Lindsay Hayes made a crucial decision when she entered high school.

Up until the age of 12, Hayes, now a Riverside Brookfield senior, competed in traveling softball. However, the year-long commitment came with an unwanted side effect.

“It was a great way to meet people but winning became a little too important,” she said. “I was starting to get burned out.”

Hayes’ journey to the 2009 Suburban Life Spring Girls MVP award took a unique detour.

Hayes joined R-B’s junior varsity tennis team as a freshman. While using a hitting machine to work on softball, Hayes received assistance from her father, Ken, who played football and tennis at R-B and eventually played tennis at Tulane University and Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Hayes’ impact in the tennis program was felt immediately. As a freshman, she jumped into the No. 1 singles spot for the JV team. She moved up to varsity and played No. 2 singles the following year. Hayes spent the final two seasons in the top singles position.

She had discovered a perfect balance.

“I learned a lot about myself,” Hayes said. “Tennis helped me not get burned out with one sport. The hand-eye coordination I picked up also carried over into softball. I’m now more confident in myself, my abilities and my teammates.”

Hayes, who led R-B’s softball team to a sectional final Saturday, recently made another major decision to play softball at Illinois Wesleyan University next school year.

The determining factor came down to a career aspiration and a weekend trip to Bloomington in mid-January.

Hayes’ passion for becoming a labor and delivery nurse was influenced by her sister-in-law Sandee Hayes, who is currently in the profession. She took a train ride from the Chicago suburbs to IWU on Jan. 17 and was taken aback by the nursing facilities, the green scenic campus and especially the generosity of softball head coach Steve King.

At the end of the visit, the pitcher/outfielder’s train ride home was canceled, and it looked like she would need to say an extra day. But King volunteered to drive Hayes 37 miles to Pontiac, where she was picked up by friends.

“That really meant a lot,” said Hayes, who earned the 2009 Metro Suburban Conference softball MVP award. “Here is a coach that doesn’t even know me and he is going out of his way for me.”

Hayes had determined she was no longer interested in the University of Illinois because that particular Division I schedule would conflict with 12-hour nursing shifts during Hayes’ senior year of college. She narrowed her list down to the Titans, Bradley University and Carroll College in Waukesha, Wis., before eventually choosing to major in nursing and minor in Spanish at IWU.

“It was always my No. 1 school,” Hayes said. “But it was not an easy decision.”

Ryan Long

Meet the rest of the 2009 Girls Spring Sports All-Area team.

SOFTBALL
Bridget Anselmo
Lyons Township, senior
Achievements Anselmo was a three-year varsity player for the Lions, starting this season in center field. She was a tough out at the plate, leading the team in batting average (.386), laid down a team-best eight sacrifices and struck out only six times in 86 at-bats. Anselmo led the team in hits (32), was second in runs scored (11), stole a team-best five bases and drove in nine runs.

SOCCER
Anita Balciunas
Riverside Brookfield, junior
Achievements In 18 games played this season, Balciunas gave up just over one goal per contest. The low average gave the Bulldogs a chance to win on a routine basis. The junior posted seven shutouts and made 87 saves off of 113 shots on goal. She will enter her season with as much experience as any goalie in the area.

WATER POLO
Morgan Bonk
Fenwick, Senior
Achievements In the state championship game this year, Bonk was arguably the top scoring threat in the pool with five goals to her credit. During the regular season, the senior was first on the team in scoring with 91 goals and first on the team in assists with 49. She will be playing water polo at Loyola Marymount next school year.

WATER POLO
Mariclaire Bresnahan
Fenwick, senior
Achievements The Indiana University-bound goalie was the Friars’ staple in 2009 with 276 saves during the regular season. Bresnahan averaged 2.53 saves per game and surrendered 76 goals in 30 contests. In the state finals against Naperville Central, the senior collected 11 saves en route to Fenwick’s second consecutive state title and fifth crown in the last six years.

