For the first time in the organization’s history, the Quicksilver Softball Club handed out scholarships to longtime members.
Samantha Dreiling, Bonny Boultinghouse and Tori Lytle became the first wave a recipients of a $250 scholarship from Quicksilver.
The scholarships were a part of second-year President Korey Burkhart’s plan for the club’s future.
“This is my second year, I took over for Mitch Haney,” Burkhart said. “Some parents came up my first year as president and wanted to know about a scholarship, which I thought was a good idea.
“Girls playing four, five, six years for the organization, they deserve a little something. We thought if we had the funds and we were capable of doing it, we’ll do it.”
There are a couple of stipulations for qualifying for the scholarship.
“Our max is $1,000 dollars,” Burkhart said, “depending on how many girls there are, and the max per girl is $250. You have to have played for the organization for at least four year, including the summer before your senior year in high school.”
Boultinghouse, who plans to attend Kansas State as a part of its business administration program, has been playing for the Quicksilver for seven years.
“I really liked getting to know the girls,” Boutlinghouse said. “That really started us off before high school. We got those friendships built. We got to work with the coaches, too. I just really enjoyed getting to know them and getting to play with them.”
Dreiling, who was part of the Quicksilver team for six years, said she planned to go to Kansas State to study apparel marketing.
“My aunt (Angie) helped me decide on that (major),” Dreiling said. “I had no idea what I wanted to go into, and she was like what about apparel marketing? Ever since then, it sounded like I would enjoy it.”
Lytle, who didn’t play for the Great Bend High School softball team this season, plans to attend Barton Community College for its nursing program.
“I was part of Quicksilver for seven years,” Lytle said. “I like being in the dugout and hanging with the team. We had some fun.”
The trio were part of a state-champion team, winning the 18-and-under Kansas Amateur Softball Association State Championships in 2010.
“It was a lot of fun,” Lytle said of winning a state title. “We always went out there and had a lot of fun. We didn’t worry about winning, but when you have fun, you win.”