Auburn-bound infielder Justus Perry, who has blogged for us for over two years, is getting ready to play her final season of high school ball.  

She has been at Prior Lake High (Minn.), but will graduate from perennial power Curry High in Alabama, which is close to where her club team, the Birmingham Thunderbolts, is headquartered.

Justus is a power-hitting prototype first baseman and a member of the 2016 Hot 100. She’s also been an All-State player in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

In today’s blog, she looks at her softball journey, including her signing with the Tigers, and reflects on what she’s grateful for.

Also, if you haven’t read one of Justus’s nearly two dozen blogs for us (!), you may not know of her extraordinary talent of being able to take any word and immediately repeat it backwards!  She always leaves us with a “backwards message,” see if you can figure out what she has to say!

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I have been blessed with an unforgettable journey these past few months.

My family moved from Minnesota recently to Auburn, Alabama and my mom, a retired police officer, took a job as the parking services supervisor on campus at Auburn.

This opportunity for our family will allow my parents to be able to attend all of my games at Auburn!

This is extremely important to me because my parents are my biggest supporters. They are the uttermost reason for my success, and ultimately the most important thing I’m thankful for… how they’ve helped me as a young woman and athlete.                                                     
 
I was traveling all summer with my Birmingham Thunderbolts team and wasn’t home to say goodbye to my friends before moving, so I started high school in Minnesota.

In December, I will be relocating to Jasper, Alabama, and will be finishing high school at Curry High School. Three of my Birmingham Thunderbolts teammates play for Curry. My future Auburn roommate, Ashlee Swindle, and I will have this opportunity to grow closer together with an extra season of playing high school softball together.

I will also be close to Kaylee Horton, a 2016 Ole Miss signee and her family, who graciously hosted me two summers ago in my first year playing for The Birmingham Thunderbolts.
 
Signing day in November was a special time for me. My mom traveled home to be with me, and to help me take care of my dad, who had surgery and was still in the hospital on that day.

When I signed my National Letter of Intent to Auburn University, thanks to Face Time my dad was able to watch the NLI signing celebration at my high school from his hospital bed.

I am thankful that he was able to watch me sign my NLI, but I wished he could have been able to attend. My dad not only taught me about the game, but puts up with me in the cages and at the field. He’s been with me ever since I started playing softball 10 years ago.

Being an athlete is an incredible thing. You have so much to be thankful for and are not able to count the blessings on two hands. My family is incredible and their support is something I will cherish forever.

Change is a hard thing for many people, but my parents and I are ready for whatever comes our way. If you’re a player, make sure you thank your parents, even for the smallest things.

They’ll always be your No. 1 fans!
 

--- Justus