Imagine 7 hours of school, 3 hours of basketball practice, a twenty minute break, then another 2 hours of softball. This is Carly Briggs’ average busy day and most students couldn’t even imagine her fast paced schedule, let alone do it all year round. Carly Briggs is a three-sport athlete at Wheaton Warrenville South and this year she juggled Varsity Volleyball, Varsity Basketball, and Varsity Softball. There aren’t many people as competitive and committed to all of their activities, making Briggs stand out among all student athletes and the select few who are three-sport athletes. 

Briggs has lived with this packed schedule for all of high school, yet is still able to balance sports with academics. Briggs has to manage 5-6 hours of practice a day and usually gets home at 10. From there, her night of homework has just begun. Briggs admits that sometimes she will do her homework “during school” but it always gets done. She is very committed to playing all of her sports, so homework sometimes comes second. 

If there was one word to describe Briggs, Pawlak, her softball coach, says it would have to be competitive. “I don’t think there is anyone harder on her than her…Every at bat is live or die.” This drive to always be better is what makes Briggs so successful in her athletics and stand out on her teams. Briggs is incredibly modest in her achievements because she is a harsh critic of herself. Whenever someone compliments her playing she will point out a mistake and if someone notes an area of improvement she is eager to learn and willing to take the extra step. 

Despite her busy schedule, Carly is committed to her friendships on and off the court or field. Briggs describes her teammates as “a big family to back you up.” She made a lot of her friends through sports one being a fellow volleyball player, Megan Adamek. “We were like instant best friends,” said Briggs. 

Briggs is always hyping you up or making sure you’re okay, so it’s no surprise that she has multitudes of friends helping her to stay positive and to be on her game. “Everytime [my friends] laugh it gives me energy,” says Briggs. Without her friends and sports she said she would be incredibly upset and not be as committed to school and learning. 

As an outstanding athlete with a great group of friends, competitiveness, and commitment, it’s without a doubt that her future in softball at Minnesota State University will be just as successful as her high school career achievements. From volleyball team going to State, to nationals for travel softball, it’s clear that this three-sport athlete sets herself apart from all others. Not only does Carly Briggs always want to be better, but she wants everyone else to do their very best as well.