- “She just brings another dynamic to what we’re trying to do..."
- Highland Baptist's senior catcher, Rylee Gutherie, is the first female athlete to join 'The Home Team,' an NIL partnership made up of local athletes staying in state to pursue their sport.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A local law firm is entering into its third year of NIL partnerships with local high school and college athletes, who wish to stay in-state. KATC's Anna Fischer spoke with the first female athlete, who was offered one of these deals.
“It’s definitely groundbreaking because you know—the first girl—and I would love to represent Iberia Parish cause it’s just a lovely community," said Highland Baptist Christian School's Rylee Gutherie.
Gutherie has been playing varsity softball since 7th-grade. Graduating as one of three salutatorians for Highland Baptist, with a commitment to play D1 ball at Baton Rouge Community College, 'The Home Team' fit her perfectly.
“'The Home Team’ is a catchphrase we came up with when we started the NIL partnerships with local athletes,” said Eric Haik of the New Iberia-based law firm, Haik, Minvielle, Grubbs & D’albor.
KATC's Iberia Parish reporter sat down with Haik to ask him: Why Rylee? “I was at the grocery store two months ago and ran into her mom," explained Haik, "and the light bulb just went off and said ‘She’s the one.’”
Under her NIL agreement, Rylee receives compensation for letting the firm promote her ‘name, image, and likeness as a local athlete, bringing exposure to her and the firm.
“She just brings another dynamic to what we’re trying to do," said Haik, "and we were really looking for an athlete that positively impacted her sport, and Rylee fit that mold.”
Interested in pursuing a career in business, Rylee said this experience has also helped expose her to "that world." "We did interviews and photo shoots, and it was really fun cause it was a taste of what a media day would look like in college.”
With college ball right around the corner, and her freshman academic year already complete, Highland Baptist's softball coach, Jody Suire, says they will miss her leadership.
"Just her determination and will to get better, and her striving to be better at her sport...is a testament to who she is.” Rylee graduated on Thursday night, alongside her Highland Baptist classmates.
