Hard work pays off for Neosho star Beclynn Garrett

Neosho Lady Wildcats Star Beclynn Garrett Fast Facts

Age: 16

Grade in School: 11th

Parent: Valerie Garrett

Sibling: Maelynn

Hometown: Neosho, Missouri

Favorite Subject in School: Science

Favorite Food: Tomatoes with ranch dressing

Favorite College Softball Players: Former Arizona Wildcats All-American & Olympic Gold Medal Winner Jennie Lynn Finch Daigle

Favorite Sports Movie: A League of Their Own

Accolades: Academic All-State for Class 4 (2021) and Class 5 (2022), along with 1st Team All-District and 2nd Team All-Region recognition in 2021 and 2022

By Don Lowe

There’s no sibling rivalry with Neosho Lady Wildcats junior standout softball shortstop

Beclynn Garrett, who makes it clear her love of this sport came about as she followed in the footsteps of someone close.

“What made me interested in softball was probably watching my older sister, Maelynn,” the younger Garrett sister recollects. “I watched her play and quickly learned with her.

“I always got to play up (older age division) with my sister, so I was always playing with girls who were two years older than me.”

Garrett has been playing softball for more than a decade and she says, “The key to being successful and this is very cliché, but it’s 100% true, that it’s with hard work. Put in the time and you will have success.

“I show up to every workout. I show up to every practice. I come early and stay after. I just work on what I need to fix.”

Neosho Softball Head Coach Catie Cummins concurs that Garrett gives it her all and then some and says, “She’s a natural athlete. But it’s everything else that makes her such a quality athlete.

“She loves to compete with others and herself. She’s a hard worker and so coachable. She’s also selfless. During her freshman year, she was on the varsity team and played all but three positions.”

As far as pure athletic abilities, Coach Cummins says that at shortstop, Garrett has “quickness in foot speed and a great arm and her knowledge of the game and where she needs to be in the field.”

Along with softball, Garrett is a terrific basketball player and has been Neosho’s starting point guard since her freshman year. She’s also competed in track and field for a few years while achieving fantastic results in the javelin event.

In addition to her numerous skillsets, Garrett has also proven to be persistent while working herself back from a difficult hip injury (torn labrum) that cost her most of last basketball season and all track this past spring, but she says, “I am six months post-surgery, and I’m playing sports like I did before.”

Garrett’s greatest improvement over the years is that “confidence is 100% the key. I walk into a game knowing I’ve earned my spot.”

Coach Cummins lauds that Garrett has “a no-quit attitude, shows toughness, stays focused and is a great teammate. I’ve been blessed with great softball players at Neosho High School the last six years. I’ve had players like Bec that have bought into what we stand for in our program.

“We’ve been continually ranked in the top 10 for academic all-state as a team. Bec is part of that. She holds herself to that standard and all her teammates. I’ve been blessed by her and so many others.”