A 19-year-old Lamar County High School graduate has begun to chase her dream.
Former Lamar County High School softball player Hailey Stanley has launched Refined Athletics (stylized as “ReFtNed”), a faith-based athletic apparel brand designed to inspire people through both fitness and faith.
Stanley, the oldest daughter in a family of seven, has spent years around sports. She coaches her younger sister’s 10U travel softball team, has offered private softball lessons to young children for the past three years, and works for her family’s business, SIPM Roofing. This fall, she’ll continue her softball career at Gordon State College.
While athletics have always been a major part of her life, Stanley said the idea for Refined Athletics actually began several years ago during conversations with her mother.
“My mom and I actually talked about me starting a clothing line a few years before I finally launched it,” Stanley said. “We prayed to God about it and asked for guidance on what verse to choose alongside ‘Refined.'”
The name carries significant meaning.
A cross replaces the “i” in Refined, symbolizing that God remains at the center of every trial. The brand is built around 1 Peter 1:7, a passage comparing faith to gold refined by fire.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:7 (NIV)
“There is a cross in the middle of ‘Refined,’ signifying that God is always in the middle of it all with you,” Stanley explained. “The fire represents the trials, hard times, and overthinking, while the gold represents your faith in God. ‘Refined’ is the outcome—it’s the gold that shines through you after you’ve gone through the process.”
She summarizes the message in a simple phrase:
“Tested by Fire. Refined for the Game.”
Stanley says her own experiences as an athlete shaped both the brand and its mission.
Like many competitors, she battled slumps, self-doubt, and mental struggles. Looking back, she believes those difficult seasons became opportunities for spiritual growth.
“The biggest challenge was probably when I was going through my own refining process,” she said. “My mental game wasn’t tight, and I wasn’t performing the way I felt I was supposed to. Through that, I learned to give everything to God and surrender to Him.”
While the apparel is designed to be lightweight and comfortable for everyday wear and workouts, Stanley hopes it also starts conversations.
“When people see ‘Refined Athletics, 1 Peter 1:7,’ they often ask what the cross stands for and what the verse means,” she said. “My clothing line is a way of reaching people for God.”
The line currently includes T-shirts, hoodies, hats, sweat sets, compression shirts, shorts, tank tops, bracelets, headbands, cross-body bags, rings, and other apparel for men, women, and children. Stanley also plans to expand with additional children’s products and launch an official website in the near future.
One of the most rewarding parts of the journey, she said, has been seeing strangers recognize the brand while traveling with her family and asking about its meaning.
Looking ahead, Stanley hopes Refined Athletics continues to grow while remaining true to its purpose.
“With the right motivation, you can do it too,” she said, offering advice to other young entrepreneurs. “You just have to be completely ready to commit and be willing to sacrifice time and money.”
Stanley credits God, along with her parents, sisters, and athletic trainers, for helping make the dream possible.
Refined Athletics products are currently available through the brand’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as at House to Home in downtown Barnesville on Main Street.
Stanley’s products will also be available at downtown Barnesville’s Ladies Night Luau from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
