NISKAYUNA — Meet Anya Buhrmaster, a dedicated member of the 15U All-Stars Academy Impact baseball team.
Having just finished her freshman year at Niskayuna, Anya has been playing baseball for as long as she can recall.
“I was always in the shadow of my older sisters, who were both soccer stars at Niskayuna. I wanted to break the mold and chose baseball. I started with whiffle ball, moved on to t-ball, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” shares Buhrmaster.
Her persistence paid off when she made the modified team at Niskayuna in seventh grade. After that season, she joined the All-Stars Academy 13U team, where she has spent her past few summers.
“I auditioned for the 13U team a few years back, and I honestly didn’t think I would make the cut,” Buhrmaster confessed.
What set her apart and secured her spot on the team? Her relentless work ethic and her pitching prowess.
“I’ve only been coaching her since the winter, but she’s a hard worker. She’s always looking for ways to improve and fix any mistakes,” said 15U Impact coach Payton Mitchell.
Buhrmaster takes pride in her ability to deliver four different pitches, with her slider being her strongest.
On a recent Tuesday, she started a game against the Houston Royals during a team trip to Georgia. She allowed only one hit and one unearned run over three innings, with two walks and three strikeouts.
In a game on June 13 against the 518 Velocity, she allowed just one run over five innings, striking out five.
“This is a challenging organization to be a part of, and she proves her worth every time she steps on the mound,” Mitchell said. “She fits perfectly with this team and she’s earned her place here. She’s a fantastic pitcher and is also part of her JV team at Niskayuna. She’s always striving to improve.”
Now in her third season with All-Stars Academy, Buhrmaster has also completed three seasons at Niskayuna, including two on the modified team and the most recent on junior varsity. With the Impact, she also plays first base and gets chances at bat.
During her freshman year, she also picked up a new sport, hockey.
After attending a Union College men’s hockey game, Buhrmaster decided to switch from basketball to join the merged Niskayuna/Schenectady/Amsterdam high school team, the Mohawks.
“Balancing the two sports is challenging. The training for baseball and hockey is so different, but there are similarities like the swing in a slap shot,” she said.
She anticipates eventually having to choose one sport, especially as the travel baseball and hockey seasons overlap during the summer months.
“I love both sports and it will be tough to give up one,” said Buhrmaster, who recently joined an all-girls’ hockey team. “It’s going to be a difficult decision, but in the future, I’ll probably have to focus on just one.”
As for which sport that will be, she’s still figuring that out.
Disagree – Anya Buhrmaster did not perform well at All-Stars Academy Baseball.
Disagree – Anya Buhrmaster showed great improvement and potential at All-Stars Academy Baseball, proving her worth.
Disagree – Anya Buhrmaster definitely didn’t meet expectations at All-Stars Academy Baseball.