By B.J. Bennett
 
One year after the tragic passing of former College of Coastal Georgia softball player Kennedy Waymer, who died at just 19 years old after a courageous battle with osteosarcoma, her impact remains ever-present at a place where she encouraged, inspired and motivated so many. While pushing through unfathomable challenges to simply be around her teammates and make the absolute most of her opportunities as a student-athlete, Waymer became the heart and soul of Mariner softball. That distinction is a lasting one. Her legacy is seen, heard, talked about and felt on campus every day.
 
Waymer, albeit in limited time at Coastal Georgia, changed lives forever.
 
"It's because of the kind of person she was," explained CCGA head coach Mike Minick. "I never saw the kid without a smile on her face. Even when she was dealing with all of this. I never heard her complain, it's not like…'I can't do this anymore, why me?', never anything like that. A couple times I went 'Kennedy, I'm so sorry', when I got new news, like if she'd have to go back to the hospital, and she would be like 'It's fine, Coach Mike, I'll be alright'. Always upbeat. It's just the kind of person she was. Friendly to everybody, would help anybody, just an excellent student. A perfect role model."
 
A true superstar student-athlete from Jacksonville, Florida, Waymer came to Brunswick from the Paxon School for Advanced Studies. She was a multi-sport standout on the First Coast, excelling in softball, basketball, flag football and volleyball. She earned Gateway All-Conference honors in softball and basketball for three straight seasons. A prospect bio on DuvalSports.com said "pound-for-pound, Paxton's Kennedy Waymer might be the most gifted all around athlete Northeast Florida has ever seen". Furthermore, she graduated high school with a 4.6 GPA and was on a pre-Engineering track at Coastal Georgia. 
 
The talent Waymer brought to the field was the type of potential you build a program around. She became the type of leader who leaves a legacy.
 
"She was a left-handed center fielder. Every time we went, there would be at least one, if not two, ESPN top ten plays. Without a doubt, when she committed, we said this is going to be the best defensive outfielder we've ever had," Minick recalled. "Great speed, great range, great anticipation. I think she would have hit really good at this level, but without a doubt, people would have paid just see her play center field."
 
Even those impressive accolades couldn't fully measure Waymer's best ability – a commitment to loving and supporting those around her.
 
"To put it simply, she meant everything," shared CCGA outfielder Kaitlyn Carolino, a Fernandina Beach-native who was Waymer's roommate and long-time travel and youth softball teammate as well.
 
Far beyond great talent and potential, what Waymer showed at Coastal Georgia was a zest for life and a passion for people. Nothing, not even the ravages of cancer, deterred that. Waymer, through, among other devastating health adversities, 18 rounds of chemotherapy and two lung surgeries, was committed to her softball training, her academic coursework and, above all else, her teammates and friends. That selflessness and commitment is now part of the perspective for Coastal Georgia softball and beyond. Waymer's place on campus and in the community is indelible and timeless.
 
The number 11, for Waymer, is retired, with a banner in the outfield. At the game where Coastal Georgia honored her and her family last season, the Mariners, ending the game early, won 11-0. Her name, number and the hashtag #KennedyStrong are clear for all to see. Watch awhile and the love she left behind will be, too.
 
"Kennedy really changed my whole perspective on life in general. Just being around her when she was going through some of the toughest things anyone has ever had to go through and you couldn't even tell. There was always a smile on her face, always cracking jokes. Always down to do whatever, whenever," smiled CCGA pitcher Rylee Mills. "You never really saw her in pain, even when she was. She never let anybody see it. I think she didn't want anybody to dwell on that part of her life. She wanted to be just like everybody else and she was. She was one of us all the time and she still is one of us. She is still a part of this team in everything we do."
 
Minick and the Mariners continue to move forward with Waymer both on their sleeves and in their hearts. A year after her passing, Waymer is still bringing Coastal Georgia closer together, still uplifting the people she interacted with and still encouraging her peers to be the best they can be. Waymer's memory is motivation for the Mariners.   
 
"Kennedy set the standard for what It means to a good teammate. She was very selfless, very hardworking. Even though she didn't have to be. She was one of those people that worked really hard behind the scenes even when nobody was watching. She didn't really get a chance to every step on the field with us, but she lifted with us in the fall, she always stayed on top of her grades. She really was the definition of a true student-athlete even when she had every excuse not to be, which says a lot about her character," detailed CCGA infielder Mackenzie Southerland. "It hit so hard because our team is so incredibly close and she is one of the reasons we're so incredibly close. She is like glue that holds something together."
 
Waymer's career at Coastal Georgia was marked by strife, a brutal burden the full toll of which was impossible to measure. Somehow, the same thing can be said about her influence. 
 
