Her commute tells it all.
Haley Gallo, a Guthrie Blue Jay entering her sophomore year, loves softball.
Last week, Gallo was named a 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Third-Team All-American. She made the team as an outfielder. Gallo is the lone Oklahoman on the team.
Booker Blakely, Gallo’s coach at Guthrie, heard the news first.
“I found out through coach Blakely,” Gallo said. “He’s the one who told my dad and he told me when I was at my grandparents’ house. And I saw it all over Facebook and Twitter and all that stuff too so it’s just really cool.”
Gallo, also a two-time USA All-American, plays for the Tulsa Elite National 16U club team which is based in Arkansas. She is a power hitter from the right side.
She has surrendered free time to play club softball on a top-tier team in the country. In the summer travel ball season, Gallo commutes seven hours round trip twice a month for a five-hour practice.
“I’m very proud of her,” Ben Gallo, Haley’s dad, said. “She’s worked hard for a long time since she was little and you know seems to love to play the game. At least she’s willing to drive for three and a half hours to practice for a club team. She’s willing to give up her summers to travel and play softball.”
Being named to one of the NFCA All-American teams is a high honor.
“She made the all-region team, first team outfielder. Then all the schools in America that play school ball in the spring, once they got done then they had their own region teams and then from those 260 players these All-American teams were formed.”
From that selective group of 260, Gallo earned one of 39 spots on the All-American team.