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BRINGING THE BOOM: Prihoda Brings Big Bat, Toughness To Willis Softball
SYDNEY PRIHODA IS A FLEX.
The Willis senior outfielder, already with double-digit home runs this season, has signed to play softball at Sam Houston State. She’s a bona fide star—whether she’s in the field, at the plate, or blazing around the base paths.
“My dad has always pushed me to be my best, and I appreciate that,” Prihoda said. “He and his brothers played baseball at Sam Houston, and he’s had a bat in my hands for as long as I can remember. He’s the ultimate ‘girl dad’.”
Prihoda grew up surrounded by boys—her brother, her cousins—it was always game on.
“I’m the only girl in our extended family, so I had to learn sports, boats, and fishing,” she laughed. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love deep-sea fishing, the adrenaline of being flung on a tube behind a boat, and, of course, hitting home runs.”
Growing up the tough one in a crew of boys meant plenty of bumps and bruises along the way.
“I was super injury-prone as a kid,” she smiled. “But it made me tough. And it also helped me find my passion beyond softball. I’d love to be a chiropractor or an athletic trainer for a professional team. I want to stay around sports and be in the field of medicine.”
As Willis’ clean-up hitter, Prihoda has big expectations for her senior year. The program missed the playoffs last season—but not if she has anything to say about it.
“I was co-Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman,” she said. “After that, I was getting everyone’s best pitch. This year, I’m hoping to get back to those numbers and provide the leadership my team needs. I love this game—but really, I play for my teammates.”
With Prihoda leading the way, Willis Softball should be thinking playoffs as April turns to May and the district race heats up.
Stay tuned.
THE PIVOT: Dual-Sport Clark Chooses Volleyball Over Her Life-Long Sport Of Soccer
LOOKING BACK ON FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL, YOU CAN’ T HELP BUT ASK: “WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?”
For Willis senior Summer Clark, it flew by in the blink of an eye.
It feels like just yesterday she was a freshman earning honorable mention as an attacking midfielder on the soccer field.
Twenty-two goals later, she finished her career as a back-to-back first-team selection in one of the toughest districts around.
“My dad got me into soccer at a very young age,” she said. “It was our father-daughter bonding thing. It’s been a huge part of my life—playing club and high school.”
Clark had an offer to play soccer at Indiana University, but made a life-changing decision.
“I was always planning to play college soccer,” she said. “But in the end, the sport became draining, and I burned out. The hardest part was telling my dad I didn’t want to play in college. He was heartbroken... it was a tough conversation, but I had something else I wanted to pursue.”
That “something else” was volleyball. Bitten by the bug in high school, Clark rapidly improved and wrapped up her career with 1,000 assists and a second-team, all-district selection as a senior.
“Coach (Kayla) Jenkins came in and made volleyball fun,” Clark said. “I improved so much, and it was refreshing. I know I’m playing catch-up trying to get recruited, but that’s my focus right now.”
Between club soccer, high school soccer, club volleyball, high school volleyball, dual-credit classes, and being ranked in the top 11 percent of her graduating class... where does she find the time?
“I like to be busy,” she laughed. “That’s probably an understatement.”
Clark plans to pursue a degree in Exercise Science, with hopes of becoming a coach or athletic trainer.
“I think I have a good sports IQ,” she said. “My coaches have always told me I should get into coaching.”
The only question left?
Which sport will it be.