Athlete Spotlight: Lainey Stinson #18

SPORTS: Softball

Tell us your story. What life experiences have impacted your journey? What motivates you? What is your “why"?

From the time I was little, I watched my mom give pitching lessons in our yard. One day, when I was 4, I decided I wanted to give it try so we started! I liked it, but didn’t realize how much I truly loved softball until I was 10 and it was almost taken away from me! On July 24, 2020, I suffered a severe leg injury in a water tubing accident. I was transported to the nearest trauma center and then transferred to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where I spent the next 12 days. I had to undergo multiple surgeries to debride the wound and then came home with a wound vac that I would have to wear 24/7 until late October. When I first got to the hospital, my Mom and Dad called me a warrior, saying I was so tough and they couldn’t believe how I was handling all of this. One of my best friend’s uncles sent a devotional from that day that included Judges 6:12 – “The Lord is with you Mighty Warrior.” The verse struck me because of the warrior part, but also because 6/12 is my birthday! But the story gets better, a week after my accident as my Mom and Dad took me outside to get some fresh air, my Dad asked my mom what time the accident occurred. She said “Check your phone to see what time you called 911.” – He stopped in his tracks and said 6:14 – which meant that the accident occurred at 6:12! We all were immediately brought to tears because without a doubt, the Lord was with me and I definitely felt like I was called to be one of HIS warriors. Since that day, my motivation has been to always play the game as if it could be taken away at anytime and give God all the glory because I know that my injury could have had a very different outcome. It took several months of unknowns – an allergic reaction to the adhesive, a trip to Pittsburgh for a skin graft consult, time out of school, and so many other little bumps along the way, but God showed his hands weaving the story together through all of it. When I think about my “why” – for me, that’s an easy question – I play because I can…I don’t have to play, but I get to play. I think about all the kids that are my age that have suffered from an injury or illness that prevents them from stepping on the field and for me, knowing that I can play for something bigger than myself is a blessing. I play for those that can’t and I play to give God the praise and glory that he so deserves. I could never Thank God enough for all he has given me – including the chance to step back on the field and play a game that I love…so when I get the chance, it’s a Thank You to HIM and I couldn’t be more grateful or blessed to share my story for HIS glory.

What role does your faith play in your life and in your sports career?

Faith is a central focus of my life and my sports career. I often refer back to the bible verse Psalm 139:16 - “It’s already written.” In life and in sports, we will face adversity. We will win some and lose some, we will strike people out, we will get homeruns hit off of us, but in the end God is sovereign over it all and I trust his plan for me. I know that if I keep my eyes fixed on Him that He will lead me where He needs me to be, every single day.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse? If so, which one and why?

Judges 6:12 – “The Lord is with you Mighty Warrior” – based on my accident and all of details especially 6:12 being my birthday and the time of the accident. My glove is embroidered with Warrior 6:12 so every time I take a sign on the mound, I can see that in front of me. It calms me, gives me peace, reminds me that I can do hard things and God is with me through it all.

What accomplishment are you most proud of personally and athletically (name one of each)?

I am proud of myself personally for being a high honor student-athlete that holds myself to a high standard on and off the field. I try to “Be a Light” (Matthew 5:14) for others every day. Athletically, I am proud to say that I was a member of the very first Sideline Cancer softball team. Sideline Cancer is a national organization started in Blair County (PA) that focuses on raising awareness and money for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Our motto was to play for something “Bigger than Softball”. Each tournament, we would choose someone that was battling cancer to play for. We would make a sign for that person and display it at each game throughout the tournament weekend. We knew that we were simply blessed to step on the field and the opportunity became greater than the outcome. We finished those 3 years with a record of 121 – 30 – 4 and I will be forever proud of what we did, the impact we made and the message of hope that we shared with so many! I continue to think about playing for something “bigger” when I step on the field.

What do you feel sets you apart from your competition and what skills do you currently possess that are your biggest assets?

