TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Lanie Woodson will be the first to tell you, everything she’s accomplished, she’s had to work for.
“I have never walked on the field and been the best one from the beginning.”
Which makes this senior year so special.
“She has that ‘it factor,’ you can’t really explain it, it’s instinctual,” said Lincoln head softball coach Kelly Harris. “She’s the get it done kind of kid.”
The Lincoln senior has accomplished a lot, starting this fall, when Woodson signed with Gulf Coast, and then helped the girls weightlifting team to a second place finish at state.
“Coming off of that high, it got me going for softball,” she said of the finish at state. “I’ve had a good mindset heading into this season.”
“She’s kind of showing the other girls this is what we work for the whole year, this is the whole purpose for everything we’re doing,” added Harris.
But it hasn’t all been good.
“I found out my dad had a brain tumor the day before our first regular season game.”
Woodson’s dad was diagnosed with an atypical brain tumor.
“She was actually here with us,” remembered Harris. “I told her nobody blames you. Get in your car, go be with your family.”
“I would rather be out here. It takes my mind off of things.”
Through it all softball, and her teammates, have been her happy place.
“I look at life completely different.”
“We work hard. We want this, but ultimately it’s just a sport and it’s just for fun,” said Harris. “There are more important things, real world stuff, and she has handled things with such grace.”
Handled it and continued to excel, maintaining a 4.4 GPA.
“It’s impressive that any kid has been able to keep up with these things like she has,” said Harris.
“I’m graduating Magna cum laude, so I’m really, really proud of that,” said Woodson. “It makes everything worth it.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of her because it has been a tough year, and everything she’s been going through? She’s special,” added Harris.
A special kid, who’s worked for every single thing she has. Woodson said her dad is okay, and he has started radiation. Woodson said she wants to major in health sciences.
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