O’Bryant headed to MSU
Published 8:01 am Tuesday, November 18, 2008
By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN – It was a big day for Buchanan senior Jayme O'Bryant and her parents on Tuesday. A day the O'Bryants have invested in for many years.
With countless hours of practice, strength training, road trips on summer traveling teams, summer camps and three years of playing at the varsity level has paid off for the O'Bryant family.
O'Bryant has signed her letter of intent to continue her softball playing career with Michigan State University, a Division I school and a member of the Big Ten Conference.
Spartan head coach Jacquie Joseph is eager to have O'Bryant join the team.
"I'm thrilled to have Jayme at MSU," she said. "We are getting one great player, great student and a great person. We are looking forward for her to make an impact as a freshman."
Along with four more years of playing softball for the Spartan's O'Bryant has plans to major with a degree in sports management or education.
Her goal for the future? Working with kids, teaching and coaching, and being involved with sports. O'Bryant would like to become an athletic director down the road in what looks to be a very busy career.
"I'm looking forward to continue my education at a Big 10 school," O'Bryant said. "The fundamentals that I will be learning playing and attending a Big 10 school is exciting. Moving on to the collegiate level and playing the game I love is what I want to do. After college I would like to be able to go on and play pro ball."
The dream of playing in the Olympics was dashed after softball was dropped from the lineup. The 2008 Olympics was the final year for softball, unless reinstated, O'Bryant will not have the opportunity to have that experience.
"It is a major disappointment and I'm very upset that I will not be able to even try out for the Olympics," O'Bryant said.
O'Bryant will be on the diamond for one more high school season, her fourth year, on the Lady Bucks varsity squad this spring. She will be one of the two seniors on this team as Holly Lucas will join O'Bryant on the team.
"Every year we have a goal of the team making it to the final four. We also want to win our fourth district title this season and win the Lakeland Conference title," O'Bryant said. "It will be our jobs as seniors to be the leaders of the team to get it done."
Jayme is the daughter of John and Juli O'Bryant of Buchanan.