MOSES LAKE – For Allison Stanley, sports have been a part of her life ever since she could walk, she said. She played every sport one could think of. Even dirt bike racing, but she wound up falling in love with softball, she said.  

“It was just the competitiveness, and you had to fight for everything. It wasn't just handed to you. You had to win every at-bat, and just that competitive edge that I always got from softball and how I'm always chasing to be better,” Stanley said.  

This year, Stanley will be transferring to play for the Wenatchee Valley College Knights softball team. According to her, many of her experiences in softball have prepared her to be successful for the Knights.  

Growing up, Stanley spent a lot of time playing for the Moses Lake Rattlers, coached by Lisa Lawrence. Lawrence holds Stanley in high regard when it comes to her abilities on and off the field.  

“She's probably one of the most talented athletes I've seen in a long time. She's truly gifted. She's very principled and has this tremendous work ethic to match her talent,” Lawrence said.  

When she reached Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School, Stanley remained a multi-sport athlete. She played basketball for MLCA and softball for the Moses Lake High School Mavericks.  

Over the course of four years, Stanley built up a strong resume as a recruiting prospect. She earned first team All-League her junior and senior seasons for softball and Defensive Player of the Year her junior season. In basketball, she earned second-team All-League honors her senior season. Once she was an upperclassman, it was time to look at options for colleges.  

According to Stanley, a lot of the attention she was getting from colleges was from across the country. However, she wasn’t interested in moving far away from home, she said. She said that at that time, her mom, Alecia, was battling stage four breast cancer. So, she ultimately signed with Big Bend Community College to play for the Vikings softball team.  

“I just couldn't be away from her,” Stanley said. “Especially while she's going through that, I wanted to be there to help with my younger sister, who was still young and still in sports, and my dad was obviously taking care of my mom. So, I just wanted to be there for my family.” 

Stanley took what she called a “leap of faith” because BBCC’s softball programs had seen some challenges, including a cancelled season due to injuries and other factors during her senior year in high school. To her, she saw an opportunity to help rebuild the program she had grown up watching. 

“I've been around that program since I was walking,” Stanley said. 

Before she arrived on campus, the head coach at the time departed from the Vikings softball program and the majority of the roster left too, she said. Shortly after, they had to cancel their season.  

In the spring of 2024, Lawrence reached out to Stanley and invited her to be an assistant coach for the Royal Knights' upcoming softball season since her college season was canceled.  

Lawrence said Stanley made for a natural fit in a coaching role.  

“Even though she was young, and close to the girl's age, Ali has this natural gift of leadership and intent. She does everything with really good intent, and I think she can be funny and have fun while playing, too. But you know, she'll be the hardest one working on the field,” Lawrence said.  

Stanley aided the Knights to a state championship in 2024. After another Vikings season had to be canceled, she returned to the Royal program to help coach again last spring.  

Coaching for a high school team was a valuable learning experience, Stanley said. She noticed different aspects of the game from the dugout that she hadn’t before when she was normally on the field. Her knowledge of the game expanded, and she gained a lot of insight on positions she never played before – like pitching.  

“I was never a pitcher or a catcher, so I really improved on my softball IQ, and learning what a pitcher is going to throw in each situation, what a catcher is going to do when there's a runner on first or third, what a pitcher might tend to throw if there's a runner on first or third, just all the situations that I would have never known,” Stanley said.  

Stanley said she feels these experiences will help her contribute to her new team in a unique way, this upcoming year. She holds her relationship to God in high regard, which helped her decide that it was time to move on from BBCC and find a new program. After looking around at programs in Washington, she landed at WVC.  

“I reached out to Coach Iris (Rodriguez), and really liked the program, what she had to say, and she gave me a really good offer,” Stanley said. “I really felt that God was leading me to a new part of my life and in a new part of Washington, instead of where I grew up and what I known and told me to take this leap of faith and go try something new.”  

She was looking for a program that offered a strong team and coaching staff, but most importantly, a supportive community. Stanley said softball has been an important outlet for her.  

As her mom battled her way to remission, softball remained a safe space for her to grow. According to her, she felt a desire to push herself in softball since she felt unable to help her mom get better. She pushed herself to earn the opportunity to attend WVC and work toward a four-year school in the future.  

“I'm really excited to step into Wenatchee and just help all the girls around me. I want to be that person that people can lean on and I'm excited to push myself, because ultimately, I want to go play at a four-year school and just try to work as hard as I can, trusting God and pushing myself to that next step in my life,” Stanley said.  

    Allison Stanley, a WVC commit, coaching during a game for the Royal Knight softball team. Stanley joined the Knights as an assistant coach after her seasons with the Big Bend Vikings got canceled.
  

    Lady Lions alum, Allison Stanley, looking to pass during a basketball game her junior year. Stanley graduated from Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School in 2023 but also played softball for the Moses Lake Mavericks.
  

    Allison Stanley, a former assistant coach for the Knights, during a practice. Knights Head Coach, Lisa Lawrence, said Stanley was a natural fit in a coaching role and coached with intent.
  

    Former Mavericks player, Allison Stanley during a game when she played for the team. Stanley earned Defensive Player of the Year her junior season and first team All-League her junior and senior seasons.
  

    Former Mavericks player, Allison Stanley, hits a line drive during a previous game with the team. Stanley committed to Big Bend Community College so that she could remain close to home while playing softball.
  

    Allison Stanley, a former assistant coach for the Knights, talks with a player at first base. Stanley said she learned a lot watching the game from a coach's perspective rather than a player.