The Atlantic Coast Fastpitch League (ACFL) is excited to spotlight Ryan Drew as the October Co-Player of the Month. Drew is an outfielder for VA Glory National Ladia.
The 2027 outfielder racked up an impressive .643 batting average and 1.429 OPS, with seven singles, two doubles and a stolen base in the month of October.
Softball Story (How did you get started? Tell us about you-
I started playing T-ball when I was 4 years old, and then moved onto rec ball when I was 6. My travel career started when I was 9, and I have been playing travel ever since. I also play on my middle school team. My dad has played softball for as long as I remember, and he passed on his love for the game to me.
Favorite Softball memory-
My favorite softball memory was when I won the award for Best Sportsmanship, Attitude, and Effort at JMU camp in in 2021. I was so surprised and it was a really cool thing to be awarded. I also loved exchanging pins with all the players around the country at Nationals this past summer. That was a really fun way to interact with lots of girls.
Who is your favorite softball player?*
Hannah Shifflett from the JMU team. I met her at JMU camp the last couple of years, and she is so nice and helpful with my game.
What do you like to do outside of softball?
I like to go on bike rides with my friends, go to the beach, and play volleyball with my sister. I also have two dogs and two cats that I like to hang out with.
What are some of your current goals – both on and off the field? (Softball, school, other athletics, related, etc. all welcomed!)
My goals for this year are to make straight As, master my chop, and work on my mental game.
Coaches Feedback
Ryan is an extremely hard worker! In practice she gives 100% every time. She is super coachable and receptive to feedback and puts it right into action! She is an awesome teammate, always willing to pick up others when they are down. She is always positive and it’s contagious! She has the ability to set the tone of every game we play when she leads off because of the pressure she puts on a defense.
My favorite moment was when Ryan put so much pressure on a defense, they made 2 mistakes which lead her to turn a single into an in-the-park home run.
What is the Alliance Fastpitch Player Recognition Program?
The Player Recognition Program was built to recognize and spotlight our individual players in each Member League. Each month, registered Alliance Fastpitch coaches can nominate a player from their age division. League Leadership will review nominations and a monthly stats report from AthletesGoLive (AGL) to determine the League’s Player of the Month.
Following the announcement of each League’s Players of the Month, the Alliance Fastpitch will recognize a National Player of the Month.
To be considered for Player of the Month, your team must score League games in AGL so your stats will be included in the League’s monthly report.