Given the time Jessie Winans has spent in an Afton softball uniform, one might expect that the shortstop extraordinaire would simply sign a contract extension with the Crimson Knights.
You know, five years for millions of dollars, possibly an option for a sixth year, laden with bonus incentives.
Anyone who has watched Winans over the past six seasons, though, probably knows it's time for her to move on to bigger things.
She left behind quite a legacy.
The ultra-talented Winans _ with that smooth glove and powerful right arm _ sprinkled so many 6-3s into Afton scorebooks the past six seasons the school should consider making June 3 Jessie Winans Day.
Offensively, Winans utilized her compact and powerful swing to produce line drives seemingly as often as Titleist manufactures golf balls.
She played 162 varsity games for Afton _ the same number major leaguers who get those exorbitant contracts mentioned above play during a season.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a big-leaguer who wouldn't sign up for Winans' production in a heartbeat.
Winans finished with 38 homers, 55 doubles, 36 triples, 212 RBIs and 236 runs. Along the way, she never hit below .434 in a season _ that coming as a seventh-grader _ and she led the Crimson Knights to a 138-24 record. That mark included a Class D state championship in 2009, six Section Four Class D titles and five Midstate Athletic Conference crowns.
"She was just head-and-shoulders stronger and faster than most of the girls playing the game around her," Sidney coach Mike Brazee said of Winans. "I think it might be a while (before this area sees another player like Winans).
Girls like her are few and far between. You don't get a package like that very often."
Not surprisingly, Winans earned her fifth straight Daily Star Player of the Year honor in 2010. In the 27 years this publication has picked players of the year, no one before Winans in any sport has been honored five times.
Her softball resume also includes Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American honors the last two years and Class D state Player of the Year the last three. She shared the state award with Livingston Manor's Marissa Diescher this past season.
Those accomplishments no doubt contributed to Coastal Carolina agreeing to foot the tab for Winans' tuition and housing while she plays for the Division I program in Conway, S.C.
Despite all the success, 22nd-year Afton coach Cindy Bostelman _ honored with her 12th Daily Star Coach of the Year award in 2010 _ said Winans never carried even the slightest hint of braggadocios.
"One of the things is she passed along her knowledge of the game," said Bostelman, who steered the Crimson Knights to a 16th straight Section Four Class D title and a spot in the Class D state semifinals this past season. "She talked the game to a lot of players but did it in a tactful way. It was never, 'I'm good and you're not.' It was, 'Hey, guys, try it this way.'
"The other kids bought into it," she continued. "You can get somebody so sick when every newspaper article is centered on one player. We never had that feeling with her."
Winans said maintaining close relationships with her teammates has always been important to her.
"I like to make people laugh," said Winans, who hit .465 as a senior with four homers, 32 RBIs and 39 runs. "I always have a smile on my face and I'm always open to talk to somebody. I think I'm an easy person to get along with. I'm always happy and in a good mood. I try not to get stressed and keep a positive outlook on life."
Those who covered Winans' exploits likely would agree. Win or lose, she was equally accessible and candid.
One example came after Afton's 4-0 loss to Greene in the MAC title game in May. Trojans sophomore Rebecca Hanrahan threw a no-hitter that included 10 strikeouts and ended Afton's string of conference titles at five.
"She's a great pitcher," Winans said following the game. "I can't wait to come back in one or two years to watch her pitch. They really deserved the game because she pitched phenomenally."
"She just exemplified my program," Bostelman said of Winans, who also excelled in field hockey and basketball at Afton.
The foundation of Winans' athletic prowess is tied deeply to her family. Older brothers Josh, Derek and Bryant stood out in multiple sports for Afton and in college, and father Dick coaches Afton's varsity boys basketball team.
"Sports is a big part of all our lives," Winans said of her family. "My brothers were big successes in high school and my mom played sports. It's definitely big, having people around me who know what they're talking about. I don't know how many times I went to my dad and said, 'What am I doing?' He'd tell me what I was doing wrong. My brothers, if I had a bad game, always told me to keep my head up and do it the next time. They helped me tremendously."
As for next season, Winans will join a Chanticleers program coming off a 15-36 campaign. First-year coach Kelley Green recruited Winans after guiding Lock Haven to two Division II national championships over 10 seasons.
"They definitely did," Winans said when asked if coaching staff said she could make an impact as a freshman. "Sometimes, coaches will tell you what you want to hear, but they seemed really down to earth. It's Kelley's first recruiting class and hopefully, she'll take (the kids she recruited) and mix them with the older kids. They also recruited a second baseman and they told me they would like to put me and her together."
As for Bostelman, this past season might have been the most challenging of her 22 seasons. Shortly before sectionals started, starting pitcher Payton Cutting _ an eighth-grader _ suffered a season-ending injury after falling from a ropes course at the school.
But in stepped seventh-grader Cassidy Phillips, who didn't allow a run in three sectional games, including a one-hitter against Deposit that led Afton to a 4-0 victory in the sectional final.
"You can't take anything away from Cassidy Phillips," Bostelman said. "She did an outstanding job and threw some great ballgames. You're going to throw a seventh-grader in postseason play when it's win and go on or lose and be done? But she really held up and did a great job."
Phillips followed with a three-hitter in a state quarterfinal against Stockbridge Valley. That performance, along with Winans' three-run inside-the-park homer, led the Crimson Knights to a 6-1 victory.
Afton's season ended with a 5-2 loss to Bolivar-Richburg in the state semifinals.
Next season, Afton will have to replace six-year varsity players Winans and cousin Stephanie Parsons, along with fifth-year player Stephanie Sherman. Parsons, a second baseman, and Sherman, a left fielder, each earned Daily Star First Team honors.
"I have a tremendous young group of kids who love softball," Bostelman said of next season. "You'll see a tremendous turnaround. We'll do a lot of work to bring things together. I have quite a group of youngsters who'll be outstanding."
Added Winans of Bostelman: "She's just awesome. She's the most dedicated coach to softball ever. I don't think anyone in this area will ever put so much time into softball as her and her whole family. I couldn't even give her a hug after that loss (to Bolivar-Richburg) because I knew I would break down. I'm definitely going to miss her a lot. She made the game so much fun and my high school career so much fun."
Rob Centorani can be reached at rcentorani@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 209.