"How dedicated she was and how she wanted to be the best at everything. There would be times when they were doing the radiation and would have to take her back to the hospital, she would miss class for a week or two at a time and still make straight As. She was able to keep up, kept emailing her teachers. Just very organized, a lot older than her years. That's why I think it captured everybody so much because they saw how she was, it just can't happen to somebody like that. That's the way it felt to me. She was just so nice to everybody," Minick remembered. "Just so friendly, so sweet, all the time. And it's just so hard to take for everybody. 19 years old, just perfect."
 
Day-to-day, Waymer lives on through the impressions she made and the stories those she made them on will always share. To a person, for those around Coastal Georgia softball, tales of Waymer's passion continue to uplift. While there were sometimes limitations on what Waymer could do on the field as she battled through the hardships of cancer and her treatment, she remained team-first and completely committed to helping the Mariners, and being a key part of the team, anyway she could. From conditioning and lifting weights to the home run derby to team activities, Waymer made it a point, even when it had to be so difficult to, lead her team in every way possible.
 
A road trip to the Midwest was a special time for Minick and Waymer, with the two sharing some endearing conversations side-by-side. 
 
"At the end of her freshman year, where she didn't get to play at all, she went through her chemo, two rounds of radiation, one round of chemo, which was the whole school year, fall to spring, she got to travel with us to Indiana for nationals. Her mom still talks about that. It was the best time she'd ever had, softball wise. She just absolutely loved it," Minick detailed. "I remember one time, we were in the dugout, she was always giving advice, just helping. One time a ball was hit in the gap, it was a tough play. A 50-50 play. Our outfielder didn't make it. She just happened to be standing beside me and I said 'Kennedy, we got to have that ball'. And she said 'I got you Coach Mike'. In other words, if she would have been out there, she knows she would have went and gotten it."
 
In addition to the many positive memories Waymer leaves behind, her drive also helps push the Mariners forward. As Waymer knew, more than anyone, the role of a student-athlete is a consistently comprehensive one. Managing that workload, finding ways to be successful on the field and off and finding the resolve needed to keep going through another demanding season isn't always easy. Being a college softball player is a sacrifice. Waymer, who did that and so much more, is the ultimate example for her teammates.

#KennedyStrong is more than just a saying; it's a standard.
 
"She really became the definition of mental fortitude. She definitely taught me to be strong. Like when I got to hit or practice, I remind myself if I'm tired, I'm exhausted, but she would be out here. She would spend every moment she could doing what she loved. Cancer never stopped her, so being tired and being sore isn't an excuse to stop what you're doing," Carolino offered. "She never showed that she was stressed out. I remember going in her room and she'd be sick sometimes. I would give her Gatorade and would say 'Make sure you're taking care of yourself' and she just never seemed stressed out about it. That just showed me that I stress over so many little things and, if she's not stressed out about being sick or her cancer, it taught me that there are so many other things in life that are going on. She was just so happy all the time so there was no need to stress. It just taught me to calm myself down and that there are more important things."
 
That energy from Waymer, a grace that she gave to others, will never fade.
 
"Just be more hardworking or living life more to the fullest, I think that's one of the things that Kennedy really taught us, that even when you're having a bad day, somebody else is having a worse day. You have the find the positives in everyday life. Kennedy truly did that," Mills continued. "I never saw her mad, never saw her complain, never once, not when she was going through all the chemo, not when she was having surgery, not when she was trying to rehab. Everything was always very positive with her. She would always try to find the good outlook. She was truly a fighter, she was never going to give up. Even towards the end, never wanted to give up. Even when she couldn't tell us that, we could tell."
 
One remarkable aspect of Waymer's career at Coastal Georgia, and her life in general, is that she remained the same effervescent, engaging and warm person throughout everything. Even as her circumstances changed, and dramatically changed for the worst, her conviction never wavered. Waymer made the world a better place by making the people in her life matter. And by connecting with them in ways that were authentic, caring and true. Not only did Waymer have a purpose, she, just as importantly, made it a point to share it.  
 
Waymer lived life with a smile. And the fact that she never changed is exactly what changed people.  
 
"Since I've known Kennedy from travel ball, she never changed. Cancer never changed her. She was the same person I knew in high school. She acted the same way ever since she got the diagnosis, personality never changed. Still funny, still outgoing and always gave me a hard time in good fun," Carolino laughed. "I still talk about her every day. She's in our everyday conversions, I'll talk to my classmates or anyone I meet and share stories we had in travel ball, on the field together or even in our room. She always kept things fun and interesting that's for sure. It's just important for us to carry on the legacy of who she was. That's why we have the banner and all of these events because she made a huge impact on our team and us individually."
 
