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Athlete Spotlight: Charley’s
Ashliegh Charley goes to Geary High School where she is getting ready to finish out her senior year. She started the year by trying out for the cheer team for the first time and making it, and is now ending the year playing slow pitch softball, something else she had never done before. She’s on the yearbook committee and was also a basketball manager, and she was the wrestling homecoming queen. She enjoys art, and can often find herself drawing and painting. Ashliegh considers herself as friendly, caring, and quiet.
She found herself roped into softball when the coach convinced her to do it for her senior year, so she decided to try it, and has so far enjoyed herself. Charley had never played softball previously, but throughout the learning process, she’s had fun. “I like the team, they’re like really fun, and supportive,” she said. The team aspect has been her favorite part of it so far. Coach Bridget Goodknight has helped her the most so far in the sport. “She doesn’t get frustrated when I mess up and stuff, and she’s like always positive about everything,” Charley said.
Cheer was also something new for her this year. Ashliegh described it as a bit “chaotic” at first, having to adapt to a new sponsor and learning all of the cheers, but it turned out to be something she considered really fun.
Her sisters have been some of the biggest supporters in her life. “They’re always encouraging me and like always talking to me and listening to me, and just telling me to … just keep going,” Ashliegh said. Although they are younger than her, they help her a lot in life and encourage her to chase her path in life.
Ashliegh wants to go to the University of Oklahoma and study in the pre-med fields to become a doctor, although she hasn’t yet decided between being a psychiatrist or a physical therapist. Medicine has always been something she was interested in, but especially the mental health side of things. “It’s just something I wanna help with and learn about,” she said. Ashliegh wants to help people, “whether it’s big or small.”
Her aunt, uncle, and her grandma have all been the largest help in her life. They raised her, and Ashliegh said they were always there “supporting me in everything that I do.” Her mom wasn’t always able to be there for her. Although she still sees her, Charley sometimes finds herself getting down over the things she can’t control. She and her siblings have kept close through this, however. “I know they probably feel the same way so … I try to do the best for them,” she said. This has been a hard struggle in her life, but she uses it as a way to motivate her to be better for herself and the rest of her family. Ashliegh is “very grateful for everyone who’s helped me like my family, friends, and all my teachers.”
Ashliegh Charley, 18
Grade- Senior
Family- Audrey (mom), Amber, Mikah, Joe, Tommie, Darren, and Paris (siblings)
Activities- Yearbook, STUCO, BPA, Cheer, Softball, Beta Club
Hobbies- Drawing, Painting, Hanging out with friends