RUSTON, La. - Every year in the city of Chowchilla, California residents line the streets of their city as cattle drivers lead hundreds of cattle through the downtown area, kicking off the annual Chowchilla Rodeo. One Louisiana Tech softball player used her ranch hand experience to help lead her hometown cattle drive.

The annual event called the Chowchilla Western Stampede is just the beginning of a wild, western weekend in the city of 20,000. Louisiana Tech senior outfield Katelynn Cook may not strike you as the rodeo type, but don't be fooled as off the diamond, she considered herself to be one of the best barrel racers around.

"I was the best barrel racer before I gave it up for softball," Cook laughed. "I was very competitive. They put on events around you and I just won where I went."

Cook got her start at just six years old, when a trip to the family farm peaked her interest in horses.

"My aunt was always into horses and had horses," Cook said. "When I was six I visited her and they put me on a horse. A couple months later was my birthday and I got that same horse."

Nikki was the filly's name, the first horse Cook ever owned. Unfortunately, Nikki was not fast enough for the fast paced Cook and other horses were added to the equation. After several years of barrel racing, Cook decided to hang up the saddle and turn her attention solely to softball.

Cook began her travel ball career competing in softball tournaments across the region. The budding outfielder quickly caught the attention of college coaches, including, then Northern Colorado head coach, Mark Montgomery.

The two first met at a tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. Montgomery was in search of a slap hitting outfielder, but it was the power hitting outfielder that caught his attention.

"I did not think anyone was out there watching," Cook said, smiling. "It looked like there were not any coaches there. You are out there performing and you feel like nobody is watching, but apparently [Coach Montgomery] was. He said he followed me around the entire time."

Montgomery raved about Cook's defensive abilities and invited her for a campus visit.

Two weeks later Cook took that campus visit to Northern Colorado and committed to the Bears.

"She is just a great kid," Montgomery said. "She has an incredible work ethic and is someone a coach wants to have on their team."

Just three weeks into practice, an emergency team meeting was called by Montgomery. The softball team walked into a room occupied by their coaching staff and athletic department administrators. The team was informed that Montgomery had accepted the head coaching job at Louisiana Tech.

Northern Colorado named an interim coach, but things were never the same for Cook. She was looking for a change but did not know where to turn.

"My first reaction was to call Coach Montgomery," Cook said. "When he was there, I felt like I was where I needed to be. It was not necessarily to follow him. I just did not know what to do."

Cook was granted her release from Northern Colorado and after talking with her family, Cook decided that Louisiana Tech was where she wanted to spend her collegiate career.

The transition would not be easy. Due to Louisiana Tech's quarter system, Cook was forced to take eight hours of online classes, while also finishing up the fall semester at Northern Colorado. Cook buckled down and before she knew it was on her way to Ruston, as Montgomery's first recruit at Louisiana Tech.

"When I came in I was very scared," Cook recalled. "I thought everyone was going to hate me and think that Coach Montgomery pulled me here, but everyone was awesome and so sweet to me. They were very welcoming."

Cook instantly connected with fellow freshmen Courtney Lowe and Kristen Miles. The trio spent countless hours hanging out, helping Cook adapt to her new home in Ruston.

Throughout the past three years, Cook says she has grown as a person more than she could have ever imagined.

"My time here has been awesome," Cook said. "I feel like it has shaped me so much as a person. I have grown so much. I do not think there is anything that can replace being a college athlete. If I had been a regular student, I do not think I would have grown up half as much as I have. There is so much responsibility, but there is also so much privilege. It is fun."

Her career isn't finished yet and with one season remaining, Cook has her eyes set on Denton, Texas, host of the 2016 Conference USA Softball Tournament.

"My goal is to end on being the best softball player I can be," Cook said. "I want to end knowing I was at my very best, but also I want to win a conference championship. I think we can make it far this year. This team is very talented. We have so much talent and so much depth. We have so many different options based on the opponent. We will be able to play to peoples weaknesses."

When the final out of the season is made, Cook's softball career will come to a close. The senior plans to return back to California for physical therapy school, hoping to fulfill her childhood dreams of becoming a physical therapist.

As for her side hobbies, do not be surprised if you see her dusting off the saddle again.

"I loved living in the country, as a kid I got to run around outside," Cook laughed. "I do like the country. I do not ride now, but I have talked about picking it back up after softball is over. I am going to need a new hobby."