Recent Bassett High School (BHS) graduate, Emily Gilley, is continuing her athletic journey at Patrick & Henry Community College this fall.
“I get to go do bigger things,” Gilley said. “I get to go be around people that love the game and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Her initial reaction to being selected by the college was shock.
“It really meant a lot to me. It meant that our team was getting out and being heard about. Usually, the Bassett softball team is kind of small, and we’re finally breaking out of the shell,” said Gilley. “For somebody to hand select me and say, ‘I want you here,’ really meant a lot to me.”
Gilley is looking forward to being a part of what she calls “a really great pitching staff.
“I get to learn from the people who are staying back like the incoming sophomores,” she said, adding that she is excited to be playing with girls from other areas such as Patrick County and Halifax, some whom she competed against in the past.
Outside of softball, Gilley hopes to pursue another passion someday.
“I think I’m most looking forward to setting myself up in the animal career field. I’ve always wanted to do that since I was really young,” she said. “I love being around animals in general. I’ve had the opportunity to do several internships and be hands-on with animals and it really helped me to solidify my decision to go into the animal field. Being around vets and vet technicians has really helped me see from their point of view what the career field will be like.”
