Recently, we celebrated Women In Sports Day as a school. I chose to celebrate this by recognizing a member of our community who continues to impress on the field. One female that stands out to me as an athlete, student, and overall as an individual is Jane Stanley. Jane is a 10th grader at Flint Hill who plays softball, and I personally know her well. Jane is a seasoned catcher who works together with her twin sister Cate Stanley, herself an incredibly skilled pitcher, to dominate the field. 

I was able to interview Jane briefly as she managed to juggle her schedule as an honors student, a peer counselor, a Varsity and club Softball player, and a Junior Varsity Tennis player. She explained to me how she is able to share her knowledge of the sport as a youth coach, helping young girls learn how to play softball in order to create the next generation of softball players. Surpassing competition and coaching throughout the game is part of the genetics of the Stanley Family. For example, Karl Stanley volunteers with the Varsity team in order to assist them in their technique and understanding of the sport. He is able to use his intense knowledge to help coaches lead, as he was a Division 1 player at William and Mary and a professional baseball player. 

The Stanleys have led the softball team to the ISL finals, where they landed as runners-ups and qualified for states. This was a team effort, as shown by Jane explaining to me how tight-knit the team is while reminiscing about their trip to Richmond together last spring. Jane told me about her coach, Upper School History Teacher Virginia Cady. Coach Cady is both Jane’s coach and history teacher, creating what Jane called a “dynamic relationship. She is a mentor or shoulder I can lean on throughout the school day.” Coach Cady has helped create an environment where huskies feel safe and able to push themselves to grow not only as athletes or students but as people overall. The Stanley twins debuted as eighth graders in the softball program and began training as high schoolers a year early. As a freshman, Jane was awarded as an ISL All-League Catcher and All-State Second Team.

For Jane, her work has just begun as she begins to plan her future in the sport of softball. Jane spends her holidays and weekends at colleges, communicating with coaches and showing her skills. She hopes to go to Division 1 like her father, and some of the schools she is looking at include the University of Michigan, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and her current dream school, Boston College. While only sophomores, the twins’ impact has been large, and the work both they and other players put into the team is helping grow our athletic program, one base at a time. We wish Jane and other members of the softball community luck as they begin their spring season shortly, continue making our school proud, and grow the Flint Hill spirit.