SOFTBALL
Shannon Cawley
Nazareth, sophomore
Achievements Cawley followed up her award-winning rookie campaign with a much-improved sophomore season. She hit .398 with 32 RBIs and 19 runs scored and served as the No. pitcher in the rotation. Cawley claimed an all-East Suburban Catholic Conference spot for the second consecutive season.

SOFTBALL
Carly Clements
Morton, senior
Achievements The four-year starter earned all-West Suburban Gold honors this spring after hitting .373 (.640 slugging percentage) with three doubles, 10 home runs, 38 RBIs and 30 runs scored. Clements, who was a co-MVP on the team with Natalie Jaime, will be hanging up the cleats at the end of the season as she has decided not to play at North Central College.

SOFTBALL
Britnee Dobbs
St. Joseph, sophomore
Achievements Dobbs was an all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection for the second straight season. In 34 games this year, she batted .490 with five home runs, 48 total hits and 30 RBIs . She started every game during 2009 and was also named the Chargers’ MVP.

SOFTBALL
Bridget Ellsworth
Fenwick, senior
Achievements Now a two-time all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection, Ellsworth batted .369 with 16 singles, six doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs. She also drew seven walks while stealing five bases.

SOCCER
Morgan Gallagher
Fenwick, senior
Achievements Gallagher was an ideal offensive compliment to teammate Carly Smith throughout the year. The senior forward was an all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection and posted 12 goals and three assists. She will continue her playing career at Lawrence University in the fall.

TRACK & FIELD
Lisa Gordon
Lyons Township, freshman
Achievements There are plenty of good things still to come from Gordon, a standout freshman distance runner. Gordon collected her first all-state medal two weeks ago at the IHSA girls state track championships. She was eighth in the finals of the 3,200-meter run, cutting 12 seconds off her sectional time to finish in 11:00.58. She is the first individual all-state medalist for the LT girls program since 2005.

TRACK & FIELD
Darnissa Gray
St. Joseph, junior
Achievements Gray burst onto the Illinois track and field scene this year by winning the shot put (38 feet, 8 inches) and the triple jump (34-6-1/4) at the Class 2A Glenbard South sectional. The junior went on to post a second-place finish in the shot put at the state tournament with a throw of 40-5. Gray also was an all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection in basketball last winter. 

WATER POLO
Allie Grimes
Lyons Township, junior
Achievements Balance was the name of the game for the Lions’ girls water polo team this season, and Grimes was a top contributor. The junior played in all 31 matches, helping lead the Lions to their first IHSA state tournament appearance and a program-best 27 victories (27-4 overall record). She finished the season with a team-high 67 goals and also had 50 assists.

SOFTBALL
Lindsay Hayes
Riverside Brookfield, senior
Achievements The 2009 Suburban Life Most Valuable Athlete virtually duplicated her numbers from a year ago. At the plate, Hayes hit .425 with seven home runs, five triples, 11 doubles, 20 singles, 25 runs and 31 RBIs. On the mound, the Metro Suburban Conference MVP was 10-3 with an 0.80 ERA, 103 strikeouts and 24 walks. She will play softball at Illinois Wesleyan next school year.

SOFTBALL
Natalie Jaime
Morton, senior
Achievements The four-year starter was named as an all-West Suburban Gold selection. Jaime batted a team-best .447 with 13 doubles, two home runs, 24 runs scored, 17 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. The senior, who was a co-MVP on the team with Carly Clements, will continue her softball career at Aurora University next school year.

TRACK & FIELD
Vija Leituvninkas
Riverside Brookfield, junior
Achievements The high jumper was outstanding in the postseason, leaping 5 feet, 1 inch for a first-place tie at the Class 2A Glenbard South sectional. At the state meet, she qualified for the finals with a jump of 5-2 and eventually earned 10th place.

SOFTBALL
Vlasta Mangia
Morton, junior
Achievements Mangia proved to be a complete player in her third year on varsity, producing both on the mound and in the batter’s box. Mangia was 21-6 as a starting pitcher with a 1.02 ERA, 10 shutouts, 182 strikeouts and 24 walks in 192 innings of work. Offensively, the junior hit .390 with 41 hits, one home run, 10 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

SOCCER
Nora Masterson
Nazareth, junior
Achievements The all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection provided outstanding durability, starting in every single game this season. Masterson anchored the defense from  the center back position and also scored a goal.

