Anya Chase named Student-Athlete of the Month for May

Post date: Jul 13, 2017 11:6:1 AM

Wells High School junior Anya Chase has been honored with the distinction of Student-Athlete of the Month for May of 2017. Her selection was based on her academics, sportsmanship and role as starting pitcher and hitter on the WHS Girls Softball team. This makes the second time for Chase receiving Student-Athlete of the Month. The first was awarded to her for similar softball accomplishments for April of 2016.

“It’s awesome,” said Chase about this honor. “It’s really nice being recognized by my community. It’s a team sport but individual recognition feels good.”

Presenting a plaque to Chase on June 8th was softball coach Kevin Fox and Pam Moody-Maxon of Moody Maxon Real Estate which, along with Cole Harrison Insurance Agency, is a sponsor of Student-Athlete of the Month at WHS.

“I think it is well deserved,” said Fox of Chase’s award. “Anya is an outstanding softball player and teammate on this team. Fox went on to add, “She has done a fantastic job on the mound. She has got us out of some sticky situations and dominated a lot of teams. Offensively, she leads off for us and is hitting over .500 which is amazing. She’s definitely a big part of us scoring runs and keeping the other team from scoring runs.”

“Anya Chase is an amazing pitcher but also a fabulous hitter making her a force on the field,” commented Moody-Maxon who once pitched for WHS. “She has been dedicated to softball both during the season and in the offseason, working with pitching coaches…”

“Not only can she pitch but she can run and she can hit.” said Chase family friend Ernest Tarling who once unofficially coached Chase before she entered high school. Tarling said that Anya’s father Matt built a batting cage for her inside the family barn with chain link fencing on the windows. This allowed Chase and several of her friends to keep practicing their pitching and hitting skills during the winter months. Tarling observed that Chase had a certain drive to be a good pitcher.

From left to right, Pam Moody Maxon, Anya Chase, and Kevin Fox