Excelling in the classroom and on the field, Kierstyn Ray shows what it means to balance priorities and passion.
Kierstyn Ray: Dyer County Choctaw
Kierstyn Ray is a class of 2027 multi-sport student-athlete from Dyer County High School in Tennessee. Ray has an impressive resumé, with a 4.0 GPA, ranked first in her class of 261 for the Dyer County High School class of 2027. Oh, and she excels on the field also.
She was voted TSCA All-State as a freshman, as well as District 13-AAA Rookie of the Year. As a sophomore, Ray was voted District 13-AAA Outfielder of the Year. Both years helping the Choctaws to the TSSAA State Tournament in Murfreesboro, TN.
A Love for Sports
Kierstyn not only succeeds at softball, but also on the volleyball court as well. She has an impressive list of awards and honors, but most importantly she has a great character, is humble, and has her priorities in the right place.
From the beginning, Kierstyn Ray’s love for the sport began as a tiny four-year-old. She started in t-ball and it was very fun to her. It didn’t take long for it to catch on, and she has been in it ever since. Remembering the W’s are what she keeps in her mind to drive her success.
“The main things that help me to be successful is remembering the W’s – Why I play the game, Who I play for, and it is What I do, not Who I am,” said Kierstyn.
Outside of her sports, her faith, family, academics, and friends are what’s important to her.
Balance and Priorities
As mentioned before, Ray excels in two sports. At times things can become a bit tiring, she is human, but she makes sure to will herself to put in the necessary work anyway. There are also the before mentioned priorities. Kierstyn Ray remembers what is really important to her success and aspirations.
“As far as maintaining such high performance in both sports you have to be willing to put in the extra work when no one else will. There are days when I just want to go home and rest, but instead I stay and put in the extra reps, that’s what separates me from others,” said Ray.
“There have been multiple school events, summer activities, and just stuff with my friends in general that I have missed out on because I have been focused on pursuing softball and am usually at a softball tournament or camp. There is always going to be something that you can do or be at to better yourself or your team.”
Being a Choctaw
So, what is it like being a Dyer County Choctaw student-athlete? I myself grew up just 20 minutes from DCHS in nearby Lake County, and even when I was in high school, Dyer County was all the talk back then. Not only for sports, but the academic path as well. Kierstyn admits it is challenging juggling multiple sports while maintaining a high grade point.
“It is definitely a challenge being a multi-sport athlete, especially when trying to maintain a 4.0 GPA and being in all honors, ap, and dual enrollment type classes. I just try to prioritize my assignments and take advantage of the class time given to complete my work because I know I will be busy after school,” said Ray.
Having the same supportive coach in both sports is a plus as well.
“I think one thing that helps me balance both sports at Dyer County High School is the fact that I have the same head coach for both sports, so it has been very easy to communicate and work with her year around and become the best athlete I can be,” she said. “Coach O is very supportive of my goals to play collegiate softball while also pushing me to be the very best version of myself on the softball field, volleyball court, weight room, and as a leader in both sports.”
“It is awesome to be a Choctaw, I couldn’t imagine being anything else! Our school motto is Once a Choctaw, Always a Choctaw!”
Travel Ball Journey
Travel Ball has been a helpful journey in Kierstyn Ray’s development as a player. Ever since she was seven years old, she has been involved. Ray started with the local team before moving to the Germantown Red Devils organization. After playing with them for a few seasons, she is now a part of Fury Premier 2027 – Robinson.
Even during those moves, it was not easy to make the decision. Kierstyn, like any other young person, has friendships that are created. She is also the person that does not want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
“At first it was really hard to leave the local team and all my best friends. Honestly anytime you leave a team it is really hard and sometimes you hurt people’s feelings and that is not ever fun, but ultimately every decision along the way was the best one for my journey,” said Kierstyn Ray.
Weighing the pros and cons may sound cliché, but it is an effective method as old as time. Something her parents always advise her to do. It teaches you that there may be upsides and downsides to any decision, but does the good outweigh the bad? That is the main question.
“My parents always asked me to make a pros and cons list before I made my decision and that always helped me decide which way to go and I am thankful for that,” she said. “All of these experiences have taught me the amount of dedication, resilience, and hard work required to be successful at the next level.”
Family First
Speaking of her parents, Kierstyn credits them for being the major influence in her life. I often say that it is a blessing to have loving and supportive parents. If you have them, you should be thankful for them. Definitely not something that is to be taken for granted.
“My parents have made the biggest influence on my life. Some would say I have pretty strict parents, but I know that they only want what’s best for me and my brother. Our family has open communication about making good choices, about what it takes to be successful in life, and about our goals,” said Ray. “They have been very supportive of my dream to play college softball. No matter the occasion, location, distance, or price, they are willing to do whatever it takes to get me there for the opportunity to showcase my skills.”
A Local Favorite
Lastly, I wanted to end this on a light question. We all like food, right? Being from the area originally, I know of a couple of Mexican spots that have filled my stomach many times. So, I wanted to see what Kierstyn Ray’s preference was, Los Portales or El Patio in Dyersburg?
“In my opinion, they are both GREAT. If you want to go somewhere and see everyone, you should pick El Patio,” she said. “It is probably the most popular hangout spot! If you want to go and just grab some good Mexican and get out of there, go to Los Portales!”
Ok, fair enough, I can agree to that lol.
Final Thoughts
I appreciate Kierstyn Ray for taking the time to speak with me. Ray is a class of 2027 student-athlete that college coaches should definitely have on their radar. You will not only get a great athlete, but a great person that knows how to prioritize and has the drive to do what is necessary.
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