Making an immediate impact in a varsity sport as a freshman is not something that’s easily done.

It’s even more rare for one to do so in two sports, but that is what Romeoville’s Abby Smith did this past year in basketball and softball.

For her great performances, she has been named the Romeoville Bugle’s Female Athlete of the Year.

“It means a lot,” Smith said. “I hope I can win it all four years in my career.”

Smith was the starting point guard on the basketball team and was the starting center fielder on the softball team.

“I was a bit surprised to start in both sports,” Smith said. “I just gave it my all in practices and I guess that helped.”

The Spartans featured plenty of youth on both the basketball court and softball field this past year, headlined by Smith.

Her success and the improvement of both teams have things looking brighter in Romeoville for the next few years.

“It gives me more pressure,” stated Smith. “I want to win more and keep improving so when I’m done I can get to a good college. It’s all about teamwork and if we stick together, it will make us better throughout the years.”

The basketball season had both pros and cons for Smith.

“Probably basketball season,” Smith said as to what was her favorite season. “It was a whole new team and we bonded together really quickly. It was pretty hard though because it was my first varsity sport. That made softball easier.” Her favorite moment came during basketball season.

“My favorite moment was beating Plainfield Central in regionals,” Smith said. “It was our first regional win and it has been difficult playing them because they are such a good team. So it was a big accomplishment. “

Her biggest feat in softball was hitting the long ball.

“Hitting a homer in softball was my greatest individual moment,” the freshman said. “I’m not the strongest girl, so it was really surprising.”

While Smith started in two sports as a freshman, next year she plans to make it three sports.

“I’m trying to do three sports,” Smith said. “I want to do cross country next year as well to get in shape for basketball season.”

It is a very busy summer for Smith as she prepares for the upcoming school season.

She is a member of the summer league basketball team for the Spartans, a member of a softball travel team for Romeoville and a member of two travel basketball teams, the under-15 Bolingbrook Panthers and the under-17 Illinois Breakers.

“I’m working on everything,” she said. “I want to play varsity sports all four year. It would make me better.”