Fontainebleau senior softball player Jessica Simms will attend Mississippi College in Clinton. The Lady Bulldogs’ catcher is a three-year starter. Simms has an academic and leadership scholarship. Simms said Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., was also interested in her.

Simms said Mississippi College has an excellent pre-med program, and that’s what she was looking for in the first place.

She wants to become a neo- natologist. She interns with the St. Tammany Parish Hospital.

Seated, Fontainebleau senior softball player Jessica Simms, signs her national letter of intent to attend Mississippi College in Clinton. Also seated is her father Navy Lieutenant Commander John Simms. Not pictured is her mother Yvonne. Standing from left, Fontainebleau assistant softball coach Richard Glory and head softball coach Chris Nelson. (Staff Photo by Mike Pervel)

“I have been able to learn a lot through my internship. Currently, I’m involved with occupational therapy,” Simms said.

Simms made her official visit to Mississippi College back in October.

“The campus is beautiful. It’s not huge and things are all within walking distance. I think the softball coach is awesome. The professor for the medical program is very good. The teacher-student ratio is about 13-to-1,” Simms said.

“I decided I was going to look for a school instead of a specific softball team because I want to focus on my studies. I’m glad I’ll also have an opportunity to play softball. They have a very good softball team.”

The Mississippi College Lady Choctaws softball team finished 38-10 last year, losing in the NCAA Division III West Regional.

“I really enjoy playing softball, and being around my teammates. It is a challenging sport that I love playing. I like to be a team leader. As a catcher, I can kind of be in charge of things on the field,” Simms said.

Fontainebleau head coach Chris Nelson describes Simms as a player, who is dedicated, and works hard every day.

“Jessica has improved her ability through hard work. She has a tremendous work ethic. She has been blessed with a strong arm, and has the physical tools to be behind the plate. Based on her arm strength there isn’t much stealing against us. I’ve coached a lot of players with strong, and she is right up there with them. She has a rocket,” Nelson said.

“Jessica is a very bright kid. When she decides she wants to do something, she puts her mind to it and accomplishes whatever it is. She is a focused athlete,” Nelson added.

Nelson said Simms would be a very successful adult.

She also competes with the Louisiana Patriots travel team out of Baton Rouge.

Simms carries a 4.0 grade point average. She likes Math and Science.

“I enjoy attending movies and hanging out with my friends. I like comedies and romances.”

She named Matthew McConaughey as her favorite actor, and Rachel McAdams her top actress.

Jessica is the daughter of John and Yvonne Simms of Mandeville. Her father is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy stationed at Stennis Space Center. Simms transferred to Fontainebleau in her freshmen year from Chesapeake, Virginia.