Kaiya is not finished with softball yet!

Kaiya Phillips was a member of the Armijo cheerleading squad for three years and has been involved with leadership, but she somehow still found time to be a player on the Armijo softball team. “I chose to start softball because my dad and brother were both extremely talented in baseball and I decided I wanted to follow,” she said. She enjoys the sport so much that she wants to continue playing in college.

Phillips likes to keep busy and has a wide range of interests off the softball field as well. “I enjoy riding a motorcycle with my dad and traveling to try new foods,” she said. “I absolutely adore animals so I do a lot of research and visit rehabilitation centers.”

Her love of animals has led her to a career choice. She plans to attend community college for a couple of years before transferring to a four-year school and earning a degree that will allow her to become “a veterinarian or anything really involved with animals,” she said.

Although she has a focus on the future, her involvement in softball impacts her life in many ways. “My life would be completely different without sports I don’t know where I would be without them,” she said. “They give you a sense of stability and you make new bonds and connections that become unbreakable for your whole life.”

Phillips is the youngest of three children. Her brother, who works as a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer is her role model. “{He} has his whole life ahead of him but is already extremely successful,” she said.

Her brother isn’t the only person that she admires. “I just want to thank every teacher and admin that never gave up on me when I was ready to toss everything up and leave,” she said. “Thank you, guys. You know exactly who you are. #c/o2020!”