Diamonds are these girls’ best friend

It was worth every mile that Crystal DeVillier put on her SUV taking her daughters to hundreds of softball games.
Oldest daughter Jaedyn Soileau started with T-Ball at age four and soon after was joined by younger sister Karleigh as the treks began for the family.
“It will be a long conversation to talk about all the teams,” the mom said. “But their travel ball together started with Cajun Heat when Karleigh was 9 and Jaedyn was 11.
“God was on our side because I can count on one hand how many games I ever had to miss of Jaedyn’s games and how many I missed of Karleigh’s,” Crystal said.
“Even when they were on different teams they played at the same park or I could drive to different parks and still get to their games.”
Jaedyn, now 18, said she will always have fond memories of playing with her sister.
“We both very competitive and try and top what the other did,” Jaedyn said. “We loved being on the field together.
“With mom making nearly every game I knew she was always there supporting us,” Jaedyn said. “I hear what she says from behind the fence.
Between fall ball, high school softball and summer select teams, the girls only had a little more than two months a year away from the game.
“Life would be boring without softball,” Jaedyn said.
“I guess we would have taken more vacations,” the mom joked.
Both girls took dance lessons but softball always had their attention.
“Jaedyn did dance, but she would rather go home and play in the dirt,” mom joked.
The St. Edmund softball team won back-to-back district titles in 2018 and 2019 and the Lady Jays were 12-1 when the season was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am disappointed because of the season we were supposed to have in my final year of playing softball,” the senior said. “We were having a really good year and I thought we could have gone far in the playoffs.”
Karleigh began playing with the Lady Jay varsity in eighth grade as both sisters were named to the All-District team first team in 2018 and 2019.
“I wasn’t nervous at all because I was used to playing travel ball,” Karleigh said. “It was easy for me to adapt.”
Their lives were changed drastically on Oct. 28, 2019, when the sisters were involved in a serious car accident on the east side of Eunice.
“For that moment I didn’t breathe,” the mom said when she got the call. “They are my life, my world.”
Karleigh suffered a broken jaw and a badly cut knee had to under go surgery in Lafayette.
“I was pretty scared when we got into the ambulance because I didn’t know how bad she was hurt,” Jaedyn said.
“It was kind of annoying because I couldn’t talk to people and I couldn’t go out with my friends like I wanted to do,” Karleigh said of having her mouth wired shut and weeks in recovery.
Karleigh, 16, was able to return to the softball field this season and play a final season with her sister.
“They argue like any sisters do but they have a special bond when they are on the softball field together,” Crystal said. “It broke my heart when the season ended the way it did because I knew that was the last time I was going to see them on the field together.”
Jaedyn said she has learned a lot from her mom, especially life lessons.
“She taught me not to listen to what people say,” Jaedyn said. “If they don’t like you — so what.
“Do what you want to do and don’t worry about what other people think.”
The sisters are both grateful for what their mom has done for them.
“I know mom sacrificed a lot for us,” Jaedyn said. “I know she would do anything for us – she shows she loves us.”
“I am grateful for everything she has done for me,” Karleigh said. “She is my best friend.”