2016 Combined

WEEK OF \ / 11 J I \o

Caledonia's Obman signs with East Central C.C.

Adam M1n1chino January 21, 2016 11:06:18 AM

CALEOONIA -- Cassie Ohman has attended enough college signings to know bow she wanted hers to look. But ifyou have watched Obman play softball, you know her signing ceremony wasn't going to be thrown together at the last minute. That's because Ohman is a perfectionist. She doesn't hesitate to use the word "perfect" when she talks about the development of her skills as a catcher. All it takes is one Caledonia High School game for you to understand Obman has invested countless hours learning bow to be the best defensive catcher she can be. Ohman used that same mind-set when it came time to organize her signing in the Ca.ledonia High library. Instead ofstationing a table against a far wall or deeper in the room like many of the signings she has attended over the years, Ohman opted to put the table in the front ofthe room so she could hang a banner with a Caledonia High 'C' behind it. On the table, Obman arranged some ofthe tools of her trade -- a catcher's mask, a glove, and a bat - as well as clotbing--a cardinal Caledonia High game jersey and a blue Mississippi Express pullover and team bat - that traced the arc of her softball career. The final piece to the puzzle was situated in the center. Ohman handled that with aplomb - just like it was a pitch in the dirt - as she signed her National Letter of Intent with East Central Community College in Decatur to signal the next step in herjourney. "It really was a culmination ofall ofthe hard work," Obman said of her signing. "I wanted the ceremony to be perfect, too, because this is the biggest day of my career up to this paint. I hadn't seen all of the decorations all together yet, and I was worried that it wasn't going to look perfect. I was worried my signature wouldn't look good, but it all came together to look really amazing and perfect Maybe that is a symbol, and maybe my career wiU progress and look perfect from here." Ohman said she ·worked with her mother, Kim, and "a lot ofpeople" to brainstorm ideas for bow she wanted to organize her signing. She placed a yellow softball inside a catcher's mitt and a catcher's helmet on the left corner ofthe table. Her cardinal No. 21 Caledonia game jersey was draped on a stack ofsix, thick, green Literature books. On the other end ofthe table, a white box propped up a long-sleeved gray ECCC T-shirt. In front ofit, a white Louisville Slugger bat with purple trim bad its barrel facing to the right. It and another yellow softball rested on the blue pullover for the Mississippi Express, Obman's travel ball team. Against the wall across the room, a table ofgoodies, including drinks and ' 'anilla and chocolate cupcakes, waited. The cupcakes, which Obman said were made by the mother of her closest friend, bad yellow icing to resemble the color ofa softball. The yellow icing also had two red stripes to make them resemble a softball.

"I t came out better than I thought it would look," Obman said of the arrangements.

Ohman is coming offa junior season in which she hit .409, had 27 hits and 22 walks, and played an integral role in Caledonia beating Amory and Cleveland in the Class 4A State tournament. She also bad six doubles, two triples, and one home run, but it was her work with pitchers Hope Burton and Carlee Dale that earned her the Class 4A, Region 4 Defensive Player of the Year.

Whether the pitch was inside or outside or in the dirt or at the letters, Ohman was going to be

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