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Softball Star Commits

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2007

PLANT CITY - The pressure is off Kendall Dawson.

At a ceremony resplendent with the crimson and white colors of her future school, the Plant City High senior made official her commitment to play softball at the University of Alabama. Dawson verbally committed in the spring but last week was the first time high school students could actually sign letters of intent.

With her family and coaches, and surrounded by Alabama gear and pennants supplied by the Plant City High staff members, Dawson signed Thursday.

"This feels awesome," Dawson said. "I got up really early today Thursday, 6 o'clock. It's very exciting, thrilling, to think that I will one day be able to play at that level."

Alabama is one of the top programs in the Southeastern Conference, which is rivaled by the Pacific 10 in Division I conferences in softball. Last year, Alabama finished with a 56-9 mark after making the College World Series.

Dawson was the Raiders' leading hitter last year. She becomes the second Plant City High softball player to sign with a major college; Meredith Seales went to Kentucky in 1995.

Dawson's talents as a catcher make her attractive to a school like Alabama.

"I think they were impressed mostly by her dedication to be the best," Raiders head coach Heidi Kouveras said. "She came to me as a freshman, and I hardly had to touch anything as far as her skills, her arm. She was ready to go."

Kouveras, Dawson's parents, Diane and Ben, other family members and her club softball coach, Tom Taylor and wife Rhonda, were on hand at the signing ceremony. Dawson had played for Taylor in travel ball since she was 12.

The team, Florida Gold, had nine players sign letters of intent with Division I schools last week.

Though her future is secure, Dawson will not go through her senior season at Plant City on cruise control.

"I definitely want to go out strong. I want to be better than I've ever been, and I have to prove I'm deserving of the scholarship at Alabama," she said.

Kouveras has no doubts that Dawson will hold up that end of the bargain. The big goal is to get Plant City to the state semifinals for the first time.

"She feel's the pressure off, but she really wants to go far in the playoffs," Kouveras said. "Kendall's not going to slack off. She has matured so much over the summer. She grew up on me."

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa trib.com.

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