By Jack Church, The Daily Beacon
“When Ryleigh White got injured early in conference play, Karen Weekly was in a jam.
“We just didn’t want to get ourselves in a situation once Ryleigh White was hurt,” Weekly said, “where if another pitcher woke up sick on a Friday morning — now we didn’t want to go into a weekend with two.”
She reached out to Avery Flatford, a former Farragut pitcher and student at the University of Tennessee. Flatford played one season at Tennessee Tech but came to UT to focus on school.
When the opportunity came to join the Lady Vols, Flatford couldn’t pass it up.
“It’s been my dream ever since I was five years old playing at CBFO out in Farragut,” Flatford said. “It’s always been my dream, and I am just ecstatic to be here and very happy to be a part of this family.”
Flatford doesn’t have it easy. She has cystic fibrosis, a disorder affecting her lungs and digestive system. Despite that, she excelled at Farragut and won two state championships, throwing three no-hitters during her junior season.
While managing her medical condition, she has found a way to excel in softball. Whether at Farragut, Tennessee Tech or now with the Lady Vols, Flatford has found success playing the sport she loves.
“Softball and CF have gone hand in hand my whole life,” Flatford said. “So, over the years, I’ve been able to keep adapting and make sure I’m on top of it.” [Source: Jack Church, The Daily Beacon]