Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Mariah Myers of St. Edmond, the 2023-24 Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota Messenger area female athlete of the year, holds her trophy on Monday after the presentation by Matt Johnson, Fort Dodge Ford Dealer and Director of Happiness. Pictured with Myers are Johnson and his wife, Abigail; their children, Isabella and Max; and Fort Dodge Messenger Sports Editor Eric Pratt.

When St. Edmond softball coach Bill Shirbroun was asked what seemed to be an obvious question about junior standout Mariah Myers, he answered with an unlikely response.

Sure, adding a player the caliber of Myers only helped bolster the Gaels on the field. It’s the intangibles, though, that Shirbroun appreciated most about Myers in her first year at St. Edmond.

Myers, a Gael senior-to-be and a University of Iowa softball commit, was named the 2024 Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota Messenger Area Female Athlete of the Year. She was presented her award on Monday in the Fort Dodge Ford office by Dealer and Director of Happiness Matt Johnson with her family in attendance.

“Mariah just makes your entire program better,” Shirbroun said. “She has this quality about her that everyone reacts positively to. She’s an exceptional athlete, but an even better person, and as a teammate, you just want to try and give it everything you have because you know she is doing just that.

“Having Mariah in our program makes us that much better both on and off the field. She is the definition of a true leader.”

Myers had an award-winning campaign for the Gaels this past summer on the diamond, helping them to a North Central Conference championship, a Class 1A regional title and a fourth-place finish at state.

As an individual, she earned unanimous all-league, all-district and all-state status after hitting .623 with 14 home runs, 13 doubles, 44 runs scored, 35 RBI and 23 steals. She had a slugging percentage of 1.449 and an on-base of .732 with a fielding percentage of .939.

Myers was first in the entire state among all players in on-base and slugging, third in batting average and fourth in homers. She did not strike out once.

Shirbroun knew all about Myers long before she reached the high school level. He was her coach at an early age and has also worked with her father, Bill Myers, who is currently an assistant with St. Edmond.

“It helped a lot that I knew (Coach Shirbroun) and a lot of the girls (before arriving at St. Edmond),” Myers said. “I grew up playing with a lot of them (with Freedom Fastpitch), so it felt like we never skipped a beat and that made the adjustment very easy.

“Bill was also my very first softball coach, so there wasn’t much of an adjustment period.”

Myers played for Fort Dodge Senior High as an eighth grader and a freshman, earning all-state status while helping the Dodgers to a Class 5A title and a runner-up finish. Before her sophomore season, she decided to not play at the high school level, focusing her attention on Iowa Premier.

“When I chose to not play high school (in 2023), I wasn’t planning on playing again (at the prep level),” Myers said. “Playing high school softball in Iowa is one of the most fun things, though, especially with state tournament being at home. I’m very happy with the decisions my family and I have made.

“Getting to play in front of my family and friends is the best, so I wouldn’t want to have it any other way. Also with that, I get to represent my town and school. which is exciting and important to me. I get to lead girls that are wanting to learn and be someone for little kids to look up to, which is one of my favorite parts.”

It will also provide Myers with a unique opportunity next summer as her sister, Nana, joins the Gael softball program.

“I’m so excited for my senior year,” Myers said. “My sister will be in eighth-grade so I will get the chance to be on the same team as her. That doesn’t happen often.”

Myers placed second at state track and field this past spring in the 1A shot put, and qualified in the discus as well. She also competed at the Drake Relays in discus.