Dancing atop the dugouts in Minute Maid Park, Ashley Byars is a proud representative of Austin County in her fourth season as a Houston Astros Shooting Star. For the Sealy High School graduate, her unlikely career at the ballpark began with a passion for baseball that she developed as a kid.

“Growing up, my dad actually took me to Astros games when we were in our old-school jerseys; the black, red and white. So, I knew about baseball but I was just a kid. I went for the ice cream in the baseball helmet and just the experience, but now I’m so invested,” said Byars.

While she did have a brief stint as an SHS cheerleader, Byars preferred enjoying the Friday night games from the bleachers. The San Felipe native’s passion for stirring up excitement in crowds was then reignited when she attended the 2017 World Series Parade.

“I was going to Blinn at the time and I actually told my friends from Sealy, ‘Hey let’s go to the World Series Parade.’ I went, and I was like wait, I kind of want to do that,” explained Byars. “I told my dad the day before tryouts at dinner, I was like ‘Hey, I’m trying out for the Astros, I’m auditioning.’ He was like, ‘What? For the team?'"

Pick up the Oct. 28 edition of The Sealy News for the full story.