What I believe sets me apart from the competition is my approach to the game. While I push myself to reach the highest level during every practice and every game, I also step on the field with a quiet confidence that I’m not fully in charge of the outcome. God has that “already written” so it’s up to me to give HIM 100% of my effort and he will take care of the rest. Every time I have been in a situation that was difficult on the field and I failed (first time throwing in the rain, first time with the bases loaded, first time pitching in ITB), the next time that situation presented itself, I was ready. I know that the experiences that I encounter are preparing me for what’s next. The skills that I possess that are my biggest assets are my work ethic, drive to continually get better, the talent that God has given me to pitch a softball in the mid 60s as a freshman in high school and most of all, my faith in Him!

What skills are you most focused on improving?

On the field, I want to continue to use all my pitches, increase my velocity and be able to mix speeds while learning how to set up hitters. I also want to continue to be a leader by example and communicate with my teammates in a way that encourages and inspires each of them individually.

Tell us what a typical day or week is like for you:

Wake up for school at 6:30, leave for school at 7:20, school from 7:55 – 2:53. After school is pitching, hitting, practice, and/or working out at varying times. Come home and eat supper, do homework, spend time with my family and a little time on social media, shower, prayers and bed.

What are your plans for the future and what is your number one objective for the next year / season?

My big dreams for the future are to play Division 1 softball at a Power4 school and get a degree in education, speech pathology or physical therapy! My number one objective for this year/season is to be the best version of Lainey Stinson that I can be for my team and hopefully that opens even more doors for me in the near future!

What is the biggest challenge you see in achieving your upcoming goal or where could you use help?

My biggest challenge will be to balance everything during my first year of varsity softball (academics, athletics, nutrition, sleep, extra workouts, recruiting necessities). Being the best version of me will require help from my family, coaches and teammates and keeping my eyes up (Matthew 14:22-33) and focused on Jesus.

What words of advice do you have for younger athletes that are up and coming?

Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole heart as if working for the Lord.” In life, we will all find things that we love to do and whatever that is, hard work is part of being successful. However, when we think about sports know this…The game of softball is amazing and something that I love to do…but it’s not who I am and it’s not who you are. We are so much more than the statistics or the outcome that happens on the field. Every single one of us is blessed with an opportunity every day to make an impact in the world…let your impact be as big off the field as it is on it…and Let God lead the way – he always knows best!

Who was your favorite player growing up or who's style of play do you most admire?

I couldn’t just pick one so my favorite players were the members of the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners that won the National Championship. I had the privilege to attend the WCWS that year and that team was just extraordinary in so many ways, but what inspired me the most was their unwavering faith and being unapologetic about sharing it. They were one of the first college teams to really use their platform as a place to share God’s message of love and mercy. They played with the motto BATL (which looks like Battle but actually meant Boast About The Lord)! I will never forget listening to Grace Lyons talk about joy and how it is really only found with the Lord. All of the wins and accomplishments on the field will be fleeting and can surely make you happy, but real joy is found only with the Lord. When they won the National Championship that year, they played the song “Nobody” by Matthew West as their celebration song! It was amazing, especially to be there in person. I actually chose that as my own walk-up song this year because to this day, the members of the team are people that I admire and I still see how their faith leads them off the field long after their playing days have come to an end. I want to be able to lead others to Jesus – just like they did. The player I most admire is Jordy (Bahl) Frahm. She leads in a way that isn’t flashy and isn’t loud…but she shares her faith and is confident, poised, an amazing teammate and always wants the ball in the biggest moments.

What one question would you have for your favorite athlete if they were sitting here now?

How did you balance all of the things that you had to do while playing a sport at the highest level? (academics, athletics, social life, NIL, etc)

Is there anything else you would like to share with the community?

I am extremely grateful and feel truly blessed to be chosen to share part of my story with you on the Plays Bigger account. I pray that you allow God to lead you and in moments of doubt or frustration, you know that “it’s already written.” God’s Blessings and Love.