The PGF Nationals had almost all the top players in the nation so when you come out on top of all of them with a smoking hot .688 average you’re pretty good. Like going to an SEC school good!

 

Name: CIARA BRYAN
Grad Year: 2016
Pos: outfield
High School: Newton (Ga.)
Club: Georgia Impact-Pauly                                                   
Stats: had the highest batting average (.688) at PGF Nationals of all age groups; hit .485 as a sophomore and.480 as a freshman.
Honors: 1^st team All-Region, Offensive MVP; other sports: Most athletic (track), NCA All-American cheerleader. 
College: Georgia
 

***

FullCountSoftball.com: Wow, you went 11-for-16 at PGF… did you feel you were in a zone and couldn’t be stopped?
Ciara Bryan: Mentally, I said to myself I have to go out there and just do my best. That meant being aggressive at the plate and try to get on by any means necessary.

 

FCS.com: What is your hitting philosophy when you go to the plate? Are you looking for certain pitches or just reacting to what is thrown?
CB: Well, as a lead- off hitter, I take what the defense gives me. If they play me up, I try to hit it hard in the gap. If they play me back, I will most likely lay it down. I think I react to pretty much what is thrown.

FCS.com: Back in school now, did it seem like the summer went by too fast? What were some of the highlights of your club season?
CB: Yes! Summer ended way too fast for me. It was a great experience to play up, with a group of girls who were all older than me. I also enjoyed traveling to places I’ve never been before.

FCS.com: Let’s talk recruiting: tell us how Georgia found you and how the recruiting process went up to your offer…
CB: Well, I was playing in a 14U showcase and my coach told me the UGA coach was there and wanted to watch me play. So I used a little more focus in my games. I hit the ball hard and ran the bases like it was my last chance! Instantly, they loved me (I heard). They talked to my coach after the games and it all went from there.

 

FCS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
CB: After going to a few UGA football games, exploring the campus and even meeting a few of the softball players, it felt like home. I knew this was the school for me.

 

FCS.com: What were the circumstances around your committing (where were you, what did you say, etc.)?
CB: UGA invited me and my family to the homecoming game. We were instructed to meet at halftime to tour the softball facility and when my parents and I went in they spoke about evaluating me and watching afar and made offer.

 

FCS.com: Was being able to stay close to home a major factor?
CB: Yes! The campus is only an hour from where I live. I’ve always known I am a Georgia girl at heart.

FCS.com: Most states play softball in the spring, in Georgia it’s in the fall… do you like it that way or wish it was the other way around?
CB: I actually like it. I’m very active in athletics, so with softball being in the fall, I am able to participate in other sports that I enjoy being a part of.

 

FCS.com: What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
CB: My Speed (laughs)! My coaches also say I have very quick hands.

 

FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
CB: When my team was down 9-2 in a PGF game and we came back in the last inning to win 10-9 to stay in the tournament.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What is your favorite part of softball?
Playing as a team.

Do you play other sports? If so, what’s your favorite experience outside softball?
Running track and cheering.

Fill in the blank… Nobody is better at me at: _________________
… being silly.

Do you follow what’s in the news and, if so, what’s the biggest issue you pay attention to?
Recently, the shooting in Missouri has really had a big impact on how I view police officers.

Favorite food:
Hot wings and sushi (not together of course)!

Least favorite food:
Coleslaw.

Favorite memory:
Meeting Sierra Romero from the Univ. of Michigan.

Least favorite chore?
Dishes eww!

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
I have to grab some dirt.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
Few people know that I’m a pure switch hitter and also I can do back-handsprings across a football field.

What’s one thing you dread doing?
Homework.

What’s playing in your iPod/headphones right now?
Migos: Handsome & Wealthy

Last movie you saw… liked or disliked?
Purge 2… it was cool.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
A past middle school teacher of mine and now my high school vice principal. She has mentored me and watched me grow into the confident, dedicated person I am today.