North Fort Myers senior Casey McIntosh first started playing tee-ball when she was 5 years old, the same time she began cheerleading.

Though she continued to cheer through her junior year at North, it was clear early on which was her greater passion.

“Cheering was nothing like ball,” said McIntosh, who decided to focus her attention on softball this year. “I’ve had a love for the game since day one.”

McIntosh, a team captain for the Red Knights (13-5), signed a college scholarship letter-of-intent Friday in the school cafeteria. She will continue her softball career at South Florida Community College, where she will play alongside former Red Knight teammates, Lora Helton and Norma Luna.

McIntosh has become a leader in her third varsity season, but also has developed her game by playing travel ball the past two years with the Lee County Rage.

Red Knights coach Jeff Miner said he’s noticed a difference in McIntosh this year, particularly her defense. He said she isn’t afraid to get “dirty and filthy.”

“She’s taking charge,” he said. “She works hard, she takes extra ground balls to get better. It’s a leadership role that the other kids feed off of.”

McIntosh credited her travel ball coach Keith Gibson for helping her throughout the summer.

Despite playing since she was 5, McIntosh didn’t realize she had an opportunity to play at the next level until her strong performance last summer.

“I never really thought it was a possibility,” she said. “I just knew I loved the game and it didn’t matter where it took me, as long as I was on the field playing.”