After playing four years of college softball, competing in almost 200 games, going to the plate over 500 times, and thriving on defensive plays, second baseman Kate Walker's senior season is coming to a close.
"I know it's the end and I see it coming," Walker said. "I'm playing every game like it's my last."
Since she was a young girl, softball has been a huge part of her life.
As a little leaguer, Walker developed a love and passion for the game. As years went by little league turned into a competitive traveling club softball team. These experiences prepared her for a successful high school softball career at Alta High School.
During high school tryouts, she quickly earned the nickname "Magic" from her high school coach Vaughn Alvey, now the current associate head coach and pitching coach at BYU. The name stuck and Alvey stills calls her "Magic" today because of the way she fields a ground ball . . . like magic.
Walker became an instant asset to her high school team. She started her freshman year at first base and played out the remaining three years at shortstop.
After much hard work and determination in high school, Walker was awarded for her athletic accomplishments. In 1999, she was named Softball Gatorade Player of the Year and was a Utah High School Heisman Award Finalist. She was a four-time All-State selection (1996-00) and was a key member of her high school team who won back-to-back State Championships in 1999 and 2000. In 1998, Walker also had an opportunity to try-out for the Olympic softball team.
Her success on the field got the college recruiting started with the help of coach Alvey. After four college visits, she eventually chose the University of Oregon of the Pac-10.
"I was deciding between Oregon and Utah," Walker said. "I knew I wanted to go away from home, and Pac-10 softball is very competitive."
Walker started in every game as a freshman at Oregon posting a strong .914 fielding percentage and launching four home runs.
Unfortunately, Oregon endured a losing season Walker's freshman year. Coaching changes were made and Walker found her way to BYU to finish out her college softball career.
"Oregon was a hard lifestyle for me," Walker said. "I knew I needed BYU."
After coming to BYU, Walker was reunited with her high school coach Alvey, as he was made an assistant coach at BYU.
Walker was excited to once again be coached by Alvey.
"I'm so lucky for him to be at BYU," Walker said. "He knows the game and how to teach it. I believed in the things he taught."
Also during Walker's time at BYU, she has been able to learn from experienced head coach Gordon Eakin and former BYU softball player Mindy Hanson.
Together the trio makes an excellent coaching staff.
"They are overall the most cohesive coaching staff I've ever known," Walker said.
During her sophomore through junior seasons at BYU, Walker continued to assume the role of a defensive specialist at shortstop. She again registered strong .920 and .925 fielding percentages, respectively.
After starting at the shortstop position for two seasons, the senior leader transitioned to the second base position to complete her final season. The position change helped BYU utilize its strengths and bolster the middle infield.
Freshman Jodi Norton, who was a highly sought after recruit from Mesa, Ariz., was placed in the shortstop slot. Norton is a very competitive player with a powerful arm and great range.
"At first I missed playing shortstop, but once we started playing and I sat back and looked at Jodi, I saw how good she was," Walker said. " I realized what a great combination we make and I've never been so comfortable with a middle before."
The combo has definitely strengthened the middle infield and helped the team turn an impressive 13 double plays so early in the season, even before the start of conference play.
"The number of double plays turned has helped us win some games, and it gives our pitchers more confidence to throw," Alvey said.
Not only is Walker an anchor defensively, but she has also become an offensive threat at the plate this year for the Cougars.
She led the team offensively most of the preseason and now is second on the team in batting average (.355) and slugging percentage (.645). Walker has already launched a career-high five home runs this season and has knocked in 17 RBI.
Defensively, Walker is fielding .963 and has made 64 putouts and 41 assists.
"Kate is having a great senior year," Alvey added. "She's adapted to the defensive change in position and has risen to the occasion of her final year."
Walker said she's a little more focused this year at the plate, but thinks her overall focus has remained the same.
"In her athletic career, Kate sees the horizon and sees the end in sight," Eakin said. "She's always been a anchor defensively, but now she's blossomed offensively. What makes her irreplaceable is what she does for the team defensively."
Walker is definitely focusing on her game as well as the many other aspects of her life including academics and marriage.
Playing on the road for the first two months of the softball season is tough. Almost every week you leave mid-week to compete in tournaments, but Walker has been able to excel in her studies.
Hard work in the classroom has earned Walker two Mountain West Academic All-Conference awards and two Cougar Club Scholar Athlete honors.
Aside from her focus as a student athlete, Walker is also married. During February of her sophomore year she tied the knot with her husband LaVon Walker in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She met her husband while in Oregon at institute class. One night she needed a ride home from institute class and a member of the class volunteered to take her home. What she didn't know at the time was that he would become her future husband. After that night the two began dating in Oregon and eventually made their way to BYU when Walker transferred schools.
As one could imagine, it would be difficult to juggle being a student-athlete and carrying out the many responsibilities of being a wife.
"I don't think it's ever been as hard as it is right now because we hardly see each other," Walker said. "Sundays are the day we spend together."
Since her husband has always worked at night it has allowed her to stay on top of her studies and get tasks other done during the evenings.
Things won't get any less hectic with the conference season starting up, but Walker is excited for conference play to begin.
"Playing at home is a huge advantage to all of us," Walker said. "I'll be nervous when conference starts because that's what really counts."
Her goals for conference are the same as always . . . to give it her all every game.
"Ultimately, I want to play awesome on defense and keep my hitting consistent," Walker said. "I need to remain calm and focused."
As her time as a college athlete diminishes, the thing Walker will probably miss the most are the long-lasting relationships she's built in college athletics with her teammates and coaches.
"I love all of the girls and I'd do anything for them," Walker said. "I'll remember the people, not the innings. Those relationships and memories will be what I walk away with."
As it states in the 2004 BYU Softball Team Mission Statement, "We Set No Limits." And as Walker's senior season draws to a close, there are no limits for her and her teammates.