Jade Summey signs her Letter of Intent, joined by her parents, Burr Oak AD Ryan Stephens (left) and Glen Oaks coach Tom Muckel (right).
Jade Summey is approaching her fifth year of varsity softball at Burr Oak High School. The two years after that will be spent suiting up for Glen Oaks Community College.
The senior shortstop, who has produced gaudy numbers since joining the varsity squad as an eighth grader, signed with the Vikings Wednesday and is the third member of head coach Tom Muckel’s class of 2014-15.
This spring will be Mukel’s first guiding the program, but this is his second recruiting effort. Last fall, when Muckel was hired, was a frantic push to fill out a roster without having much time to evaluate prospects and the Vikings will play this season with only 10 players.
With the addition of Summey for next season, Glen Oaks is piecing together some versatile personnel. She thinks it’s a great fit. Plainwell’s Liz Smith and Marcellus Howardsville Christian’s Jessica Glass joined the fold Tuesday.
“I was going back and forth and checking out my options and everything, but I finally made the decision that Glen Oaks is the best option for me right now,” she said. “I definitely want to go to Davenport for my education; that’s the most important thing. If I get accepted and go there and can play softball, whether it’s on JV or varsity, I’m completely happy with that.
“Wherever [the Vikings] need me is where they’re going to put me, whether it’s shortstop … but I’ll be there to do whatever I can for the team. I’m really, really, really excited.”
Summey batted an astounding .521 last season, breaking former Burr Oak and Michigan State star Becky Gray’s single-season record, and has a career batting average of .505. Her fielding percentage is an equally impressive .945.
“I had to go by what I was told by people I checked with,” Muckel said. “They said she’s got a good bat. To me, that’s pretty good because Becky was a pretty good player.
“I guess she’s an outfielder by trade. She played shortstop because of necessity. That’s what I got in the other two girls that I signed [Tuesday]; they can play just about any position that you ask them to play, which is nice.”