As a sophomore, Smackover’s Sydney Preston got a taste of big-time high school softball last season, This summer, she decided she wanted more.
Preston helped the Lady Bucks advance to the 3A state semifinals. She batted .382 with one home run and 15 RBI.
The first baseman didn’t slow down when the high school season stopped. She sped up, attending camps and working on her skills nearly every weekend.
Her father David Preston said she attended an individual workout with OBU coach Derrick Grimes. From there, she went to a one-day hitting camp and then a three-day skills camp at the University of Arkansas.
“I am hoping to accomplish bettering my skills mentally and physically, and to overall succeed as a softball player,” she explained. “There is just as much mental game as physical, and I struggle with it sometimes, so improving myself to beat the mental battle while hitting or fielding is a goal. Working out and putting the work in for the physical aspect, and building muscle to develop more power is also a goal. Learn as much as I possibly can before the season starts back up. I would like to improve individually but also help Smackover be as successful as possible.”
In addition to working on the things she learned at those camps, Preston has plans for other softball-related activities with camps possibly at ULM or another at OBU as well as showcase camps as well as the Tulsa Elite Camp in Bryant.
“I’ve learned some details on my swing mechanics that will help my power and contact with the ball. I’ve learned how to stand while in rundowns, and where to go to make the cuts to throw to home base. I’ve been working on some workouts that will strengthen my body, to get more muscle that will help with power also,” said Preston. “My height and size is great, but with coaches mentioning and seeing college players builds, I know I can build a lot more muscle to my frame, to get to where I want to be. It felt like I wasn’t out of place with the girls at the camps and with the work and right improvements, I know I can reach success and my dreams.”
Getting attached to a showcase travel team for the fall could also be in Preston’s future. Perhaps her biggest gain during the summer could be from a mental standpoint.
“I think the biggest thing for her that she learned was that she does have the potential to play after high school,” said David Preston. “It’s one thing to hear it from dad but when she hears college coaches and players talking to her, explaining things and telling her she has potential, she saw it for herself for the first time. She also could see that she wasn’t the best player at the camp but she wasn’t out of her league either. It’s really helped her confidence.”
Sydney listed the camp in Fayetteville as being especially beneficial.
“I believe the Arkansas camp helped me improve the most. It started off with a hitting camp, which was three hours of straight hitting, and I learned how to hit different types of pitches, and worked on the mechanics of my hitting,” she said. “There was an exit velocity machine in the Arkansas indoor, and my highest was 69.4 mph, the highest in my group. The next three days were 9-hour days of everything softball. We did tons of drills, which all improved my skills, and being coached by college players and Arkansas coaches boosts your confidence, especially whenever you do well. I feel like the Arkansas camp helped the most because I learned something new at every station, and for every drill, everyone was very supportive, and gave great advice.”
Preston had knee surgery in November 2020. She played during the spring but said she tweaked it again during the state tournament, which is why she opted for rest and individual work during the summer.
“I’m looking for a team to play with, starting in the fall,” she confirmed.
Preston’s interest in softball wasn’t just piqued last season. She jumped into the sport with both feet to the point of working with a private hitting coach.
“My goals in softball are to succeed in whatever I do. For right now, I would like to improve my skills for the upcoming season, and do great in season,” she said. “Helping Smackover as much as possible is the goal. I know how close we got to winning state last season, and I want that to be a possibility again for next season. For the future, of course I would love to play college ball, and succeed in wherever it takes me.”