07 Sep 2025 Youth of the Month: Kylee Branscum

By Rita Halter Thomas

Beauty, brains and a beast on the field. That quickly sums up Kylee Branscum of Mayflower. And she’s all that. This driven perfectionist pushes herself to be the best she can be on- and off-the-field. She not only has received several awards for her athletic prowess, but she also graduated with a 4.16 GPA and was the salutatorian for the Mayflower High School Class of 2025.

After the Lady Eagles recently earned their first 3A fastpitch state championship, Kylee was awarded the Arkansas High School Fastpitch Coaches Association Class 3A Player of the Year. Add that to All-Star Player, All-Conference, three All-State and two All-State Tournament awards. A quick internet search returns lists of articles and accolades for her sports savvy and stats, including her performance on the volleyball court and her academic achievements.

So, outside all that, who is Kylee Branscum? What drives and inspires her? Who does she aspire to become?

She is the 18-year-old daughter of Gary and Brittney Branscum of Mayflower, and big sister to 12-year-old Kynlee Branscum. Her grandparents are Will and Laurie Green, David and Janet Hoover, Brenda Ogden and Joel and Brenda Branscum. 

Born and raised in Mayflower, Kylee started playing softball in kindergarten. “I always wanted to play because my dad played ‘old man’ slow-pitch softball. I’d always go to his games when I was younger and run around the ballfield,” she said. She credits her dad for his influence and helping her develop into the player she is today.

“We butt heads a lot because we’re too similar, but he’s been my coach for the majority of my life and, as much as I hate to admit it, he’s a really good coach,” she said. “He taught me to be the player I am now through the fundamentals and the mental aspects of the game.” 

At 7 years old, Kylee was invited to play on tournament teams. She stuck with tournament ball until she reached high school. She is also a pretty salty volleyball player, with two All-Conference awards. She started playing in the seventh grade and earned a spot on the varsity team as a freshman. Even so, softball is her passion, and she signed with Arkansas State University–Newport earlier this year. 

Kylee excels academically as well. She loves anything in math and science. She has maintained all A’s and graduated with honors. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club, Gifted & Talented, and served on the Student Council for two years.

While Kylee found inspiration in her dad, she says she is highly self-motivated and driven from within. “It sounds a little corny, but [motivation] also comes from within me. I’m very critical of myself. I hate losing. If I’m not good at something, I’m the person who will work at it, even if I hate it, because I don’t like not being good at something,” she said.

Coach Jeff Hill agrees, saying Kylee is a perfectionist. “She has lessons all the time, pitching lessons and hitting lessons. That’s outside our practices. And then she’d ask me to stay after and practice,” he said. “She already had the best batting average in the state last year, but she just wants to continue to get better and better.” Outside of softball, Hill said even on the bus on the way to games, Kylee was always working on her homework, whether an art project or something for one of her AP classes. “She also worked the whole time, so she had a job. She stayed busy, but she continued to work as hard as she could to get as good as she could,” he said, adding that she expects a lot of herself. 

“[Kylee] is a quiet person, so she’s not like the loud leader. She would lead by example, for sure,” Hill said. He touted her as the lead hitter, reiterating her batting average, but also credited her as an outfielder. “In my 23 years’ coaching, she’s the best outfielder I’ve ever had, without question. She just goes all out every single time,” he said. Hill stressed that Kylee didn’t just become that athlete. She worked at it. She put in the time to perfect the little things and that is a big part of what set her apart.

Kylee admits to wearing her emotions but works hard to manage them so they don’t affect her gameplay. “That’s the mental aspect of the game,” she said.

What does she aspire to? She’d like to travel all over the world, experience different places and learn about different cultures. One day, she’d like to open her own interior design business with a workshop so she can design custom interiors and furniture.

What advice would Kylee give others? “Don’t let other people’s thoughts and opinions dictate how you see yourself.”

Kylee Branscum. She is all that, and more. And when she sets her mind to something, she means business.