Parkside recruit Reese Valha ‘sets the tone’ for Metea Valley. But first she had to reset her confidence.

Softball wasn’t always Reese Valha’s preferred sport.

The Metea Valley senior has played basketball for years, including this past season.

“For most of my life, basketball and softball were always equal,” she said. “It wasn’t until eighth grade that I dropped travel basketball to focus more on softball. I realized it was the sport I could see myself playing in the future, the sport that was the most fun.”

Valha, a utility player in softball, made a good choice. The Parkside recruit batted .431 with a .673 slugging percentage, eight doubles, six home runs, 16 RBIs and 30 runs scored last season, when she was named to the Class 4A all-state third team.

A three-time all-conference pick in the DuPage Valley Conference, Valha is in the midst of another strong start for Metea Valley (1-4). She homered, drove in two runs and scored three times in the Mustangs’ 15-2 victory against Batavia on Tuesday.

Metea Valley softball coach Michaela Paprota said Valha, the team’s leadoff hitter, can make an impact in a variety of ways.

“Reese sets the tone for us on and off the field,” Paprota said. “We’ve moved her around in the order to find the right use for her. She always finds a way to get on base, whether it be a walk, a hard ground ball or a home run. She’s one of our quicker players too. She’s a good overall athlete.”

Valha’s athleticism was affected when she suffered a severe ankle sprain a little more than two years ago. She was sidelined for nearly two months.

“It had a big impact on my playing and mental health,” she said. “I was told sprains are sometimes worse than breaks due to how long they take to heal. After weeks of physical therapy and rest, I was scared to play on it again. When I played softball again, I was scared to slide, was scared to run and just lost a lot of my confidence.”

Valha said she went into a slump.

“I was doubting myself,” she said. “The biggest thing I had to fix was my confidence. I did it by working weekly with my hitting coach and focusing on my approach. Over time, I was able to get past this period by just pushing myself. I got more and more comfortable after each game.”

Metea Valley senior outfielder Morgan Cleveland has grown up watching Valha work her way out of difficult situations.

“She’s one of the most well-rounded and dedicated players that I know,” Cleveland said. “Being able to witness her growth athletically has been a privilege. Her leadership is shown through her commitment to the sport. Her work ethic is genuinely relentless. … Reese sets her own tone of excellence and challenges everyone around her to match it.”

One of Valha’s most memorable moments in sports occurred in basketball. She hit the game-winning shot against Bartlett on Jan. 27. It sealed one of Metea Valley’s five wins.

“I have always had a big passion for basketball, so going into my senior season my goal was to have fun and push myself,” she said. “After hitting the game-winner and playing one of my best seasons, I raised the stakes for myself and used basketball as a motivation to make my last high school softball season count.”

Valha has some goals in mind.

“I’m looking to break a few records this year,” she said. “I really just want to make my mark on the program.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.