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Jul. 3—CHAMPAIGN — Haley Helm couldn't tie her shoes yet.
Which is why she was wearing slip-on heels and carrying a purse when she and her mom walked into a building in Mahomet.
The reason: to start taking softball pitching lessons from Steve Tarrant. Tarrant is the father of former Mahomet-Seymour standout Alie Tarrant, who won The News-Gazette's All-Area softball Player of the Year in 2013.
Little did Steve realize on that day a decade ago, he would start helping another promising young talent with her own pitching.
Kara Helm was just hoping they would teach her 6-year-old daughter a bit about the craft and not kick them out before Haley threw her first pitch.
"I will never forget the look on his face when we walked in," Kara said with a laugh now. "He looked over at me thinking, 'Surely, this is not the child that you messaged me about?' But Haley steps into the lane where they were going to be working and for the two of them, it was like love at first sight. She wowed him. He was the instrumental piece in getting her to start and prepare her for the next step in her pitching career."
A pitching career and softball career that has blossomed since. Haley is more than a decade removed from first learning to pitch with a skill set unlike any other that has walked through the hallways at Champaign Central. The 2025 News-Gazette All-Area softball Player of the Year is the 2026 News-Gazette All-Area softball Player of the Year after putting together another impressive season in what has become the norm for Haley.
She not only delivered in the pitcher's circle by posting a 26-3 record with a 1.34 earned run average, 319 strikeouts and only 30 walks in 183 1/3 innings pitched this season. But also in the batter's box by producing a .511 average with 18 home runs, 53 RBI, a .656 on-base percentage, a 1.267 slugging percentage and 33 walks. All while helping Central post a 30-5-1 record this season for the most wins in a single season in Central softball history to go along with an outright Big 12 Conference title and a second straight Class 3A regional championship.
Central first-year coach Justice Miller understands what she gets each time she writes Haley's name in the lineup.
"Haley is the heart of our program," Miller said.
Getting an early start
Kaitlyn Helm remembers the first time she noticed her younger sister pitching.
Wearing those same heels she wore to her initial pitching lesson and a skirt while Kaitlyn played a youth soccer game at Dodds Park in Champaign.
"She just started pitching into a tree," Kaitlyn said with a laugh.
"Me being the observant parent that I was, I didn't even realize she wasn't near me," Kara added with a grin. "I had somebody hit me in the shoulder and say, 'Haley is off in the corner pitching.' I stopped, looked and said, 'Huh. She might have something.'"
Kara grew up playing softball, suiting up for Central all four years of her high school career before she graduated in 1994. The Maroons had decent success during Kara's time in high school, culminating with a 14-12 record during her senior season.
But nothing like what her two daughters have helped the Maroons accomplish. Especially since she didn't think either of her daughters would turn into softball players, let alone accomplished ones.
"She wanted us to do anything else besides softball," Kaitlyn said with a laugh. "She was hoping we were going to be dancers."
What did Haley think of dancing when she was younger?
"It was awful," she said.
Kaitlyn is two years older than Haley and is a 2025 Central graduate. A four-year starter with the Maroons, she was an instrumental part of Central winning a 3A regional title last season for the program's first piece of IHSA hardware in 44 years.
Of course, Haley was, too.
"I've always known how good she was going to be," said Kaitlyn, who is playing softball now in college at Parkland and helped the hometown Cobras reach the NJCAA Division II World Series this season. "Even when I was there at Central, I would yell at her sometimes because I knew she could do better. I know how much she can do. I know what she's capable of."
Finding a college home
Which is quite a lot. Her prodigious power numbers and eye-popping pitching statistics prove that point. Which is also why Division I colleges took note of the hard-throwing right-hander who has stymied nearly every opponent she has faced upon entering high school.
Haley will continue playing softball once her time at Central ends after the 2027 season. She verbally committed to James Madison on Dec. 21 before announcing it publicly via social media on New Year's Day to start 2026.
The Dukes went 27-24 this past season, but gained national prominence behind the pitching of Odicci Alexander and made a surprise trip to the Women's College World Series in 2021. A trip that a young Haley took note of.
But a trip Haley didn't literally want to take this past winter when the Helms scheduled a visit to check out James Madison and its campus in Harrisonburg, Va., in early December. Mainly because she's a family-oriented person and a roughly 10-hour car ride from Champaign to Harrisonburg didn't sound like a great time.
"The long distance scared me, but ever since my mom made me go on that visit, I just fell in love with James Madison," said Haley, who had also received interest from Butler, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, Kent State, Murray State and Southern Indiana. "I knew everybody would take care of me, and that I would be OK."
