Alcoa's Halle Bailey following mom's famed footsteps to Tennessee softball team
ALCOA, Tenn. (WATE) — Like most high school athletes, Alcoa softball star and University of Tennessee commit Halle Bailey is competitive.
'When deciding to go to Tennessee, it was like, 'Mom played there.' So I didn't want to go there at first,' Bailey explained. 'But then I was like, 'Why not try to be better than her?''
That's a tall task for Halle. Sarah Fekete Bailey was a four-year starter at Tennessee and is one of just two Lady Vol softball players to have her jersey retired. But don't be surprised if Halle joins mom in the outfield soon.
Twins carry on Leach family legacy as third and fourth sisters to play softball at Tennessee
'She's actually a lot more talented than I was at her age,' said Sarah Fekete Bailey. 'She has a lot more athleticism than I ever thought about having.'
That talent brought Halle to Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City at just 12 years old, the same place where her mom led the Lady Vols to their first ever College World Series appearance back in 2005.
'They have their headshot on the board,' said Sarah Bailey. 'It was just surreal that I was able to do that 10, 12 years before that. Just seeing her become her own identity in this sport is pretty cool.'
So when it came to choosing a college, mom thought Halle would create her own identity at another school.
'I was for sure that she wasn't going to go to Tennessee because of me,' said Sarah Fekete Bailey.
However, that wasn't the case.
'I did not want to go to Tennessee at all because everyone thought I was going to go to Tennessee, but then I got there and I was getting goosebumps all over my arms,' said Halle Bailey. 'I knew this is where I'm meant to be. I can go cheer for a team I've cheered for my whole life.'
Tennessee offers official jerseys, game gear at 2025 athletics inventory sale
'Mama's glad,' smiled Sarah Bailey. 'My blood runs orange. I'll get to see a lot more games this way.'
Before mom watches Halle from the stands, she's with her on the field as head coach of the Alcoa High School softball team.
'Before I started coaching her her freshman year, we actually went out to what I call a 'peace dinner' and it should have been a sign of what was to come when the fire alarms started to go off the whole meal,' joked Sarah Bailey. 'I was like, 'If this is what it's going to be like, it may be a bad sign.' But it's actually been a really cool experience.'
'She's got a double whammy because I'm also assistant principal at the high school, so it's not just on the softball field,' her mom joked.
CONTINUING COVERAGE: University of Tennessee Athletics
Right now, Halle is reminded of who her mom is in the hallways and on the diamond. But soon she will be reminded on Rocky Top.
'I don't think that she sees it as a competitive thing,' said Sarah Bailey. 'I just think she wants to do the best that she can.'
However moms don't know everything.
'Just seeing her jersey on the wall just makes me want to be better than her,' smiled Halle Bailey.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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