Waymer's personal impact on her teammates was a powerful and wide-ranging one. She helped those around her find friendship, find perspective and, for some, find their faith. 
 
"Kennedy will also stay in our lives in another way. I feel like she taught us a lot about our faith and having trust in God through everything, even when we're going through our toughest battles. Right before Kennedy passed away, six of our teammates got baptized, including me, on October 7^th of 2025. I feel like Kennedy really showed us how to put your full trust in God and how to rely on Him in every single situation, the good, the bad. And how to just keep going, praying your worries away," Mills nodded. "We feel comfort knowing that she is in a better place. She is in a place where there is no pain, she is probably dancing around and telling jokes, keeping everybody on their toes. I think it keeps a lot of peace with us, knowing that she was a believer, she followed Christ and relied on him solely to get her through her entire journey."
 
Additionally, the bond Waymer established with her teammates is one that also extends to her family in a very meaningful and purposeful way. Kennedy's Coastal Georgia softball family was welcomed into her actual family during her gallant fight with cancer. The love and affection shared for and with Kennedy, but also father Ronald, mother Sandra, brother Ronald, Jr. and brother Tyler was an outpouring of agape that strengthened everybody involved. Those relationships will always be meaningful and affirming. They, too, are part of Kennedy's legacy.          
 
The Waymer family honors their daughter, and looks to help others in need, through "My Angel in the Outfield: The Kennedy Waymer Foundation". Established by Sandra, the non-profit supports children and their families affected by cancer, with the Waymers turning their own tragic experiences into precious aid and comfort for others. Among other initiatives, the foundation has partnered with the College of Coastal Georgia for the "Kennedy Ashley Waymer Memorial Scholarship", given annually to a Mariner student-athlete.  
 
The care and courage shown by their daughter is now carried on by the Waymer family. 
 
"The Waymer family has definitely made an impact on my life. Mrs. Sandra has brought us into her family and she's always treated me like one of her daughters. She talks about how she had future plans for me and Kennedy," Carolino added. "The communication between the Waymers and us as a team has been great."
 
Just as Kennedy touched the lives of those she met, her family continues to do the same.
 
"The Waymer family will always be a part of this team. Not even just part of this team, we're a part of their family now. We go and visit them as much as we can. We try to go visit her grave as much as we can. We want the Waymer family to know how much they mean to us and how much their daughter Kennedy meant to us as well. And how we want to keep her legacy going in everything we do," Mills stated. "Even past when we graduate. Even when I start my next profession, I want everyone to know who Kennedy was through me." 
 
From those who played directly with Waymer to those who followed her journey from afar to those who have learned about her through stories and standards alike, Waymer has changed Coastal Georgia for the better. Who she was is still impacting who others ultimately become, a true testament to the light she shined and shared. Waymer was a gleaming example of what a student-athlete, a person, can be. Selfless, thoughtful, heroic. She brought and continues to bring the best out in others. 
 
"No student has had a greater impact on our athletic program in such a short period of time," shared CCGA athletic director Zack Rogers. "Kennedy's strength, perseverance and contagious positive attitude regardless of what she faced on a daily basis was inspiring. Her ability to bring joy to others while she faced such a significant and unfair challenge is something she will always be remembered for. Her impact will be lasting and meaningful and she will continue to be celebrated."
 
Waymer, what she did and who she was, will always be cherished at Coastal Georgia. In addition to other moments of reflection, the Mariner softball team will host a kickball fundraiser in her honor a day after the one-year anniversary of her passing. Plenty of emotion will be on display, including smiles, laughter and, as Kennedy would have had it, competition. There will be many people there, more hopeful and optimistic, because of her.   
 
"Her legacy, through that season, it really changed us and shaped us into better people. It brought us closer together and everything we did now had a purpose and a reason, to honor Kennedy's legacy and to not let her light go dim," Southerland smiled. "The idea behind the kickball game is that her light was so big and we don't ever want it to go dim on our campus. Just continuing her legacy and bringing honor to her family and letting her family know 'Hey, we haven't forgotten anything. Kennedy is still a big part of our team, you're still a big part of our team, our community, our campus'. Just honoring her and her family and the life that she lived and the legacy that she built here."
 
Coastal Georgia softball, even as the roster changes, is now part of a shared stewardship. This is a program with a purpose.   
 
"Throughout this year, I think all of our teammates will get to know her better through us. I think when Kennedy left, she left a piece of her with us. You can see her, different attributes of her, through us," Mills concluded. 
 
The Mariners will always remember Kennedy Waymer. Maybe it's a hustle play in the outfield. Maybe it's an encouraging high-five or pat on the back. Maybe it's as simple as a smile. Kennedy's legacy is everlasting.

Click here to donate to the Kennedy Ashley Waymer Memorial Scholarship Foundation