The recruiting process for Haley differed from what Kaitlyn went through because Kaitlyn knew she wanted to stay close to Champaign, play for Parkland and still get a chance to watch Haley's games at Central.
Kara would receive notifications on her phone about any videos of Haley that college coaching staffs would look at.
"James Madison had watched a lot of her videos. They must have blown my phone up in a week period about 100 times just getting notifications that they were looking at her videos," Kara said. "She went on other visits prior to James Madison, and it was a good time for us because it was primarily just the two of us. She would feel something on those visits, but it wasn't everything she thought she should feel. When she went to James Madison, it checked every box and boxes she hadn't even considered."
Dad's perspective
Larry Helm admits he wasn't a sports guy growing up. Kaitlyn and Haley's dad fully points in the direction of his wife for their daughter's softball prowess.
But he is enjoying the ride softball has taken the family on recently.
"It's really been phenomenal," he said. "I just love watching them do stuff I never even dreamed about. It fills my heart knowing that we've raised both of them to not take anything for granted and to have the support of their team."
Even if he didn't grow up around softball, the sport is usually on in the Helm household this summer watching Athletes Unlimited pro softball games.
"Because that's the only thing we can agree upon," Larry joked.
Like his oldest daughter and his wife, Larry realized early on Haley could turn into a special player. Haley was 8 years old, but got invited to play with a 12U Premier Fastpitch team started by Dan and Kristi Paulson. The former co-coaches at Parkland are now the co-coaches at Eastern Illinois.
"Dan and Kristi told us that she would pitch occasionally, but nothing too much," Larry said. "Then she ended up pitching the whole season. It was unbelievable."
Making them relevant
Much like the unbelievable rise of Central softball with a Helm on its roster. The Maroons posted a 15-11 record in 1995, one year after Kara graduated, but then sustained 27 consecutive losing seasons. Since Haley arrived as a freshman, Central is 71-21-2 and has never had a losing season.
"It's unbelievable in a community the size of Champaign that some sports don't take off more than they do," Kara said. "Watching them grow up and developing and seeing the potential they have and then being able to participate in a school atmosphere, they can really bring attention to the sport, and they're able to bring that attention back to the community."
Not only did Haley thrive again in 2026 with Central, she did so without Kaitlyn as a teammate.
"It was definitely different," Haley said. "I've played with her for 11 years in my softball career. She's always been there by my side, and she's always the person I'll go talk to first. We were each other's throwing partners. Now, we're just watching each other in the stands. I don't like it, but we all have to grow up."
Central junior catcher Grace Bandy has gotten used to seeing the dominance Haley has from the pitcher's circle. Her variety of pitches — fastball, changeup, curveball, screwball and riseball — continues to baffle opposing hitters.
Her competitive nature certainly helps, too.
"Haley is like the sweetest person ever, and she's kind of shy outside of softball, but in softball, she's almost like a whole different person," Bandy said. "She has a different confidence about herself. Sometimes, she's a little scary. When she gets mad and she's pitching, she'll stand there and give you a look. It's like that evil mother look where you know you need to shut up. One of those."
The journey continues
Haley threw a five-inning, one-hit shutout for Central in its 10-0 win against Urbana on May 23 to win a regional title in Mahomet, a game that foreshadowed what was to come in her final two games of the season. She hit a two-run home run and was walked in her other three plate appearances.
Three days later, she hit another two-run home run and was intentionally walked in her other three plate appearances while throwing a complete game in a 3-1 victory against Normal U-High in a 3A sectional semifinal game in Lincoln. Two days after that postseason win, she never got to swing the bat against Washington in the sectional championship game on May 28 in Lincoln. The Panthers walked her intentionally in all four plate appearances.
"I've always been told that being intentionally walked is a sign of respect, but to me, I just see it as me not being able to help my team," Haley said. "In the sectional title game, there were plenty of times that we had girls on base and less than two outs, but I couldn't help my team. It annoys me so much, but I understand. All it takes is one pitch."
Which is what Washington took advantage of when Sophie Walker hit a three-run home run off Helm with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to give Washington an eventual 3-2 victory.
The season ended for Haley and the rest of the Maroons that day in late May, but her softball journey continues. A summer full of travel tournaments across the country. Then the fall and winter getting ready for her last season at Central.
If it's anything like her first three, then Haley is in for an epic conclusion. Kaitlyn, Kara and Larry are there to enjoy the moments.
"I'm so proud of both of these girls," Kara said. "It's incredible to see where their ability has gotten them to. If they stop playing softball tomorrow, I might be a little sad, but this is their adventure. They've got to live it how they see fit."
