NORFOLK, Va. — For the Harris’, softball is a family affair.
“We’re always at the field that’s where we live. We’ll even find an indoor facility if it's too hot or too cold,” said Granby Comet senior Destiny Harris.
Destiny plays centerfield and her younger sister Dekya plays infield. Their dad serves as an assistant coach. You can find him in the dugout and their mom is their biggest supporter in the bleachers.
“My mom is always here. She’s our biggest cheerleader,” said Destiny.
“All through Destiny’s travel ball, all through Dekya’s travel ball she shows up as the team mom with the little cooler bag,” said dad, Emilio. “All the kids really enjoy it.”
Both parents are former athletes themselves having met playing softball in the Navy, and when older sister Destiny chose softball, Dekya followed.
“Ever since I saw my sister doing it I’ve always wanted to do it,” said Dekya who is two years younger than Destiny. “I’ve always wanted to be like her because she’s always been a big role model for me, and I feel like softball’s just always been a big part of my life.”
But Destiny, with a little more experience under her belt, admits that softball has its ups and downs.
“I mean it’s a game of failure. You’re hitting a round bat with a round ball. The bases are so close, the pitcher is so close. Everything is so hard.”
And yet she's found success as a two-time All-American headed to play for LSU, but Dekya isn’t too far behind.
“She always pushes me to go really hard and just knowing that she’s in my family and she’s been able to get up there and go to LSU, I feel like I have that ability to be up there with her and compete with her,” said Dekya.
And she’s constantly learning from her sister, too.
“I kind of take little stuff that she does and implement it into my stuff. Probably the day she leaves I’m going to bawl my eyes out. I’m going to miss her a lot. She’s like my twin.”
But until Destiny heads to Baton Rouge, they’ve got the remainder of the season to eat their favorite pregame snacks together.
“I’ve always got to have hot Cheetos for sure and then pickles,” said Destiny.
Dekya prefers a little more flavor. “I have spicy chips every day, the Doritos flaming hot ones and I’ve got to have my favorite candy, Skittles.”
