Katie Channell can remember hitting plastic softballs with her father in the backyard when she was 4 years old, her first home run when she was 10, and realizing she might have a shot at playing in college when she was a high school freshman.

On Wednesday, Warren Central’s senior first baseman had another day to remember when signed a letter of intent to play next season at Itawamba Community College.

“It’s a great opportunity. I’ve been dreaming of this since I was hitting little plastic balls in the backyard with my dad,” Channell said, smiling. “I plan to go all the way until somebody literally tells me I have to stop playing.”

No one associated with Warren Central’s program is about to tell her to stop, or even do much different than she did last season.

The 6-foot slugger hit .443 with four doubles and 15 RBIs last season. As a sophomore, she hit .339 with two home runs, six doubles and 22 RBIs as she emerged as one of the Lady Vikes’ most dangerous hitters.

Channell said it was the summer between her freshman and sophomore season when she first felt like she could play at the next level.

“I started going to hitting lessons with some big-time people and got in tune with my body and strength,” she said. “I just started having fun with it. It’s my safe haven. It gets me away from everything.”

Her father, though, always figured she was born to be a ballplayer. Joe Channell said his daughter had a passion for the sport from an early age and never grew out of it. He signed her up for her first tournament team when she was 9, and she’s been playing nearly year-round ever since.

Katie currently plays for the Mississippi Motion 97 travel team, which has played and won tournaments in Florida, South Dakota, Maine, Missouri and a number of other states over the years.

“The first tournament game she saw, she played, and she’s been playing first base ever since,” Joe Channell said. “When we got to the junior high stage and the Mississippi Elite wanted her to come play for them, that’s when we said she’s playing college ball. We quit all the other sports and focused on that because we figured she had a future with this.”

Katie Channell said she had offers from most of Mississippi’s junior colleges, as well as NAIA program Faulkner University in Alabama, but the chance to be part of a winning program at Itawamba swayed her decision. Itawamba has won three consecutive MACJC North Division championships and finished last season ranked No. 11 in the country.

“I had multiple offers, but Itawamba has an excellent total program. They have a championship program and the campus is amazing. It felt like home,” Channell said, adding that she was looking forward to the challenge and experience of playing at the next level. “It’s scary. I’m finally going to be on my own. But it’s going to be a great experience. I just hope I can keep it going.”