"Where Are They Now" Laura Baird

Published in the January 12 issue of The Madison County Journal

Laura and husband Will

By Dallas Bordon

Laura Baird Class of 2005

Laura Baird, class of 2005, gave up playing Junior Varsity basketball for the Lady Raiders after two years to concentrate on tennis and softball while at Madison County High School. Her decision paid off in the long run. In her senior season, Laura was named to the All-Northeast Georgia Tennis team. Along with her doubles partner Sarah Tippins, Baird was named to the number one doubles first team. Baird and Tippins held a 19-2 record and helped the Lady Raiders capture their fourth region championship in five years and held a perfect 12-0 record in region play. Laura played under current coach Keith Strickland. Strickland, who coaches both girls and boys teams at Madison County, has his Raiders in the state playoffs with one or both teams often.

Laura Baird recalls her favorite moment in high school sports occurring during her freshman year. Baird, a 2004 All-Northeast Georgia First Team selection for class AAAA in softball, remembers her Lady Raiders (at that time in class triple “A”) placing second in the state class AAA tournament. Upon their arrival back to the high school from the state tournament in Columbus, Baird recalls seeing the lights on at Raider field and much to her surprise, people in the community had gathered there to celebrate the team’s success, complete with roses and balloons. Under the direction of Coach Doug Kesler, Laura received class AAAA All-State Honorable Mention. Baird holds the school record for most career doubles (28) and singles season doubles (18). Laura credits coach Kesler for much of her success at the plate. “Coach Kesler instilled a confidence in me that I was going to get a hit and he often let me swing away in critical times in a game,” said Baird. Kesler, who continues to coach the Lady Raiders, led his girls to a second place finish in state quad “A” this past season.

Baird graduated from Valdosta State University and was actively involved with intramural sports. She is currently living in Fitzgerald, Georgia with her husband Will and Bailey their dog. Laura teaches kindergarten at Ben Hill Primary School and hopes to one day coach softball for the Fitzgerald High School Hurricanes.