"God Never Quits, So We Should Never Quit."

Those words on Sydney Key's left forearm, etched in her great grandfather's handwriting, is a daily reminder of perseverance for the University of the Ozarks senior softball standout.

"The tattoo has been in inspiration to me because, for one, it is just a reminder that my great grandpa is always with me, even though he isn't here physically," Key said. "I can just look down and be reminded of him. Another reason is the words. I am not a quitter anyway, but most things in life aren't easy. When I look down and read those words, it helps remind me that God is with me every step of the way; that he would never quit, so why should I if I am trying to be an example and live my life the way he did."

Key, a health science and psychology double-major from Lamar, Ark., got the tattoo about a year after her great grandfather, Donald Sims, passed away in December of 2017.

"I never thought of myself as having a tattoo, but that changed after he passed away," Key said. "We were very close and when he died, we were going through their house and I found his Bible and immediately fell in love. I was alone in the room and was amazed about how much time and work he had put into it. There were tons of notes and markings. I was excited and took it to my great grandma and she told me that I could have it; he would've want me to. The more I looked at his Bible, the more I realized that I wanted to do something to help me remember him. Then it hit me; I should get something in his handwriting. I spent months and months looking for the perfect thing he had written, and I finally found it."

Key's never-quit attitude has helped her shine on the softball diamond for the past four years for the Eagles. The 5-foot-8 catcher/third baseman has started since her freshman season. With 119 career games played and career stats of 74 hits, 39 RBIs, 16 doubles, and 6 home runs, she will most likely end up in the program's all-time top 10 in several offensive categories.

Ironically, it's not stats or on-the-field accomplishments that Eagle Softball Coach Denise Godwin mentions first when asked about Key.

"Syd is a very hard-working, dedicated softball player who puts her team's needs before her own," Godwin said. "She is a great teammate and someone who brings a lightness and positivity to the team.  Syd is the go-to person when someone needs a pick-me-up, and most of the time all she needs to do is smile and that will make someone feel better."

Godwin said Key's knowledge of the game and the way she carries herself makes her a natural team leader.

"One of Sydney's strengths is her knowledge of the game, especially from behind the plate," Godwin said. "She can read a batter and know how to attack their weaknesses.  Another strength of hers is the relationships she builds with our pitchers.  She is very attentive to their technique and can pick out when something isn't right.  I would describe Sydney as a silent leader.  While she may not be the loudest on the field, she leads by example.  The way she carries herself and the way she serves her teammates speak loudly."

Despite playing with a lingering hip injury last season, she was off to her best start ever --- batting .361 and slugging .528 --- before her senior season was cut short abruptly after 14 games because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"I had prepared myself all year, knowing it was my last season," Key said. "When the season was ripped away, it honestly broke my heart. I didn't get the chance to break some records that I was on track for and it was just so surreal that it was taken away. When we were first told, it was all so hard to process. After it processed, I just felt empty. I felt like I didn't know who I was anymore because all I had known was to be an athlete. I knew that being labeled as an athlete wasn't the only thing I had going for me, but in that moment that's what it felt like. I felt lost, hurt, and broken."

When the NCAA decided to allow last year's seniors an option for another season, Key said she gave it plenty of thought before deciding to come back for the 2021 season. She said she made the decision based on having to have hip surgery during the summer and needing additional pre-requisites for graduate school.

"This honestly took a lot of thinking and figuring things out," she said. "Initially, this past summer, I intended on going to graduate school, but with me needing surgery and COVID-19, plans changed. Once I sat down and thought about it and knowing that I was in for a long rehab, it made sense to come back and actually get a senior season."

Key, whose family owns Fat Dawgz restaurant in Clarksville, said being raised by a single mother and working almost daily at the family restaurant have helped shape her.

"Growing up with just my mom taught me hard work and that I do not need to depend on anyone," she said. "I was taught independence at a very young age. If I want something done, then I need to find a way and not be dependent on someone else. Growing up with my mom taught me a lot of things, things that I would never change. Working at Fat Dawgz has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me with communication skills. I am naturally a shy person, but when it comes to working in the restaurant business there is no room for shyness. You have to be personable, friendly and display great hospitality. I have learned that you always treat people the same no matter what kind of vibe they give off, because you never know what kind of things they've been going through or what kind of day they've had."

A two-time selection on the American Southwest Conference All-Academic Team, Key is proud of how she has juggled the demands of work,  athletics and academics. She plans to pursue a career in athletic training.

"You just have to stay on top of things like workload and assignments," she said. "The other would be building good relationships with your professors. They can become your best friend or worst enemy when being a student-athlete." Her decision to be an athletic trainer was an easy one.  "I absolutely love helping people, and I love being around sports, so it is a win-win," she said. "When I started brainstorming about what I would like to do with my future, there was never a time that I thought that sports wouldn't be  involved in some way."

Having played softball almost since the time she could walk, Key said she wants to make the most of her second chance at a senior collegiate season. She hopes to stay involved in the sport in the future, either though athletic training or through coaching and providing private lessons.

"It has been a fun and eventful 18 years of being a competitive softball player, but I know it's coming to an end soon," Key said. "I've begun preparing myself to be done with the competitive part of softball. My heart will never be ready for it to be over, but I know I can't play the sport forever. I will never be completely away from the softball, though, which will help a lot. I have been giving private lessons and that will keep me involved. Helping kids grow and improve themselves is what coaching the game is all about. When I see something click with someone I've been working with, it is just an amazing feeling and a huge accomplishment."

By Larry Isch, Director of Public and Media Relations