BH star set to continue studies, softball
By Dave Rogers
The Baytown Sun
Published November 19, 2009
MONT BELVIEU – No sign of red eyes on Morgan Anderson.

How does she do it?

That was the question put to the all-around student-athlete at Barbers Hill Wednesday as she was celebrating her signing to play softball next year for the Colorado School of Mines.

After all, Anderson is No. 3 in her class at Barbers Hill and the youngest of Gary and Tracey Anderson’s four children made it clear she was going to the Golden, Colo., school to study chemical engineering just as much as to play softball.

And softball’s just one of three sports she excels in for the Eagles’ athletic program.

A point guard on the basketball team, she was first-team all-district for the Barbers Hill volleyball team last school year, when the second baseman was also the top hitter and offensive player of the year in the district for the Eagle softball team.

“I do have a lot of late nights,” Anderson allowed. “Sometimes I don’t know how I do it, but I just do it.”

None of her coaches know, either.

“I don’t get her until after basketball season,” softball coach Perri Smith said, “and last year, being my first year to coach here, I kept hearing ‘Morgan Anderson will be on varsity, Morgan Anderson will be on varsity.’

“She showed up and she has probably by far the best work ethic on the team. She prepared every day she came on the field. She manages her time. She’s got her priorities straight, and she’s 18 years old.

“If I could have a thousand Morgans, my day would be great.”

The over-achieving would never end.

Anderson said she first looked into the NCAA Division II school last summer while on a trip to Colorado with her summer club softball team, the Texas Shockwave Gold.

“My mother suggested that I e-mail the coach, and they came and watched me play,” she said. “It all happened since last summer.”

Anderson said she’s played basketball and softball since she was 7 years old and volleyball for the last six years. She’s a three-year letterman for both the softball and volleyball teams and a two-year letterman in basketball.

Needless to say, she’s been a fixture on the all-district academic teams.

She decided to limit her sports to softball in college and she’s put in the work to do it.

“You have to work at softball,” she said. “If you don’t work on your hitting every week, you’re going to lose you hitting eye.

“Coach Hall has really helped me this fall. You just have to work hard.”

Kirk Hall, the former Barbers Hill softball coach now at Goose Creek Memorial, has Anderson as a member of his MC Elite now.

But Anderson said that Smith, the current BH coach, is important to her, too.

“She came in last year as our new coach and she really boosted my confidence,” the player said. “She always picked me up and gave me confidence.”

At Colorado School of Mines, Anderson will be reunited with former classmate and friend Ann Terraso, a former Barbers Hill track standout.

“It’s going to be a challenge (going away to school), but I believe I can overcome it,” she said. “Because I’ll be playing a sport I love and I’m close to my family.”

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