Superior’s Emma Raye Ready to Lead Spartans Softball Team

Raye has committed to playing college softball at the University of Wisconsin.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – For Superior’s Emma Raye, being an athlete is all she’s ever known.

“That’s where I get my competitive edge from because I always wanted to be better than my brother and he didn’t want me to be better than him which helped both of us at the same time,” Raye, a catcher and shortstop for the Spartans, said.

But it became clear at a young age that softball would be her sport.

“It didn’t compare to basketball, it didn’t compare to gymnastics. I just love being able to dictate my own actions. I love being a leader and I love being able to control things which I mean, as a catcher I can do that,” Raye said.

“She can run it and she can throw and stuff, she was born with, it’s just in the genes,” head coach Mike Sather said.

Raye made an immediate impact for the Spartans in her first season which led her to earning multiple scholarship opportunities. She then made the decision to go Division I and commit to the University of Wisconsin.

“It was a pleasant surprise but it wasn’t a total surprise. It was no secret she was going to be a good player,” Sather said.

“I’ve always worked really hard to get to the point where I am today and just seeing my work ethic being paid off and being successful just makes me really proud of myself,” Raye said.

While helping the Spartans, Raye also hopes she can inspire others in the area to dream big.

“Being a small, little community I feel like we’re working together in order to just get our names out there,” Raye said.

“I’ve been coaching 19 years and this is probably the first girl that’s going to go Division I. There’s going to be a lot of younger kids that are going to want to be like Emma, and that’s fantastic,” Sather added.