Continue reading...
Which is why she was wearing slip-on heels and carrying a purse when she and her mom walked into a building in Mahomet.
The reason: to start taking softball pitching lessons from Steve Tarrant. Tarrant is the father of former Mahomet-Seymour standout Alie Tarrant, who won The News-Gazette's All-Area softball Player of the Year in 2013.
Little did Steve realize on that day a decade ago, he would start helping another promising young talent with her own pitching.
Kara Helm was just hoping they would teach her 6-year-old daughter a bit about the craft and not kick them out before Haley threw her first pitch.
"I will never forget the look on his face when we walked in," Kara said with a laugh now. "He looked over at me thinking, 'Surely, this is not the child that you messaged me about?' But Haley steps into the lane where they were going to be working and for the two of them, it was like love at first sight. She wowed him. He was the instrumental piece in getting her to start and prepare her for the next step in her pitching career."
A pitching career and softball career that has blossomed since. Haley is more than a decade removed from first learning to pitch with a skill set unlike any other that has walked through the hallways at Champaign Central. The 2025 News-Gazette All-Area softball Player of the Year is the 2026 News-Gazette All-Area softball Player of the Year after putting together another impressive season in what has become the norm for Haley.
She not only delivered in the pitcher's circle by posting a 26-3 record with a 1.34 earned run average, 319 strikeouts and only 30 walks in 183 1/3 innings pitched this season. But also in the batter's box by producing a .511 average with 18 home runs, 53 RBI, a .656 on-base percentage, a 1.267 slugging percentage and 33 walks. All while helping Central post a 30-5-1 record this season for the most wins in a single season in Central softball history to go along with an outright Big 12 Conference title and a second straight Class 3A regional championship.
Central first-year coach Justice Miller understands what she gets each time she writes Haley's name in the lineup.
"Haley is the heart of our program," Miller said.
Getting an early start
Kaitlyn Helm remembers the first time she noticed her younger sister pitching.
Wearing those same heels she wore to her initial pitching lesson and a skirt while Kaitlyn played a youth soccer game at Dodds Park in Champaign.
"She just started pitching into a tree," Kaitlyn said with a laugh.
"Me being the observant parent that I was, I didn't even realize she wasn't near me," Kara added with a grin. "I had somebody hit me in the shoulder and say, 'Haley is off in the corner pitching.' I stopped, looked and said, 'Huh. She might have something.'"
Kara grew up playing softball, suiting up for Central all four years of her high school career before she graduated in 1994. The Maroons had decent success during Kara's time in high school, culminating with a 14-12 record during her senior season.
But nothing like what her two daughters have helped the Maroons accomplish. Especially since she didn't think either of her daughters would turn into softball players, let alone accomplished ones.
"She wanted us to do anything else besides softball," Kaitlyn said with a laugh. "She was hoping we were going to be dancers."
What did Haley think of dancing when she was younger?
"It was awful," she said.
Kaitlyn is two years older than Haley and is a 2025 Central graduate. A four-year starter with the Maroons, she was an instrumental part of Central winning a 3A regional title last season for the program's first piece of IHSA hardware in 44 years.
Of course, Haley was, too.
"I've always known how good she was going to be," said Kaitlyn, who is playing softball now in college at Parkland and helped the hometown Cobras reach the NJCAA Division II World Series this season. "Even when I was there at Central, I would yell at her sometimes because I knew she could do better. I know how much she can do. I know what she's capable of."
Finding a college home
Which is quite a lot. Her prodigious power numbers and eye-popping pitching statistics prove that point. Which is also why Division I colleges took note of the hard-throwing right-hander who has stymied nearly every opponent she has faced upon entering high school.
Haley will continue playing softball once her time at Central ends after the 2027 season. She verbally committed to James Madison on Dec. 21 before announcing it publicly via social media on New Year's Day to start 2026.
The Dukes went 27-24 this past season, but gained national prominence behind the pitching of Odicci Alexander and made a surprise trip to the Women's College World Series in 2021. A trip that a young Haley took note of.
But a trip Haley didn't literally want to take this past winter when the Helms scheduled a visit to check out James Madison and its campus in Harrisonburg, Va., in early December. Mainly because she's a family-oriented person and a roughly 10-hour car ride from Champaign to Harrisonburg didn't sound like a great time.
"The long distance scared me, but ever since my mom made me go on that visit, I just fell in love with James Madison," said Haley, who had also received interest from Butler, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, Kent State, Murray State and Southern Indiana. "I knew everybody would take care of me, and that I would be OK."
