Swinson to be two-sport athlete in college

Chris Whitaker

May 12, 2008 11:00 pm

— AMERICUS — Hayle Swinson started all four years of high school on Americus-Sumter’s soccer and softball teams.
Sitting the bench has never been a question, and it still won’t when takes the field for Truett McConnell next year.
Swinson will do a rare double, playing both sports in college.
“I’ve always done it through my life and have always been a busy person,” she said. “I’m excited and ready to take the challenge. Everybody’s telling me that I couldn’t do two sports in college, but I want to prove them wrong.”
She’s had no trouble doing it in high school, and Americus-Sumter head softball and assistant girls soccer coach Coleman Price said that will only help her on the next level.
“She’s going to be an impact player coming in and a major player to build around for a program of their caliber,” he said. “For the girls’ soccer program, she set the pedestal for us. She’s what a great goalkeeper is supposed to be. We’re going to miss her, and you can’t replace a Hayle Swinson.”
The Lady Panthers were 7-9-1 on the soccer field this season. Truett McConnell was 4-12-2, and David McDowell, who will be entering his second year as the head coach and fifth overall, has high expectations for Swinson.
“One of our main recruiting goals this season was to get a goalkeeper,” he said. “Hayle has all the qualities needed to be an excellent goalkeeper. She reads the game well, has excellent agility and is a very good shot stopper. She also uses her feet well, which is important for today’s goalkeeper.”
Swinson picked Truett McConnell over national power Darton College in hopes she can leave her mark on the Lady Bears’ program.
“Soccer’s where my heart is, and I want to be able to help improve their team and their program grow stronger,” she said. “I also wanted to go somewhere I could play my freshman year and start.”
On the softball side, Swinson had never hit a home run during her high school career. But on April 12 at softball tryouts in below-freezing temperatures, she belted three out of the park.
“I was shaking from being nervous and because it was freezing,” she said. “I’ve hit one before where it hit the fence, but fell inward, but not out.”
McDowell said Swinson will be the second female to play two sports since he’s been there, and it helps the fact that soccer is in the fall and softball is in the spring. But Swinson’s confident she can be successful in both.
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” she said.

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