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Get Scouted Scouting CareersLife has never been easy for Elayna VanArsdale.
Her mother, Elizabeth, has been on Social Security disability for more than 10 years, the result of chronic back pain suffered in an automobile accident. Her father, William, a full-time chef, suffers from scoliosis and degenerative disc disease.
Because money always has been tight for her family, Elayna works several days a week as a server/busser at a local restaurant. She also has helps raise her five younger siblings.
In addition, she attends classes each day at Bensalem Township High School in suburban Philadelphia; trains and competes in track and field; coaches Catholic Youth Organization track and field athletes; and participates in numerous other extracurricular activities.
But Elayna has persevered.
Not only has she not missed a day of classes in high school, the 2016 National Scouting Report prospect maintains a 3.65 grade-point average; has emerged as one of the top discus and shot put throwers in the powerful Suburban One League; and recently earned an athletic scholarship to William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
“My life has been filled with so many ups and downs due to my parents having severe medical conditions,” Elayna wrote in her personal message to college coaches. “My parents couldn’t afford many extras. I took it upon myself to get a couple jobs, so I wouldn’t burden them with things I needed. Working part-time while a full-time student made me more responsible. I never let [work] get in the way of anything else.”
Six years ago, Elayna, 19, began competing in track and field. At 5 feet 7 and 265 pounds, she found her size and strength to be perfectly suited for the discus and shot put. After working hard to perfect her form, she watched her personal-best distances improve dramatically.
Since the start of high school, Elayna has improved from 94 feet, 11 inches to 113-9 in the discus and from 31-0 to 34-11 in the shot put. Last season, she captured second in the outdoor conference championships and seventh in the district championships in the discus and fourth in the outdoor conference championships in the shot put.
Hoping her daughter would be discovered and receive scholarship money, Elizabeth enrolled Elayna with NSR of Southeastern Pennsylvania before the start of her senior year. Soon after, several college coaches began emailing and calling.
“I can only pray she gets a scholarship somewhere she deserves and wants to attend,” Elizabeth said back then. “I pray for her every night. I’ve never known a child to work nearly as hard as she does or is more deserving of [a scholarship].”
Thanks to NSR, Elizabeth’s prayers were answered.
Elayna received interest from schools on all levels. It ultimately came down to Indiana Tech and William Penn. Elayna chose William Penn — an NAIA school near Des Moines with a rich track and field tradition — because it offered a secondary education major.
“I believe without NSR, I wouldn’t have been able to find those kind of schools,” said Elayna, who plans to major in secondary education and biology with hopes of becoming a high school science teacher. “They were able to discover me because of NSR.”
Although she is very close to her parents and siblings, Elayna said she looks forward to college life more than 1,000 miles from home.
“My mom and dad wanted me to have a real college experience away from home,” she said. “They thought it would be good for me to get away.
“I look forward to this new time of my life, continuing my education and helping to educate other children.”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.
I’m the proud grandmother of Elayna (Lainybug-BUGS to those closest to her). I’ve never seen a child excell in academics, maintain perfect attendance, play sports, & work a job. Everything she does, she gives 100%. Elayna deserves a FULL ride to college. We pray she finds all her dreams fulfilled.