Chatham’s Montgomery signs letter of intent to play softball for Gardner-Webb

By Matt Fuchs
Danville Register & Bee
Published: April 16, 2008

CHATHAM — The coaches couldn’t help themselves. They just had to laugh.

Gathered together last May at Chatham High School to select the All-Dogwood District softball teams for the 2007 season, the coaches were laughing at Kelly Montgomery’s stat line. Not because there was anything wrong with it, but just because of how unusual it was.

And the joke was on them.

A left fielder for the Chatham Cavaliers, Montgomery batted .379 with 16 RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage in 2007. But that wasn’t what got to the coaches. It was Montgomery’s lack of defensive assists that drew the chuckles. She didn’t have a single one — not that the abnormality was any fault of her own.

“It was because people stopped running on her,” Chatham coach Joe Lee said. “If it’s a routine ball to left, they’re not going to try.”

A four-year starter for the Cavaliers, Montgomery came to be known by opponents for her throwing ability in the outfield, and by her teammates for her intelligence and leadership qualities. And it’s her renowned arm and mind that she’ll be taking to Gardner-Webb University in the fall, after signing her national letter of intent on Tuesday. Montgomery has a career .348 batting average at Chatham with 44 RBIs, and she will also be the school’s co-valedictorian come graduation this spring.

“I guess it’s pretty big. It kind of feels surreal going to the next level,” Montgomery said. “I’m not used to the idea yet, but (signing) is the next step to making it real.”

Looking for a small, private school with a religious background, Montgomery had initially planned on going to Liberty University in Lynchburg before visiting and determining that the college was bigger than she would have liked.

Eventually Montgomery heard about Gardner-Webb, and after earning a full-tuition scholarship to the college, decided it was the place for her.

“The campus was beautiful,” Montgomery said. “It was a Christian atmosphere, but not in a stickler kind of way if you know what I mean.”

While visiting the Boiling Springs, N.C., college, Montgomery also paid the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ softball coach a visit, and ended up sending in her stats and a skills video.

“He called after he looked at the video and told me there would definitely be a spot on the team for me,” Montgomery said of Gardner-Webb coach Tom Cole.

Cole was also able to obtain some extra scholarship funds to help Montgomery out with her room and board. She will be living in an apartment with three other softball players, plans on studying to become a counselor and will contend with four other players for a spot in the Bulldogs’ outfield next season.

“This whole finding a college experience has been really stressful,” Montgomery said. “Now that I know where I’m going, that I’ll be playing a sport, and where I’m living, I feel more prepared. I’ll adjust.”

The only question is, will her old team be able to say the same once she leaves?

“She’s going to be sorely missed,” Lee said. “Obviously somebody else will take her position, but it’s going to be hard to replace everything she brought to this team.”