It’s long been said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts…

Take a lump of graphite – a bunch of carbon atoms – put it under enormous pressure for a long time, and you’ve got a diamond, the hardest substance on Earth. That’s nature’s best example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Building a team that shares that attribute is just like making diamonds. It sounds straight forward in theory but it’s really hard in practice and rare to find in the today’s world. And, it’s a personal value that ranks at the top of the list for Brooklyn Vails of McCurtain.

“I strive every day to be determined and focused no matter what I’m doing,” said the Lady Bulldogs senior who plays catcher as well as third base for McCurtain and her travel softball team, OK Pure. “But the most important thing to me is always being a team player. WE is greater than me.”

“Brook” who proudly wears the number-6 jersey, the same as her papa, doesn’t shy away from her abilities to be in control of every situation while behind the plate.

“Playing catcher, you’re involved in every pitch no matter who is at the plate. Knowing the right pitch to call gives me a chance to control the outcome of a game and play my part to help my team win.”

Off the field, Vails spends whatever time it takes to maintain her attention in the classroom posting a 4.0 GPA to earn her a spot on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll as well as the National Honor Society as she knows her game plan for future success will require her utmost attention.

“My game plan for life is to eventually become a nurse anesthetist. I’ve always wanted to be in the medical field to help take care of people,” Vails acknowledged while recalling the best advice she’s learned. “I heard a coach at Connors say ‘you are what you train to be.’ It’s something that I understand and use to motivate me to be the best I can be in every situation.”

And with her mindset of helping others do their best, the outlook for the Lady Bulldogs softball achieving success through a team approach is made stronger thanks to the contributions of Brooklyn Vails.