Booker signs full ride with Southeastern Louisiana
Sydney Booker signs softball scholarship at Bob Jones Wednesday
Parents David and Delourdes Booker are seated next to her.(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)
MADISON- Bob Jones two sport athlete Sydney Booker knew she had found her college home when she talked to Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) Head Softball Coach Pete Langois on an official visit at the end of September accompanied by her father David.
In his thick Cajun accent he assured her if she came to the school in Hammond, Louisiana she would have a great experience and everything would be taken care of financially.
Booker, a senior at Bob Jones, signed a full ride scholarship with SLU of the Southland Conference on Wednesday November 20.
“It is rare for a non-pitcher to be offered a scholarship with everything included,” said her father David Booker who is also an assistant softball coach at Bob Jones.
Booker is a rare softball player. In three years she already holds many of Bob Jones softball marks and will add many more in the coming season.
“At her position, third base, she is the best in Alabama,” said Bob Jones Head Softball Coach Kent Chambers. “As much natural ability as anybody I’ve ever coached. We experimented with her at other positions and brought her back to third base. You cannot bunt on her. She has a natural swing. She tied a state record last year with three home runs in a game and set a new state record of home runs in three straight at bats.”
Booker has played all three of her years at Bob Jones on the varsity team. In 169 games played she has 140 runs scored, 93 RBI, 39 doubles, 9 triples, 13 home runs, .451 On Base %, .377 batting avg. and .910 fielding %.
“I’m really excited, it’s a big day for me,” said Booker who had her younger brother and sister along with parents Delourdes and David Booker with her.
“It’s the sport I play so it’s really important.”
Booker’s decision came down to two schools; JacksonvilleStateUniversity and SLU.
“The offer was better there,” she said. “They said I could possibly move to second base the first year and back to third later.”
Booker has been recovering from shoulder surgery on her non-throwing shoulder where she torn a labrum in a late season game last year. The injury has cost her playing time in her second sport, basketball. She expects to be officially cleared December 5 to resume normal playing.
“I’m back practicing basketball but I ‘m just not officially cleared.”
Southeastern Louisiana University has a student population of 16,000 and fields seven women’s sports that compete on the FCS level.
Chambers said that two more senior players have committed and will sign in the next few days: Annabelle Smith with Faulkner and Emily Duncan with SneadState.
