Abby Lealaimatafao is the winner of our most prestigious award
Female Athlete of the Year Abby Lealaimatafao is the winner of our most prestigious award With athletic benchmarks being established every day in our high schools, it’s extremely difficult for students to excel at the state level in any single sport. It’s even more exceptional to excel in three sports while also achieving academic excellence and being active in community activities. Abby Lealaimatafao has done all this, and now she is being recognized as the 2014 BFS High School Female Athlete of the Year.
Abby has been on the varsity basketball team since her sophomore year and on the varsity volleyball team for all four years. She has been the captain of both sports for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Abby is a senior in Freeburg, Illinios, at Freeburg High School, a school that was founded in 1904. Abby is the 11th recipient of this presigious award for women, which was given out for the first time in 2004 to another exceptional track athlete, Sarah Cardinal. Unlike most sports awards, these BFS awards are given to athletes who also excel in the classroom and have proven themselves to be role models. On a scale of 1 to 10, the winners’ accomplishments are worthy of an 11. One reason for Abby’s success is her commitment to hard work in the weightroom that focuses on BFS core lifts such as the power clean and squat.
Here are some of her numbers: power clean, 160 pounds; bench press, 145; parallel squat, 280; hex bar deadlift, 315. Of course, there are many other aspects of a balanced strength and conditioning program, such as sprinting and plyometrics. Her maxes include a 24-inch vertical jump, a standing long jump of 7 feet 6 inches, a 63-second dot drill, sprint results of 2.91 seconds in the 20-yard sprint and 5.26 seconds in the 40. Although it’s a trend for many athletes to focus on one sport in hopes of putting themselves in the best position to get a scholarship, Abby has taken a different path.
She has been on the varsity basketball team since her sophomore year and on the varsity volleyball team for all four years. Last year she made All Conference in both sports, and she has been the captain of both sports for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Impressive, but track and field is where she displays the most power developed from her efforts in the weightroom. In the 2011-13 seasons, Abby made All Conference in the long jump, triple jump and shot put. She remains the conference record holder in the shot put, placing 6th in the event in 2013 and 9th in 2012. Her best results in outdoor competition are as follows: shot put, 40´5"; long jump, 16´2.00; and triple jump 35´7".
For indoor competition, these numbers are 36´6.50; 15´7.50; and 33´2.50. Interestingly, she also runs the longer sprints; she has posted a 61-second split, in addition to making All Conference in the 4x400 for the past two seasons. With such versatility, it’s no surprise that Abby is considering becoming a heptathlete in college. Abby’s parents are Tusi and Nancy Lealaimatafao, and they are justly proud of all their daughter’s accomplishments, including her impressive academic achievements. Abby scored a 32 on her ACTs, has been named an Illinois State Scholar, and earned an ROTC scholarship for the Marine Corps.
She is a member of the National Honor Society, vice president of the student council, an FCA leader, and president of Youth Ministry; last year she participated in a missionary trip. She also finds time to attend Science Club meetings and to serve as president of the Spanish Club. Abby Lealaimatafao is a remarkable young woman who has embraced all the positive aspects of the high school experience. In this age of specialization, she has shown that it’s possible to excel as a multi-sport athlete while also achieving academic success and serving her community. Role model Abby Lealaimatafao has certainly earned the honor of being named the 2014 BFS High School Female Athlete of the Year.
Abby is involved with many church activities. Here she is with basketball teammate Abby Bergkoetter at a Diocesean Youth Convention.
Abby’s hard work in the weightroom has produced these best lifts: power clean, 160 pounds; bench press, 145; parallel squat, 280; and hex bar deadlift, 315.
Abby excels not only in the shot put but also in jumping events and sprints. She is considering trying the heptathlon in college.
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From BFS Magazine — March/April 2014. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
