Loving it when a plan comes together
- Updated: January 20, 2016
Oxford’s Ellison celebrates signing with Mississippi junior college, continuing her plan to reach the next level
Versatile Oxford softball player Taylor Ellison celebrates her signing with a Mississippi junior college to continue her career. She was joined by head coach Wendy McKibbin, pitching coach Leslie Pickett and her dad Anthony.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — Taylor Ellison, just like her father, is a planner.
When she was growing up playing sports, she’d regularly have her right hand tied behind her back so she could work on her left, the plan being it would make her a more marketable athlete.
So it should come as no surprise that while other high school players bound for college might automatically consider a four-year school, it was Ellison’s plan all along to go the junior college route to gain as much experience for the four-year school that lies ahead.
On Friday, Ellison signed her official papers to play for Northwest Mississippi Community College. On Wednesday, the versatile Oxford softball player had her signing ceremony in front of coaches, teachers and classmates in the school’s Sports Arena.
“From the beginning of my recruiting process it was always junior college for me; I planned to do this,” she said. “I wanted to be able to go through two years to get a feel for college. Some people nowadays go to a four-year just to say you’re going to a four-year, to say you’re going to a D-I way, and I didn’t want to do that.
“I would rather play two years at a community college than sit at a D-I, a four-year. I wanted to get the feel for college and all that.”
Oxford softball coach Wendy McKibbin understands the rationale completely.
“She really likes the junior college, but a lot of times too it’s hard as freshman to go to a D-I school and step in,” McKibbin said. “A lot of kids are used to playing every game and go to a big school, unless they’re a super elite athlete, don’t play a lot (early) and it’s a big adjustment.
“I’m a firm believer in the JUCO route. The more you play the better you are. That’s two years of 60 games — 120 games — to go on to the next level.”
Ellison came to Oxford last year from Alexandria after helping the Lady Cubs to a state championship as a sophomore and pitching in the clinching game. Last year, she pitched occasionally, played second and then as a left-handed shortstop with range in helping the Yellow Jackets get to the championship round in Montgomery for the first time in nine years.
She hit .352 last season with 17 RBIs, leading the Jackets in hits (57), runs (46), triples (7) and stolen bases (25, two more than the rest of the team). She also was 1-1 as a pitcher with 15 strikeouts in 13 innings.
She’ll likely play second base for the Jackets this spring and be a pitcher in college.
Ellison had had 26 scholarship offers for softball — 11 from Division I schools – some from as far away as Massachusetts and New Jersey, and three for volleyball, but chose Northwest last January over AUM and Mississippi College.
“Once I committed officially I couldn’t change where I was going to go,” she said. “I didn’t have any problem with that because that’s where I wanted to go, that’s where my heart was set.”
Once she gets settled in to the JUCO life, then she can start planning for what lies beyond.
“My dad thought I was going to go Mississippi State, Ole Miss, somewhere like that,” she said. “I haven’t really thought about it right now.”
She plans, just not that far ahead.
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