Hailey Hammer says she loves softball.

There’s a good chance if we could peek into her athletic heart, we would see some passion for volleyball and basketball as well.

The Coupeville High School senior is a member of a rare breed — one that is becoming more scarce each year — the three-sport athlete.

As her high school career comes to a close this spring, she will join an even rarer species — 12-time varsity letter winner.

Hammer acknowledged that when she began her CHS career, she expected to be on the junior varsity teams because that’s where most freshmen land.

“But if a spot is open (on varsity), it’s open to everyone,” she said. “My goal was to get my skills up to varsity level in the week of tryouts.”

In the fall of 2011, Toni Crebbin, who coached varsity volleyball at the time, recognized Hammer’s abilities and selected her for the team. That began Hammer’s run of varsity competition in every sport, every year.

“I had my eye on Hailey since teaching her in P.E. back in sixth grade,” Crebbin said. “I admired her toughness as she always volunteered to be the goalie in both indoor and outdoor soccer, never hesitating to face even the boys. In fact, I think she welcomed the challenge.”

As a freshman, Hammer showed poise, even around upperclassmen, Crebbin said, and that is “what clenched her a spot” on varsity.

“She fit in well,” Crebbin said. “She didn’t talk much, but she listened and was coachable.”

Hammer said her success was built upon the desire to do “everything to my best abilities.”

She was willing, she said, to recognize her weak points, ask for help to improve them and then spend time after practice to sharpen those skills.

It’s like school, she said. It’s OK to get “C’s,” “but I want either an ‘A’ or a ‘B.’”

Attention to detail is another component of her success, Hammer said.

“I can do several things at once and not just focus on one thing,” which is critical in sports because of the constant motion of athletics, she said.

The help of others also contributed to her accomplishments. The support of her parents, Mark and Linda, the direction of coaches Amy and David King (who coached Hammer from Little League through high school) and the friendship of teammates Bessie Walstad and Breeanna Messner molded her into a successful athlete, she said.

“Her knowledge of the game and willingness to put the team over individual stuff is great,” David King said. “When she is on the court or field, I, as a coach, had confidence that she would make the proper play and make our teams better.

“She did a lot of the little things that most fans wouldn’t recognize during the games that would help our team’s performance.”

First-year softball coach Deanna Rafferty, who took over the program when the Kings stepped down last year, likes Hammer’s “positive attitude in tough game situations.”

“We have had games in which the score was not favorable for Coupeville, and I have never seen her drop her head in defeat,” she added.

While Hammer also excels in volleyball and basketball, softball is her favorite sport: “I just love the game. I love to hit.”

“I grew up on softball,” she added. “I know the most about softball.”

Hammer enjoys hitting, and she likes the-game-within-the-game that comes with defense: “Fielding is like a race, beat the runner. I love games, so I break it into a game between the runner and myself.”

Her fondest memory of her career is hitting her first home run as a freshman. (“I didn’t know I had it in me.”)

The hard work and sacrifice led to Hammer’s proudest moment, receiving a scholarship to play softball for Everett Community College. (“I never though I would make it that far.”)

In addition to playing three sports, Hammer works at the Keystone Cafe full time during the summer and on weekends during the school year.

Toss in year-round select softball (which she has played since eighth grade), open gyms and studying, and that doesn’t leave much time for socializing.

“Sometimes I feel like I missed out on social gatherings, but at the same time, no, because I had my (teammates) with me,” Hammer said.

She does, however, wish she had more time to spend with friends who do not play sports.

Those friends are going to have to wait a little longer. Hammer’s wrapping up her softball season and her final varsity letter.