The Foxes’ ball fields may be quiet now, but for the past few years, siblings Jeremy and Jillian Haigh have provided plenty of excitement and memorable moments in baseball and softball. They approach their games and practices with a philosophy of always giving 100%, being well-prepared, and playing with grit, all of which build a foundation for their success on and off the field. These same principles carry over to academics, with both brother and sister maintaining “A” grade point averages.
Varsity players since they were freshmen, senior Jeremy and sophomore Jillian share many similarities. The Haighs are highly competitive and ambitious; both are team captains, and each of them excels on the mound, although they are also flexible players who had red-hot bats all season. Jeremy finished with a .424 batting average, and Jillian ended at .612, which was eighth in the WPIAL. Jeremy ended his final season fourth in the WPIAL in home runs. Both athletes lead or closely trail as their teams’ leaders in almost every category.
The siblings also have been named to all-star teams multiple times. This time, it was a family affair at the postseason all-section banquet, with Jeremy and Jillian earning first-team honors. Jeremy was recognized for his work in the outfield and at first base, and Jillian as a utility player.
Additionally, Jeremy and Jillian’s strong performances all year helped drive their teams to the playoffs.
In softball, the Foxes entered the playoffs ranked 12th and met fifth-seeded Franklin Regional in the first round. Jillian, relying on her fast ball and screwball, pitched a brilliant shutout, had eight strikeouts, allowed only three hits, and contributed two hits, which helped the Foxes turn in a 4-0 upset. It was the first time this season that the Panthers had failed to put numbers on the scoreboard.
Jeremy showed his pride in his sister with an Instagram post: “Lil sis with the shutout.”
Meanwhile, in his own first-round playoff game, Jeremy, who considers his fastball and curveball as his best pitches, pitched all seven innings and drove in the Foxes lone run. Predictably, Jillian was there to support her brother.
But even after the last pitch of every game, the brother and sister hang around the dugout, cleaning up after everyone else is gone – chores traditionally reserved for underclassmen and freshmen.
“As the oldest of five siblings, our parents taught me to step into a role of leading my siblings,” Jeremy says. “I try to lead by example, and that means leadership in actions, not just words. I think Jillian saw that at home and followed it. It doesn’t matter who does it – as long as it gets done is what matters.”
Impact Players
Baseball coach Jim Hastings has coached multiple sports over more almost 25 years and compares Jeremy to one of the best players and leaders he’s ever seen.
“During my early coaching career, I was an assistant at Pine-Richland and (longtime Pittsburgh Pirate Neil Walker) was there at the time,” he says. “Jeremy is a special kind of player and leader and reminds me of Neil. Jeremy is the closest high school player I’ve seen any sport to reach that level of leadership and talent.”
Softball coach Larry Troutman also offers high praise for his player as well.
“I have no doubt that Jillian will be recruited by colleges this September. She is a NCAA Division I hitter and has a Division I glove and speed,” said her coach.
While she’s not thought a whole lot about that far ahead into the future, Jillian will play on high-level league teams in the offseason. Her incredible work ethic and ambition will include a lot of practicing. She says, “I’ll spend a lot of time in the offseason hitting; in the summer, I hit almost every day.”
Ironically, while her pitching skills are some of the best in WPIAL Class 5A, she hopes to impress recruiters and college coaches with her expertise as a batter and shortstop.
“Shortstop is my favorite position,” says Jillian. “I like pitching, but I find it more satisfying playing shortstop.”
Strong Mutual Support
Regardless of their busy schedules, the siblings try to attend as many of each other’s games as possible. They practice together and have friendly stats competitions.
No one would ever guess it based upon her poker face on the mound, but Jillian says, “I can get nervous before big games. Jeremy has helped me by telling me to settle down. He tells me that I’ve put in the work, and I can trust in my abilities. I really admire my brother; he pushes me to be better.”
Jeremy has a lot of respect for Jillian. “She stepped in as a freshman and started every game. It wasn’t a guaranteed spot by any means. She had to prove she had strong character and was a good player. I’m proud of her for being such a strong leader on the field and with academics. I think she’s the hardest worker on the team and she just has a genuine love of the game.”
He adds, “I don’t want her to feel like she’s my younger sis. It’s nice to draw comparisons, but I want her to have her own spotlight.”
Looking Ahead
As his senior year draws to a close, Jeremy’s focus now turns to playing in top leagues over the summer and then heading to NCAA Division I Wagner College in New York, where he was awarded a full scholarship to continue his baseball and academic careers.
“I’ll be going from one great program to another,” says Jeremy, acknowledging that he was principally recruited for his skills in the outfield and at first base. “Wagner has had a lot of success the past two years and is at the top of their conference this year.”
Knowing he won’t be pitching, or at least to not begin with, is bittersweet. “I love pitching; it’s hard to put those feelings into words. I’ll miss it, but I will do what they say. I think it just requires flexibility and the maturity to know it is the coaches’ job to figure out the lineup that’s best for the entire team.”
For siblings who grew up in a tight-knit family, next year will be a year of big changes. They might be separated by miles, but there’s no doubt they will continue to follow and support each other – just from a distance.