Moon continues to lead Raiders on and off the field

KANSAS – It's all she has ever known. Since the age of two, Lakota's Lexi Moon has been swinging a bat and had a ball in her hand.Now a senior, she will be the softball program's first to continue on collegiately at Division III Heidelberg University in softball. "She is definitely a leader with the group of girls we have," Lakota coach Abby Brickner said. "All of the girls look up to her and trust her. They take the advice she gives them very well and Lexi is definitely one of the girls I can go to with anything I need."Her strong work ethic in the sport comes from being in the sport for the last 16 years. The stats don't lie: she is second in the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division for hits at 37, and has a batting average of .514. Lakota is currently 11-10 overall.Moon has played on travel teams since she was seven and has competed in various tournaments throughout the country. "I think just finding the fun in the game," Moon said. "It was fun when I was two and its still fun at 18. I think just finding the fun in the game and remembering that it is just that at the end of the day."That gives her the motivation and inspiration to keep playing ball.Over her four years at Lakota, Moon has been a four-year starter, playing shortstop and her humbleness is something that can't be coached. Her range at shortstop and the ability to make plays shows the experience from playing softball for so long."She is great at that," Brickner said. "She doesn't step on the field with negativity; she always comes to the games and practices with positivity, and there is no better feeling than that. She is the one that we can count on and I am going to miss her."The Raiders will need to have that mindset when they face off against Margaretta at Clyde today in Division VI district semifinals play at 4 p.m."I have been very fortunate with the team that is around me," Moon said. "Being able to work with great leadership and great upperclassmen over the years has helped me become the leader out on the field that I am. It's been amazing for me."Moon has embraced the role of leader, both on and off the field. On the field, she is trying to teach three ideals: how to be a leader, how to be a great communicator, and the finer details about the game. "I think they are really adjusting to us," Moon said about the younger players. "I can do my job to be a great leader and a great role model, so I hope at the end of the day, I hope they think past softball."For Moon, some of the standout moments over the years include the pep up in the dugouts, the conversations on the bus rides and great talks post game."Being able to enjoy each and every one of those moments is special," Moon said. "There are so many that I can't just pinpoint one. These girls are a great group of girls and amazing. They are like family to me."When it came to college commitment, there was only one college that she felt at home at, and that happened to be Heidelberg in Tiffin. "I started the recruiting process with them my sophomore year during a visit to campus," Moon recalled. "Multiple times, I have spoken with the coaches there and it just felt like home. It's always sad when the high school chapter is done, but moving on and playing another four years to a place that I love so much means a lot."Moon is double majoring in sports management and business administration, which the decision was influenced by her being in sports so young."My love for sports is off the charts," Moon said. "I kind of didn't know of a specific career I wanted to go into, still don't, but I knew I wanted to do something in sports. Those majors are geared towards that. Being able to continue my love for sports and use that to help future generations is important to me."