The recruiting process for Haley differed from what Kaitlyn went through because Kaitlyn knew she wanted to stay close to Champaign, play for Parkland and still get a chance to watch Haley's games at Central.
Kara would receive notifications on her phone about any videos of Haley that college coaching staffs would look at.
"James Madison had watched a lot of her videos. They must have blown my phone up in a week period about 100 times just getting notifications that they were looking at her videos," Kara said. "She went on other visits prior to James Madison, and it was a good time for us because it was primarily just the two of us. She would feel something on those visits, but it wasn't everything she thought she should feel. When she went to James Madison, it checked every box and boxes she hadn't even considered."
Dad's perspective
Larry Helm admits he wasn't a sports guy growing up. Kaitlyn and Haley's dad fully points in the direction of his wife for their daughter's softball prowess.
But he is enjoying the ride softball has taken the family on recently.
"It's really been phenomenal," he said. "I just love watching them do stuff I never even dreamed about. It fills my heart knowing that we've raised both of them to not take anything for granted and to have the support of their team."
Even if he didn't grow up around softball, the sport is usually on in the Helm household this summer watching Athletes Unlimited pro softball games.
"Because that's the only thing we can agree upon," Larry joked.
Like his oldest daughter and his wife, Larry realized early on Haley could turn into a special player. Haley was 8 years old, but got invited to play with a 12U Premier Fastpitch team started by Dan and Kristi Paulson. The former co-coaches at Parkland are now the co-coaches at Eastern Illinois.
"Dan and Kristi told us that she would pitch occasionally, but nothing too much," Larry said. "Then she ended up pitching the whole season. It was unbelievable."
Making them relevant
Much like the unbelievable rise of Central softball with a Helm on its roster. The Maroons posted a 15-11 record in 1995, one year after Kara graduated, but then sustained 27 consecutive losing seasons. Since Haley arrived as a freshman, Central is 71-21-2 and has never had a losing season.
"It's unbelievable in a community the size of Champaign that some sports don't take off more than they do," Kara said. "Watching them grow up and developing and seeing the potential they have and then being able to participate in a school atmosphere, they can really bring attention to the sport, and they're able to bring that attention back to the community."
Not only did Haley thrive again in 2026 with Central, she did so without Kaitlyn as a teammate.
"It was definitely different," Haley said. "I've played with her for 11 years in my softball career. She's always been there by my side, and she's always the person I'll go talk to first. We were each other's throwing partners. Now, we're just watching each other in the stands. I don't like it, but we all have to grow up."
Central junior catcher Grace Bandy has gotten used to seeing the dominance Haley has from the pitcher's circle. Her variety of pitches — fastball, changeup, curveball, screwball and riseball — continues to baffle opposing hitters.
Her competitive nature certainly helps, too.
"Haley is like the sweetest person ever, and she's kind of shy outside of softball, but in softball, she's almost like a whole different person," Bandy said. "She has a different confidence about herself. Sometimes, she's a little scary. When she gets mad and she's pitching, she'll stand there and give you a look. It's like that evil mother look where you know you need to shut up. One of those."
The journey continues
Haley threw a five-inning, one-hit shutout for Central in its 10-0 win against Urbana on May 23 to win a regional title in Mahomet, a game that foreshadowed what was to come in her final two games of the season. She hit a two-run home run and was walked in her other three plate appearances.
Three days later, she hit another two-run home run and was intentionally walked in her other three plate appearances while throwing a complete game in a 3-1 victory against Normal U-High in a 3A sectional semifinal game in Lincoln. Two days after that postseason win, she never got to swing the bat against Washington in the sectional championship game on May 28 in Lincoln. The Panthers walked her intentionally in all four plate appearances.
"I've always been told that being intentionally walked is a sign of respect, but to me, I just see it as me not being able to help my team," Haley said. "In the sectional title game, there were plenty of times that we had girls on base and less than two outs, but I couldn't help my team. It annoys me so much, but I understand. All it takes is one pitch."
Which is what Washington took advantage of when Sophie Walker hit a three-run home run off Helm with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to give Washington an eventual 3-2 victory.
The season ended for Haley and the rest of the Maroons that day in late May, but her softball journey continues. A summer full of travel tournaments across the country. Then the fall and winter getting ready for her last season at Central.
If it's anything like her first three, then Haley is in for an epic conclusion. Kaitlyn, Kara and Larry are there to enjoy the moments.
"I'm so proud of both of these girls," Kara said. "It's incredible to see where their ability has gotten them to. If they stop playing softball tomorrow, I might be a little sad, but this is their adventure. They've got to live it how they see fit."
Continue reading...
