On Saturday morning (Dec. 13, 2013), we put up a video of one of the top 2016 prospects in the country, Cayla Kessinger, who was down to two SEC schools: Missouri and South Carolina…. check it out here.

We got a call Saturday afternoon from one of her So Cal Choppers 16U coaches, Jim Ziese, saying she had made her choice.

… and her future softball home will be: Missouri.

Below you’ll meet Cayla who wrote us to tell about her commitment and about her background, which includes a charity she started.

The sophomore has a 3.8 GPA and attends Saugus (Calif.) High where she hit .442 with 27 RBI playing the middle infield and outfield.  Along with Missouri and South Carolina she had also visited Arizona State and Georgia Tech.

 

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Hello everyone, my name is Cayla Kessinger…

I started playing when I was five years years old down at William S. Hart Baseball/Softball Complex (in Valencia, Calif.). Who knew one little game of t-ball would lead to my biggest passion?

I am so determined to win a National Championship for all levels that I play! I have already won one—10U Nationals when I was nine years old in Salem, Ore.

This is my life: eat, sleep, breath, softball. I have worked so hard and now it has gotten me to the one dream I have looked upon my whole career—becoming a collegiate athlete at the Division 1 level.

It is my biggest passion because of the bonding I have with my team and the motivation it gives me to win and want to be the best. It’s my stress reliever and it’s something that you can be yourself in.

I have recently verbally committed to the University of Missouri. The reason I chose Mizzou is because of their great academic program as well as the softball program.

They have one of the top journalism programs in the nation which is the what I want to major in. The way I look at it, you have to be a student before being the athlete.

The school was beautiful and it was the perfect size for me.  Not only that, the atmosphere was amazing and so warm and welcoming. Missouri was the first school to offer me a scholarship and I am very excited and blessed to have this opportunity to finally make my dreams come true.

Simply put, it was my gut feeling that I had to be there.

Off the field, I have a non-profit organization I started which is called “Get Off The Bench” where I go and talk about sports to children who are in need or are battling a sickness.

I’m all about giving back and helping out little kids. I wanted to do this because I know if that were me, I would want someone to come and teach and help me. I am looking forward to being able to help out others and make their dreams come true.