FSLM Student Profile for April 2026
By Abigail Gold

As spring gets closer, many athletes get ready to start their seasons. One of these athletes is Aniya Arnold, the team captain and shortstop of Arkansas High’s softball team. Already committed to the University of Memphis, she has the drive to lead the Razorbacks to victory.

“I’m . . . the encourager, and I make sure we stay on the right path during practice,” Aniya said. Being the team captain has given Aniya a lot of responsibilities, but she seems to be well prepared for them. “I double check to make sure everything’s cleaned up and just help our coaches out in the best way that I can,” she explained. It’s clear that she takes her role very seriously, which is necessary for the observation and extra time that being a team captain requires.

Aniya not only leads her teammates as captain, but she also leads them in group prayers. “I went to Fellowship [of] Christian Athletes with a few of the girls,” she said. “We don’t only have an emotional bond, but we also have a spiritual bond with one another.” Group prayer can be a unifying experience, and it has clearly helped the Razorback softball team bond. Aniya’s involvement with Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been a big part of her life, and she has used her experiences, training with them at Church on the Rock, to bring her teammates together. “Once a week, I’ll give devotionals to our softball team, and we’ve been working on spreading it throughout the school,” she said.

Aniya doesn’t just curate a spiritual bond with her teammates but also builds them with other students in Arkansas High. “On Tuesdays at our school, we have Fellowship of Christian Students during lunchtime, and I’ve also spoken during that,” she said. Fellowship of Christian Students is a great way to connect students that share a faith, and it’s wonderful that Anyia has helped it grow at her school.

Aniya has committed to the University of Memphis. submitted photo

Aniya keeps a healthy balance that allows her to be active in Fellowship of Christian Students, study for all of her classes, and keep up with her responsibilities to her team. She begins her day with softball, from 7:50 to 8:30 a.m., and then attends practice every afternoon from 3:30 to 5:30. She spends the rest of her day dedicating her time to either church or school work. Her strict time management has allowed her to be fully immersed in what she is doing without sacrificing time from her other commitments. She has been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA, even while taking Advanced Placement courses. Staying focused on one thing at a time helps her retain the information she needs for each of her responsibilities, and it keeps her from having to spend time that should be dedicated to other things rehashing something she already learned. Compartmentalizing and intense focus are skills that take years to develop, so it’s incredible that Aniya has been able to master them and use them to help her stay on top of everything.

While time management has been an important skill for Aniya to develop, she said that her perseverance is her most valuable trait on the field. “Softball is literally a game of failure—like, succeeding 30% of the time is still considered great because you’re meant to fail,” she explained. “But when you learn that failing is a way to help you grow and to improve your perseverance, it’s rewarding in the end.”

It takes a lot of maturity to learn from mistakes and failures rather than being upset about them. Aniya has learned so much from softball, and it’s no wonder that she’s team captain. She has proven that she is an excellent leader in multiple areas, and she’s truly absorbed the lessons that have come from being a softball player.

Abigail Gold is a senior at Texas High School. She is a member of the Tiger Theatre Company with a deep love of art in all its forms. Whether performing, writing, or painting, she’s always looking for a creative outlet.

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Meet Aniya Arnold