Leigh Farina ‘14 Recruiting Profile

Personal Statement

Thank you coach for taking the time to read my profile and watching my skills video.

My Summer 2013 travel schedule is listed under the The 18U Illinois Bash Gold. We will be traveling throughout the country until early November. 

My dream for an education is to attend a college or university that will provide a great education for my the career path I eventually choose, as I have always been an A/B honor roll student. I am open to all types of Universities and Colleges.

My other future goals include playing in college in order to help win championships and currently my high school and club teams win tournaments and state championships.

I  practice very hard  and work on my game all year with the 18U Illinois Bash Gold team and weight lift in the Fremd softball program gym because I aspire to be recognized as one of the best, versatile players in the country and to be prepared for college softball at any position. My hard work has paid off with another successful season as a sophomore, then junior varsity starter and Gold level player.

                                                                                Spring 2013 Highlights

• Fremd High School- Regional Champions, finished in the top 32, ranked in the top 10 and top 20. We played six less games then last year due to the weather and finished with a 24-8 record. We finished our last 23 games with a 20-3 record.


• Mid Suburban League All Conference and Daily Herald All Area Teams for the second year in a row. (Waiting on All State Selections as 5/30/13)


• 
  Hit .495 (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten-#5)?
  


• 50 hits (Only player in Fremd's 50+ Hit Club for two seasons, Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten) 


• 
  12- 2B's (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)
  


• 3- 3B's,


• 8 HR (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten-#2)


• 45 RBI's (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten-#2)


• Chicago Sun Times Pre-Season Top 100 Player in Illinois.

                                                                       Spring 2012 Highlights

• Fremd Honor Roll Student and also joined the NCAA Clearing House


• 2012-Illinois Coaches Association 3rd Team All State


• 2012- Daily Herald 1st Team All Area


• From Daily Herald on All- Area: “Coach Jim Weaver says the sophomore is already as good defensively as any shortstop in Fremd history. She made many key plays which helped the Vikings to another 30-win season and regional championship. Batting No. 2, Farina hit .449 with 44 runs, 53 hits, 36 RBI, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers and stole 12 bases. “Leigh is a top of the order player with speed and power (21 extra base hits) and seems to play her best against the best competition,” Weaver added.


• 2012- All Conference, Mid Suburban League


• 2012- Chicago Sun Times Top 100 Preseason Player-http://yourseason.suntimes.com/sports/softball/11186181-394/story.html


• Fremd H.S. was the 2012 Region Champions.


• Fremd finished with a record of 30-8.


• I finished with a batting average of .875 (7 for 8) in the regional tournament and hit .750 in the state playoffs.


• .449 batting average (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)


• 44 runs scored (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)


• 13 doubles (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)


•  36 RBI's (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)
  


•  53 hits  (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)
  


•  5 Home Runs, two off D1 recruits (Fremd Single Season All Time Top Ten)
  

Summer 2012-Starting shortstop for the Illinois Bash 18U Gold but can and did play all positions except pitcher. I threw six players out at home from CF.

I am a dedicated, committed person and softball player. I have been playing softball since I was five years old. I always strive and work harder than other players to be the best on the field and a great, supportive teammate. My dream is to help my college team get to the College World Series and win championships. 

I achieved another dream and goal by earning the starting SS position for Fremd High School. Fremd is one of the of the best H.S. programs in Illinois (3rd place 2009, 2nd place 2010 and finishing in the Sweet 16 in 2011). In 2012 were regional champions and set many school offensive records. We were ranked a top 20 Illinois team and up to #7 by The Daily Herald, Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune. One of my goals and my team's ultimate goal, is winning the Illinois state softball championship for Fremd.

Another goal I achieved is that I wanted to play much higher competition and for the 18U Illinois Bash Gold Team as a 15 year old. I made the team as the starting shortstop. Even though I am an All State shortstop, I can and we do play all positions in exposure tournaments except pitcher on the Bash because we realize it is important to be versatile. Thanks to Coach Goranson and all of our hard work as a team, we had a great fall in 2011, finishing 4-0 in the Premier National Qualifier and defeating most teams from Florida, Texas and around the nation including the runner up from last years Premier Nationals final.  I hit over .500 in almost every tournament in the fall of 2011 and hit several HR's off key pitchers. I want  to help the Illinois Bash win the Premier national championship in summer of 2013 in Huntington Beach, CA

Here are some other highlights in my playing career:

2011, 2012 and 2013 Fremd HS- Region Champions

Travel Softball Tournament Highlights:  
(2006 - 12U - Elk Grove - 2nd; Vernon Hills & Woodstock - 3rd)
(2007 - 12U - Woodstock - 1st; Indiana Beach, Elk Grove, & Roselle - 2nd Place Finishes)
(2008 - 14U - IL State, Bartlett - 1st; Trevian, Rochelle, IL Beach, & Wisconsin Dells - 2nd Place Finishes)  (2009 - 14U - Spartan Classic, Stars and Strikes - 2nd Place)
(2010 - 16U - ASA Nationals - Mankato, Minnesota – 4th Place)        
(2011-Capitol City Showdown, 3rd Place, ASA Nationals-2nd Place)

National Tournaments:  
(2007-12U - ASA Nationals - Salina, Kansas - 5th place)
(2008–12U - USSSA Nationals - Orlando, Florida - 9th Place)
(2009-14U – Kansas City, Kansas- 17th Place)
(2010-16U - ASA Nationals - Mankato, Minnesota – 4th Place)       
(2011-16U- ASA Nationals-Bloomington, Indiana-2nd Place, 2011- 4-0 Premier National Qualifiers)

2012-Gold Level Nationals-3rd

Fall 2011-18U Illinois Bash Gold- 4-0 in Premier National Tournament Qualifier

MVP- 2011 Capitol City Showdown tournament game and several MVP awards in various tournament games.

I also aspire to be good in sportsmanship because it represent my teams and my school. Due to my play and behavior on the field, and my behavior off the field, I have been complimented by my coaches, other teams coaches, college coaches, opposing players, my teammates, parents from my team and parents from the opposition. 

I love playing softball and I dream about playing beyond high school, while earning my college degree.

Thank you again coach for your valuable time in assessing my athleticism for your team.

Leigh Farina