Macyn Kirby has become one of the most versatile players on the Forrest Lady Rocket softball roster.
With the ability to play virtually any position on the field, and coupled with a life-long drive to fulfill her dream of playing Division I college softball, Kirby saw the fruits of her labor come fulfilled as she recently signed her letter of intent to continue her softball career at Lipscomb University.
In front of a crowd of her teammates, family and friends, Kirby inked her name on the letter of intent to make it official.
“I’m very blessed and I’m very thankful for all my coaches and friends. I just love each and every one of them,” she said.
From the earliest days of playing since she was eight-years-old, to the cusp of her senior year with the Lady Rockets, Kirby has become Ms. Versatility in her ability to play any position on the field.
That willingness to do what her team needed, coupled with a drive to exceed at any position, is what makes Kirby so valuable, according to Lady Rocket coach Shelby Lightfoot.
“Just being an athlete, that key word in general, is a big concept. Going into Lipscomb, knowing she can play any position, is going to make her valuable moving forward,” Lightfood said.
Even back to her freshman season, Kirby has had the dream of playing Division I college softball.
“It’s exciting when you see girls go to the next level. A lot of them come in as freshmen and we talk about what their goal is. Their goal doesn’t have to be a college athlete, but Macyn had big goals. She wanted to be that DI athlete. She’s worked every day. We’ve put her in multiple positions, we’ve put her in adversity and just her hard work and determination have gotten her there,” Lightfoot said.
When it came to choosing a school, Lipscomb always stood out to Kirby.
“Lipscomb was my No. 1 school. I had other target schools, but Lipscomb has been my No. 1 since Day 1. I love the atmosphere with the Christianity, the small campus and a big thing for me was staying close to home,” she said.
With her versatility and ability to play just about any position on the field, Lightfoot sees that adaptability to handle any position she plays as one of Kirby’s key strengths as she transitions to the collegiate level.
“She’s quick. She’s definitely going to bring speed. She’s a slapper, so she’s going to put the ball on the ground, but she’s also been developing her power over the past few years. As she develops and gets older, she’ll have the ability to hit it out of the park as well. When you add speed and power together, that’s a deadly combination,” Lightfoot said.
“I’m willing to play any position that will get me on the field. I’m comfortable with both infield and outfield,” Kirby said.
Throughout her entire playing career, Kirby has plenty of fond memories of the game, but by far her favorite was playing for the state championship Lady Rockets in 2021.
“I have plenty of great memories, but the state championship is definitely No. 1,” she said.
Once she arrives on campus, Kirby plans to pursue a degree in biology.
“Right now, I want to major in biology because in the future I want to be a physician’s assistant and study in sports medicine,” she said.