Haley and Lindsey Westhoven are twins who share a love for softball, Jesus and joy.

Both are gifted athletes on the Hoover High School softball team in Hoover, Ala. – Haley was named 2025 Under the Lights All-South Metro Softball Team Pitcher of the Year, and Lindsey was named to the 1st Team as catcher, posting a .404 on-base percentage.

While their love of the game is evident, what brings them the most joy is their faith.

In eighth grade, the girls met Dani Proctor, FCA Greater Birmingham Representative when she gave a devotion before their middle school end of the season tournament. They didn’t grow up in church but got invited by friends to a church student weekend during their freshman year.

“I knew of God, but I didn’t know Him personally,” said Lindsey. “The second night, we decided to surrender our lives to Jesus for the first time.”

When the girls were sophomores at Hoover High School, their head coach invited Dani to provide year-round weekly team devotions. One day, Haley and Lindsey took Dani aside and asked for help to grow in their faith. The three began a separate Bible study on Friday mornings, where the girls’ faith bloomed and started establishing a foundation for the rest of the team.

“We felt closer to Jesus from the Bible studies and wanted our teammates to feel and experience the same thing,” said Lindsey.

This led them to start a team-wide Bible study that has happened the last three seasons, and the morning group grew to include other softball players from other schools who Dani knew. Dani said many in the group were seniors this year and became best friends.

“All of them will be at FCA Camp this summer, all of them are going to play in college at different schools, and all of them are really determined to be spiritual leaders on their teams,” Dani said.

It’s not only the softball community that’s been impacted by the Westhoven sisters. This year, they started a campus-wide Huddle with more than 60 athletes from multiple sports. Dani senses that this is only the beginning of what God is doing at Hanover, as she has watched these young women grow from a baby faith and a simple desire to follow Jesus into leaders with a vision to see their campus transformed.

“One of the cool things is that the freshmen today will never know life apart from the team culture of Hoover softball – one that trusts Jesus, believes in Jesus and is going to value and champion Scriptures as a team,” said Dani.

God’s done a deep and prosperous work in the sisters’ hearts, which helped them during the recruiting process. They wanted to play together on a Division 1 team.

Their mentor Dani challenged the girls with this question: “If God calls you to separate schools, will you be faithful and will you trust Him?”

They kept bringing their futures before the Lord in prayer.

Then, Northern Alabama came in at what seemed like the last minute needing a pitcher and a catcher in the same year, with the right money for them. It felt like this was something only God could orchestrate.

The Westhoven sisters are quick to point out spiritual growth in one another.

Haley said she never imagined her twin Lindsey would be a chaplain at their church youth event because she was so soft spoken, but now she is eager to speak up and lead.

“I've seen growth in her that's insane, and it's really cool to see what God can do,” Haley said. “It's really powerful, honestly.”

Lindsey describes her sister Haley as shyer and more reserved than her, but she “unashamedly spreads the Gospel and is not afraid to let other people know that she believes in Jesus.” Haley is certainly not shy about showing people she is going to walk with Jesus and follow the steps He has laid before her.

“It's so cool, because before I felt like she would be scared of what other people would think about her, but now she’s like, ‘I don't care. I love Jesus, and I'm going to let you know that.’” Lindsey said.

As far as their careers at Hoover, they wanted to leave the softball program better than they found it. As the only seniors, they wanted to lead the team with consistency and the love of Christ.

“They took advantage of having a young team and did their job to raise them up as leaders,” Dani said. “They’ll own up when they mess up and take responsibility with the team and walking imperfectly with Jesus is their witness. It’s been the small steps to see what God was doing, and to get in a good Christian community.”

This summer, the sisters will play a few tournaments and attend FCA Camp, then head to Northern Alabama in the fall and begin their collegiate softball careers.

“I'm just really thankful for FCA and all that it's brought me,” said Haley. “I feel like it's equipped me to be a leader. Not just on the softball team at Hoover, but when I go to North Alabama, I'll be able to be a leader for Christ.”

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