Crown Point’s Lexi Howard has earned the benefit of experience.
The senior third baseman has signed with Lakeland, where she also intends to study elementary education to become a teacher. She participates in an internship in a first grade class at Solon Robinson Elementary School, reinforcing her plans.
So Howard’s in a good place.
“I need to be open and have fun,” she said. “It’s my senior year. I just need to relax more than I did last year.”
Howard hit .345 with a homer and 20 RBIs last season, her second as the starting third baseman. But she said a slow start hindered her overall numbers after she hit .341 with five homers and 22 RBIs as a sophomore.
“I put too much pressure on myself,” she said. “I had a good sophomore year, and I put all of that pressure on myself to do even better. That was the struggle of my mindset.
“I definitely want a comeback from last year. Last year was a little rough for me. I definitely want to get my hitting more consistent than it was last year and just be a solid teammate for everyone on the field, being the most communicative one. I like being the loud one on the field.”
Howard certainly enjoys that part of the game.
“I’m definitely screaming and losing my voice half the time,” she said. “I want to be there for everyone. I like being goofy in the dugout and being the one to start the cheers.”
Sophomore outfielder Scarlette Tegtman said she appreciates those qualities in Howard.
“She’s a very good leader,” Tegtman said. “She takes initiative for everything. She’s very good at bringing everybody together. And she’s a really good player, too, just batting and playing third and communicating.”
Howard has exhibited those traits for years, according to Crown Point coach Angie Richwalski.
“Nicest kid in the world,” Richwalski said. “She’s a kid who will do anything that you ask. She’s always looking to pick up equipment — what do you want out, where are we going, what are we doing, what do you need me to do? One-hundred percent of the time. She’s like another assistant coach because she’s so on top of it.
“She’s had that since she was a sophomore. That’s just her personality, looking to help out and looking to be as beneficial as she possibly can in every way. You don’t always get that with kids, especially when they have that level of talent. But she’s just a great kid all the way around.”
Richwalski praised Howard’s defense, too, while noting that Howard’s willingness to help seems to have no bounds.
“She’s been solid since she was a sophomore,” Richwalski said. “Just solid, no surprises. I can remember exactly one play she botched in her entire career. She was playing out of position at first base because she’s the kid I can say, ‘All right, Sydney (Meyer, a 2022 graduate who is a sophomore at Lakeland) has a band concert, can you play first base?’ And she was like, ‘I’ll try, coach. Whatever you want.’ It was inexperience, and that was the one play I can remember her truly messing up, and it was a play she had hardly practiced at first base at all.
“But there was a time she looked at me and went, ‘Do you need me to pitch? Do you want me to take pitching lessons? I’ll do whatever you want.’”
Howard also broached the idea of moving to shortstop this season following the graduation of star Emily Phillips.
“At the beginning of the year, we didn’t know what we were going to do at shortstop — Emily Phillips is a giant hole — and she was like, ‘Do you want me to try? I’ll do it.’ She’s that kid, and she always has been.”
Howard approaches all phases of the game like that.
“Turns out she’s a great bunter too,” Richwalski said. “Who knew? She was stealing bases for us last year — stole nine bases. She’s not a speedster. She’s just ready and willing and will do whatever I ask her to do.
“I’m going to miss her next year. It’s going to be rough.”
Howard has been preparing for next year with her internship. She spends eight hours a week as part of the program.
“I love it,” she said. “The kids are fun. My mentor is amazing. It’s definitely a good program.”
Richwalski said Crown Point seniors have an opportunity to take part in an internship. Of those who have chosen to do so, Howard has taken full advantage.
“She is the one who takes it the most seriously,” Richwalski said. “She’s taking it as seriously as you can and really putting it to good use in terms of what she’s going to do with her career path after she leaves here.”
Howard also wants to make the most of this season. She recalled the Bulldogs reaching a semistate semifinal and losing 1-0 to Penn when she was a sophomore. They lost to Lake Central in a Class 4A regional last year.
“We have a chance of going to semistate again, and we want to redeem ourselves,” Howard said. “We’re all there for each other. We have the same goal in mind: senior year, try to make it as far as I can.
“We’ve really grown as a team this year. Everybody’s tight with each other. Our positive attitudes have been helping this year. All of us can be ourselves. We’ve grown into that.”
