NSR Female AOD: Leanna Bachman, softball outfielder from Liberty Union-Thurston High, Ohio, with 2.7 H-1st speed and a 4.0 GPA

Our Female Athlete of the Day is exceptional.  Leanna Bachman, a senior from Liberty Union-Thurston High School in Thurston, Ohio, is an outfielder with a 2.7 home-to-first time and a perfect 4.0 GPA.  Her NSR scouting report says of her that, “Talk about the full package.  This young lady, at 16, has a resume that most adults would be envious of.  Not only does she partcipate in 4-H, participate in FFA, raise pigs, ride horses, manage her own busines and swim for her high school swim team, but she plays softball too….and she’s pretty darn good at it. Leanna excels both in the classroom and on the field and has fully dedicated herself to becoming one of the best softball players in her area.  At school, she’s carried a 4.0 GPA for the last two years, and she is ranked first in her class.  Leanna is a 5’4”, 135 pound left-handed centerfielder but can and will play anywhere in the outfield.  She has spent some time at several infield positions, but she is a true outfielder with great speed.  She has a strong and accurate arm from the outfield.  Her knowledge of the game surpasses most seniors, and she dedicates a great deal of time to training year round with both a hitting instructor and a speed, strength and agility coach.  The speed training has paid off resulting in a “home to 1st” time of 2.7 and a “home to home” time of 11.6….and she’s getting faster.  Leanna is no slouch at the plate either.  In 2011, her high school batting average was .452 and her travel ball average was .421.”  And when Leanna speaks to college coaches in her NSR essay, she delares, “As a softball player, I strive to be an impact player on my softball team. I want to be the player my team depends on to get a hit, steal a base or make the catch. I want to be the player my team depends on to provide leadership and encouragement to other teammates. My goal is to make an impact every time I step on the field.  To me there are three main characteristics of being an impact player; mental focus, power and teamwork. I continually try to develop these characteristics to improve my game on and off the field.”