Boyd community continues to honor late high school volleyball star Ashley Fouts

When Boyd built a new sand volleyball court, there was only one name everyone was thinking about.

Ashley Fouts.

Fouts, a standout hitter for the Boyd volleyball program for two years, was 17 when she died in her sleep from a heart condition in September of 2019.

She was less than a month into her senior year.

So on June 17 with the opening of the new court, head volleyball coach Dusty Crafton and members of the school and community came to unveil the Ashley Fouts Memorial Court.

The court features a stone with the name at the top and Ashley’s motto “Be Kind Like Nine.”

“Our community came out in force tonight. I am humbled by the show of love and support for the Fouts family,” said Crafton on a Facebook post.

Crafton’s father craved out the stone.

“I have a million pictures and videos to go through to make a full post,” Ashley’s mother Elizabeth Fouts said on Facebook. “However I will say this touched my heart so deep.”

Fouts had suffered from Long QT syndrome (LQTS), which is defined as “a heart rhythm condition that can potentially cause fast, chaotic heartbeats. Rapid heartbeats may trigger a sudden fainting spell or seizure. In some cases, the heart can beat erratically for so long that it causes sudden death.”

As a junior, Fouts was a key member for the Lady Yellowjackets that reached the state tournament.

Boyd lost to Callisburg in the Class 3A state title game.

She started her high school career at Justin Northwest, the same school her sister Nicole played volleyball for, until the family moved 20 miles west to Boyd following her sophomore year.

“Loved that we could dedicate the sand courts in the memory of Ashley Fouts. What an awesome way to celebrate her life and carry on her legacy,” Boyd assistant coach Ashley Watson said on Facebook.

Fouts was off to a terrific senior season, earning all-tournament in Nocona. She helped Boyd to a 3-0 sweep over Ponder on Tuesday Sept. 3, 2019.

However, Fouts would take her final breath that Wednesday night.

Just a few hours after her passing, the Boyd volleyball team began painting the windows at the high school to pay tribute for their fallen teammate.

“We love you Ashley” and “Be Kind Like Nine” started to fill up the gym.

Former high school and club teammates and other Texas schools got wind of it and started to pay their respects. Friends came over to the Fouts’ house and wrote messages all over Ashley’s bedroom.

The football players presented the volleyball team with blue roses before their Week 2 game with Holliday.

Teams that Boyd never played or even heard of started to send gifts. People from Minnesota and Kansas too.

Boyd retired her No. 9 jersey in October.

“We hope this court will continue to serve as a community gathering place and grow our Boyd athletes We thank the Fouts family for the kindness and love they share with us daily.”