By Ken Hansard

Raelyn Crow, a junior catcher for Duncan High School, is the kind of student-athlete that coaches love, and with good reason – she understands very well the value of the people around her who have had the greatest influence on her upbringing.  When asked about her greatest role models and those who motivate her, her list was long and comprehensive. “My parents are my greatest role models, because they both exhibit very strong work ethics, and they are always there to show their support for me.” But that’s just for starters, “My papa is and always will be my reason and my motivation for the drive that I have.”  However, those are just a few of her current supporters that she wanted to recognize.  She also had great things to say about some of her early teachers and coaches, “I give a lot of credit to my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Cole.  She was possibly my favorite teacher, because she was very good at making others feel seen and heard.”  All those influences and others have taught Raelyn some incredibly valuable lessons, not just for athletics and competition, but also for life, “I realize that to be successful, it takes many different things.  It takes sacrifice, constant effort, patience, strong mentality, and passion.”  Raelyn considers Guthrie as one of her greatest rivals in sport and acknowledges Duncan’s win over Guthrie at last year’s state tournament as perhaps the highlight of her softball career.  When asked about her teammates and which of them she feels has had the greatest impact on her game, she says, “Everyone on this team is greatly appreciated, but Jaylee Roebuck probably inspires me the most. We are very good at pushing each other, and we like to make everything a fun competition.”  When not on the diamond for Duncan, Raelyn is extremely active in the school culture.  She is a member of the DHS student council, the prestigious National Honors Society, SADD, Key Club, FCA, Leadership Club, JJC, and DECA.