TRACK & FIELD
Brenna Mossman   
Riverside Brookfield, sophomore
Achievements Mossman was arguably the Bulldogs’ best all-around athlete on the track and field team with the various events that she competes in. The sophomore won the long jump at the Class 2A Glenbard South sectional with a mark of 16 feet, 10-1/2 inches and was on the third-place 4 x 400-meter relay (4:11.71), along with Cynina Mason, Kate Walsh and Jackie Grisafe.

SOCCER
Katie Nasenbenny
Lyons Township, junior
Achievements Only a junior, Nasenbenny will be one of the top midfielders in the area next season, judging by a strong 2009 season. Nasenbenny lead the team with 18 goals and was second in assists with five (Kelsey Holbert had eight assists, along with eight goals). The junior standout was also an all-West Suburban Silver, all-sectional and all-state selection and helped lead LT to its seventh straight regional title. She has 26 goals and seven assists over the past two seasons.

SOCCER
Lily Salinas
Morton, junior
Achievements The Mustangs’ greatest strength this season was their defense and leading this unit throughout 2009 was Salinas. The sweeper was in her third year on varsity and was also Morton’s captain. She was an all-West Suburban Gold selection. Salinas even scored one goal and one assist.

SOCCER
Carly Smith
Fenwick, senior
Achievements Smith was an all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection and one of the top offensive threats in the area. The senior forward proved how dangerous she can be around the net, collecting 23 goals and seven assists during 2009. Smith will continue her playing career at Marquette next school year.

TRACK & FIELD
Emily Swift
Riverside Brookfield, senior
Achievements At the Class 2A Glenbard South sectional, Swift blew away the competition with a mark of 10 feet on the pole vault. That height was four inches ahead of second-place finisher Kristen McWilliams of the host school. At the state meet, Swift soared even higher, clearing 10-3 in the finals to capture a fifth-place medal.

SOFTBALL
Morgan Vogel
Riverside Brookfield, junior
Achievements Vogel has been receiving Division I college interest throughout the season, which is likely to pick up this summer. The all-Metro Suburban Conference selection batted .369 with 19 singles, 19 runs, 11 RBIs, 10 doubles, one home run and one triple. On the mound, she was 9-4 with a 1.28 ERA, 62 strikeouts and 16 walks.

SOFTBALL
Jill Vondrak
Nazareth, senior
Achievements For the first time in her career, Vondrak was named as an all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection. She served as the Roadrunners’ ace in the circle with a 11-7 record, 2.21 ERA and 122 strikeouts. Vondrak also hit .307.

Honorable mention
LYONS TOWNSHIP
Holly Rhode, track and field; Katherin Rehn, track; Kelsey Kilrea, track; Simone Bunsen, track; Kelsey Holbert, soccer; Steph Condon, soccer; Renata Butikas, soccer; Katelyn Jacobs, water polo; Amanda Boskovich, badminton; Alyse Misiewicz, badminton; Paige Codilis, badminton; Alyssa Smith, softball; Caryn Connors, softball
MORTON
Veronica Macias, soccer; Beatriz Hernandez, soccer; Gina Filomeno, softball, Clare Bukowski, softball
RIVERSIDE BROOKFIELD
Liz Demitro, softball; Michelle Demitro, softball; Jessie Hutchens, softball; Kelli Beimal, soccer
FENWICK
Clare Madden, soccer; Erin McCoy, track and field; Lisett Calderon, water polo; Stephanie Ovalle, water polo; Katie Tynan, water polo; Angelica Sanchez, softball
NAZARETH
Kathryn Pelino, soccer; Margaret Daly, softball; Stephanie Polich, softball
ST. JOSEPH
Ashley Lewis, track and field; Erica King, softball