Jaimee Paffhausen entered Butte High School with some lofty expectations on her shoulders thanks to her last name.

For decades, that last name meant greatness for the Bulldogs.

Somehow, she left the school by taking that name to the next level. Jaimee was the ace pitcher and cleanup hitter for the 2011 Butte High Class AA State championship softball team. Following the season, she was named the Gatorade Montana Softball Player of the Year.

She was the first Paffhausen to win that honor. Not even her uncle Josh, who led the state in all-purpose yards while quarterbacking the 1991 Bulldogs to the state title, did not win the Gatorade.

In 2017, Jaimee married Chuckie Richards and changed her last name. She is still doing great things.

Her work as a physical therapist at Stenson Physical Therapy helps get people back on their feet. Since she overcame a torn ACL in her left knee as a junior in high school, Jaimee has walked a mile in her patients’ shoes, giving her a unique understanding of their situation.

Jaimee is also part of the Copper City Softball program in Butte. That program is growing exponentially. In doing so, Jaimee is helping lay the foundation for future state championship high school softball teams from the Mining City.