January 25, 2018
Over 20 years of running Headfirst Honor Roll Camps, we have aided thousands of athletes in their search for the perfect school fit – one where they can pursue their full potential on and off the field. We are proud of the platform that we’re able to provide for these student-athletes, as well as the guidance and insight we can offer as former high-academic athletes ourselves.
We understand the unique challenges of playing softball while pursuing a degree at an elite college – and are always excited to celebrate the achievements of Headfirst alumni who have maintained this balancing act.
Below, we have shared the experiences of a few of these athletes. Like you, each was once a high-school softball player searching for a school that would allow her to compete at the highest levels athletically and academically, and that would set her up for success through four years of college – and beyond.
We hope you will find their stories inspirational as you pursue your own goals.
SARA TOBIAS – Middlebury Panthers
School: Middlebury, Class of 2022
Position: OF
Honor Roll Camp Attended: Northeast 2016 (Baseball), Northeast 2017 (Baseball), Northeast 2017 (Softball)
Bio: Born and raised in New York City, Sara began playing baseball at six years old. She is currently a senior at The Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn where she made the varsity baseball team as a freshman – racking up an impressive 6-1 pitching record as a sophomore en route to All Conference Honors.
In 2016 Sara was the youngest member of the USA Baseball Women’s National Team that travelled to Gijang, South Korea to compete in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup. The only athlete to have ever participated in both a Headfirst Baseball showcase and a Headfirst Softball showcase, Sara garnered interest for both sports, ultimately deciding to play softball in college for Coach Bevere’s Middlebury Panthers.
She maintains a 4.0 GPA and has been participating in a three-year Science Research and Design Project of her own making – “A Comparison of Vertical Illusions Between Knuckleball and Traditional Pitchers.” She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper and has received numerous academic awards including induction into the Cum Laude Society, National Latin Exam Awards, Honorable Mention 2017 Scholastic Writing Award for Poetry and a 2017 Sabermetrics Society Women in Baseball Essay Scholarship for her essay “One Out for Pakistan, One Win for Women’s Baseball.”
GRACE LADD – Brown Bears
School: Brown, Class of 2021
Position: LHP
Honor Roll Camp Attended: West Honor Roll Camp 2014, West Honor Roll Camp 2015, West Honor Roll Camp 2016
Bio: The younger of the high-achieving athletes in the Ladd Family (her older brother Ford is a Headfirst alumni currently pitching for NYU), Grace joined the Brown softball team this fall after concluding an impressive career at Niwot High School in Colorado. Excelling both on the field and in the classroom, Grace’s list of accomplishments is extensive and includes three All-Conference recognitions, two All-State Selections and All-Region honors for both her junior and senior seasons. In addition to her prowess on the field, Grace was also recognized for her ability to balance scholastics and athletics, collecting Academic All-State honors her junior and senior years .
Her accomplishments – and balance – are even more impressive when considering Grace spent her high school career competing for both Niwot and the nationally ranked Triple Crown Stars Gold – including a 17-day trip to Europe in 2015.
Successfully navigating her numerous responsibilities, Grace still graduated as salutatorian from Niwot in the Spring of 2017 and began her career at Brown in August.
She will bring Brown depth in the pitching circle this spring as she pursues a concentration in Economics.
EMILY BERGIN – Macalester Scots
School: Macalester, Class of 2022
Position: SS
Honor Roll Camp Attended: Mid-Atlantic 2014, Northeast 2015, Mid-Atlantic 2015, Northeast 2016
Bio: Emily will graduate this spring from St. Thomas Episcopal School in Texas and relocate 1,200 miles due north to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Currently carrying a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA, Emily has been recognized as a National Merit Scholar and a National Latin Exam Silver Medalist, while also volunteering at St. Joseph’s Hospital and as part of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
The majority of her softball experience has come while playing for the Texas Sting Gold – where she has been one of the organizations most versatile players. Between 2016-2017, she played every position on the field (with the exception of catcher) and ended the season batting over .390.
In addition to her softball exploits, Emily has been a member of the St. Thomas Varsity basketball team for three years and is currently serving as a co-captain in 2018.
An aspiring doctor, Emily will study Biology while patrolling Coach Gabriel’s middle infield.
