Ark Valley News - Perez signs with Cowley

LaTaylah Perez (center) signs with Cowley Community College as coaches Corey Jones and Kyrie Edwards watch Nov. 18.

Perez signs with Cowley
By Taylor Messick
Last Updated: November 23, 2016

On Nov. 18, Valley Center High School second basemen LaTaylah Perez signed a letter of intent with Cowley Community College in Arkansas City to play softball.

Perez was second-team all-state last season and has been second-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League II for the past two seasons. She is a 4.0 student and hopes to study biology and become a pediatrician. She is already a certified nurse's assistant. Perez also has interest in sports broadcasting and athletic training. She began playing softball at the age of 6.

"I'm feeling a little anxious, nervous and excited," said Perez. "I think I'll go more towards outfield than second base my first year, but we'll see what happens. I'm very happy with the school I chose."

Valley Center coach Corey Jones had great things to say about his second basemen. He praised her for how easy she is to coach and her dedication to success. He believes Cowley County is a good fit for Perez.

"Probably her number one quality is that she's coachable," said Jones. "She's willing to try new things and always works hard; she's the first one there and the last one to leave. She's always been that go-to kind of person. I think her best game of the year was at the state tournament. Cowley is known as a good baseball and softball school and she will do well and maybe get to go to the next level after that."

Perez's mom, LaTavia Allen, is excited for her daughter and has a great deal of confidence in her daughter to be successful. She is also glad Perez chose to stay somewhat close to home.

"The older she was getting, the more I wanted her to stay close to home," said Allen. "I just want her to go have fun. She's in love with the game and I'm glad she gets to continue to play."

Perez's dad, Paul Perez, is also happy with her choice. He said he's glad she has a chance to get playing time and was ultimately happy with her decision to stay close to home.

"I think she made a wise decision to go to a little bit smaller of a school where she can actually play the sport," Paul Perez said. "I think if she would've went to a D1 school she would've been sitting on the sidelines a couple of years but now she gets a couple more years of playing time. There's a part of me that wanted her to go far away so my wife and I could go visit her, but when that started to sink in I had second thoughts and now I'm glad she's only an hour away."