Byron senior Payton Baxter carries a name that carries weight. Her father, a die-hard sports fan, named her after Walter Payton, the legendary Chicago Bears running back. It’s a connection that has bonded father and daughter over years of Penn State women’s volleyball games, Steelers football, and Bears loyalty. But while her name nods to the greatness of the past, Payton is determined to carve her own legacy—one built on perseverance, service, and the balance between ambition and joy.

Payton has been in Byron nearly her whole life, moving here at age two. She grew up immersed in the small-town rhythms of soccer and volleyball through the Byron Park District. “It was the funnest part of my life,” she recalled. “Everyone was just friends with each other, so nothing really mattered when I was younger.” Those carefree days eventually gave way to the intensity of high school sports, but volleyball remained her true north.

She’s played volleyball since first grade, sticking with it even through years of club competition with Rockford Volleyball. This year, she chose to step away from the club for the first time to allow space for vacations and family time. “It’s a lot of money, and I wanted to take a break,” she admitted. Still, volleyball remains her passion, one that she is considering for  next fall at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater’s Rock County campus, where a coach has already reached out to her. “It’s just JUCO volleyball, nothing serious,” she said with a smile. “But I think I’d have fun.”

Even as she pursues the sport she loves, Payton is looking ahead with equal determination toward a career in nursing. Ever since her freshman year, she’s been drawn to health sciences, beginning with Health Occupations, taught by Mrs. Rankin . “I took every health class I could,” she said. “Last year I took the CNA class, and I liked it.” Though she knows geriatrics isn’t her path, she envisions herself in a hospital setting, with an eye on advanced certifications like CRNA—certified registered nurse anesthetist. “I’m interested in anesthetic nursing,” she said, acknowledging the weight of responsibility it carries. “But if you’re passionate about it, you’ll make the time.”

Payton understands that balancing a demanding nursing program with athletics won’t be easy. “I’ve been worried about how much time it will take to study if I also play a sport,” she admitted. Yet she carries a pragmatic confidence that echoes her father’s encouragement and her mother’s steady presence. “My mom always handles conflict so I don’t have to worry,” she explained. “She’s been the supporting ground. My dad was the one who pushed me into volleyball.”

That division of roles—her mother smoothing the path, her father sharing the competitive drive—has defined her journey. The youngest of three, Payton knows her senior year is bittersweet for her mom, who faces the reality of an empty nest. “I’m her baby,” Payton said. “She’s not handling this year very well.” Still, the support of both parents, despite their divorce, has been unwavering. “They definitely have disputes, but when it comes to me, they always find common ground.”

Family roots run deep for Payton. Her father grew up in Pennsylvania, where sports were a way of life. She treasures visiting his old high school, walking through downtown Pittsburgh, and feeling the hard-working pulse of a city that reinvented itself. “It’s a great town,” she said. It’s no surprise that one of her other college options is Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she’s explored strong nursing programs. “It’s near Pittsburgh, and I just love it there,” she said.

For now, though, Byron remains her foundation. Payton describes her high school years as a blend of challenges and joys. Sophomore year tested her resolve, but she has leaned into friendships, sports, and a positive mindset. “Some people dread school every day,” she reflected. “But sometimes I enjoy it just for the social aspect.” Sports, too, expanded her circles—soccer introduced her to one set of teammates, volleyball to another. “It’s different environments, and that’s good.”

As graduation approaches, Payton resists looking too far ahead. “I hate thinking about the future,” she confessed. “I just want to reflect on core memories from senior year—the things everyone knew about or shared together. Did you do what you said you were going to do?”

It’s a fitting question for a young woman named after a legend. Walter Payton was known for his relentless drive, his loyalty, and his humanity off the field. Payton Baxter reflects those same qualities in her own way—balancing ambition with perspective, carrying both her parents’ love and her community’s pride, and preparing to step forward into a future that is hers to shape.

In Byron, her story is more than a name. It’s a promise that greatness can be inherited, but it must also be earned, one choice, one class, one serve, one step at a time.