Ashley Wheeler commits to play softball at Anderson University
By FRED KRONER
Ashley Wheeler learned at a young age to be a good sport.
It took years for the Mahomet-Seymour senior to become a good athlete.
Born to parents who are both former M-S athletes and with an older brother, Trenton, who was sports-minded, topics of conversation around the Wheeler house were ones that she could engage in or be left out.
“A day doesn’t go by when there isn’t ‘sports talk,’” Ashley Wheeler said. “I have grown up in a very sports-minded family.
“You could say it was ‘in my blood.’”
Like a good sport, she went along with the discussions as well as the activities.
“At the beginning, it was very frustrating because I was so young and it was not fun going to practice or going to hit instead of playing with my friends,” Ashley Wheeler said, “but I knew I had to do it to get better, and it has paid off.”
There was one aspect of the routine that she looked forward to.
“The games were always fun, so I never minded that part,” she said.
A three-sport athlete throughout her four years at M-S – volleyball, basketball and softball – Wheeler signed a letter of intent last week to play softball collegiately at Anderson (Ind.) University, a NCAA Division III school with an enrollment of about 1,900 students.
Her softball career represents a work in progress as she switched her primary position in recent years from pitcher to first base (or third base).
“I started playing softball when I was 6 or 7,” Wheeler said. “I did not start off very good at it, so it took a lot of practice.
“Throughout the years I’ve gotten better and better and worked so hard at it.”
Even though she is involved in a different sport for the Bulldogs from August until June each year, Wheeler made softball a priority.
“My main focus has really always been softball, playing on travel teams in every off-season for the past eight years or so,” Wheeler said. “I have just always felt it was my No. 1 sport, the one I was best at and had the most passion for.
“Softball was my favorite sport from the beginning.”
Sports have also helped Wheeler develop socially.
“I was shy and timid my freshman year,” she said.
As she matured as an athlete, her personality also changed.
“My sophomore and junior year, my swing was coming along and I was becoming more outgoing,” Wheeler said. “My confidence has grown each year.”
Wheeler also found her desire to play softball was increasing.
“My junior year was when I got really serious about playing in college and began to work harder and longer,” she said.
“My freshman and sophomore years, I wasn’t even thinking about college, but then my junior year I started to think about it a lot and wanting to continue playing the sport I love.
“I thought I had a chance to play in college.”
Before settling on Anderson University, Wheeler also considered Bethel University and Olivet Nazarene University.
She had a lot to consider.
“At the beginning, it was tough because I had no idea where I wanted to go, and how far away from home I would be able to handle,” she said. “I was getting a lot of emails from different coaches, but a lot of them were just too far away.
“I had to do some research on my own and found several schools that I liked for both good Nursing programs and softball programs.”
Anderson not only fit her needs but also helped her feel comfortable.
“Anderson’s coach, Tony Holloway, was a big factor in my decision,” Wheeler said. “He seemed like he really wanted me to play for him.
“I went to a camp there and the players were really nice and talked highly about the program, which really helped me in my decision. The Ravens have a great reputation in the Midwest of being a strong program. Anderson University has one of the top Nursing programs in the state of Indiana, so that was also a key factor for me. The campus was beautiful also.”
M-S coach Lisa Ayers believes Wheeler – who was the M-S Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 – can continue to excel.
“Ashley is a hard worker who has a true love for the game,” Ayers said. “She has been a strong offensive and defensive player for us during her time here.
“I think she will be successful at the next level. Her drive and love for the game will take her far.”
Wheeler has had a strong support group who have helped bring out and refine her talent.
“I started playing Recreation Department softball, with my mom (the former Hope Kuhns) as a coach,” Ashley Wheeler said. “Then my interest in softball really grew when Tom Scott asked me to come play with MSFPA.
“I learned a lot about the sport in these years. Later, I had pitching lessons from Cory Haines, Lori Baird and Steve Tarrant. They all pushed me to be better in multiple ways, not just as a pitcher.”
Her dad, Aaron Wheeler, played a key role in her development.
“My dad has also been a major influence,” Ashley Wheeler said. “He took so much time out of his days to come and help me become a better player, and he has really helped me learn the detailed skills and strategies behind the game of softball. He also coached some of my travel teams. Those years were some of the best times of my life and full of memories that will last a lifetime.”
As her career advanced, Wheeler spent more time with hitting lessons than with pitching lessons.
“I had pitching lessons for five or six years and I feel like I was pretty good at it,” she said, “but it really takes a lot of work to keep improving at pitching and I lost my passion for it.
“I then began to focus on first base and third base the past several years, and I love it. I have also taken hitting lessons for a number of years, and still do, just to keep working on improving my swing.”
She worked with former Parkland hitting coach Zach Berryman briefly before he moved, but some of what he emphasized stayed with Wheeler.
“Zach taught me how to hit the outside pitch, and that has stuck with me to this day,” Wheeler said.
Eddie Edwards is her current hitting coach.
“Eddie helped me improve my swing and stressed proper hand positioning,” Wheeler said. “He worked with me on hitting the inside pitch, and he helped me get through the many times when my swing was off.”
The 5-foot-10 Wheeler hit .326 as a sophomore for M-S and .330 as a junior, when she swatted five home runs.
Edwards offered his services during Wheeler’s recruitment period.
“I had a recruiter (from National Scouting Report, NSR) help me along the process,” Wheeler said. “Eddie helped me build my profile and he sent out videos of me hitting and fielding, and my stats to many coaches and colleges.”
Wheeler takes pride in participating in three sports each of her high school years.
“Being a tri-athlete has been very rewarding in that each year I got to meet new people and teammates and friends,” she said. “Sports have been a huge part of my life and I wouldn’t trade the experiences I have had in the different sports for anything.
“Being a tri-athlete is hard sometimes with the school work load, family and other outside commitments, but if you love the sports you’ll be just fine and be able to manage it. It was hard at some points, but I got through those tough points.”
Soon, she will be able to focus all of her energies and attention on one sport. Wheeler sees that as an exciting adventure.
“Knowing I get to play softball in college is a bit of a relief because I don’t want to stop playing sports,” Wheeler said. “I’ve played sports as long as I can remember and I don’t want it to end.
“Having a chance to play at the collegiate level really means a lot to me in this sport that I continue to have so much passion for and has been such a big part of my life.”
Her journey wasn’t a solo one and she is appreciative of the assistance she has received.
“I would like to thank my family and all of my coaches along the way,” she said. “I wouldn’t be the player I am today without their help.”
Weather permitting, M-S is scheduled to open the season on Monday at 4:30 p.m. at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
