a passion for the game. I’m just so competitive. I’m always getting in the batting cage or having someone hit me ground balls, so I can improve. Softball is what I want to do and succeed at and I never get tired of it.”