She wasn’t flashy. Going coast-to-coast for a lay up was a rarity. And, she was never a show boat. What Etna Lady Lion Annaleisa Nadig did do was consistently perform on the basketball court. On a league championship team that was loaded with talent, no one was better than Nadig this season.

Nadig led the Lady Lions in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and blocked shots (1.9 bpg). She had the best shooting percentage on the team (47) and 3-point shooting percentage (42). Her free throw percentage was second best (67). Nadig averaged 10.5 points per game, and 2.6 steals. She had the least turnovers among the starters.

Six times in the 2009-10 season, Nadig registered a double-double for points and rebounds. Her highest scoring output was 26 points against Lost River. She also had 10 boards in that game. However, Nadig’s most impressive game came against Fall River in a must win situation for the Lady Lions. A loss meant third place. A win meant a co-championship and high playoff seed. Nadig responded to the challenge with a 16-point, 18-rebound performance.

What makes Nadig’s stats impressive is not how high they are. Many players in the Shasta Cascade League, and even on her team, have numbers that are higher in various categories. What’s impressive is the number of different areas where she excels. Plus, Nadig did it on a team where there were several players capable of putting up big numbers, and playing time was distributed among nine players.

As good as Nadig was on the B-Ball court, it’s not the only place she’s had an impact. Nadig led the league champion and NSCIF D-V volleyball semi-finalist Lady Lions in aces per game. She also led the SCL in aces per game, and was tied for second in the section.

And, oh yeah, Nadig was on Etna’s girls track team that won the SCL and Division-III championships last season. She’s the defending SCL and D-III shot put champion, and finished fifth in the section in shot put. Nadig also had a third place finish in the triple jump at the SCL championships.

There aren’t many athletes that can be among the best at three different sports. And, that makes Annaleisa Nadig an Impact Player Award winner.

The Impact Player Award is given on a monthly basis and goes to Siskiyou County high school athletes, male or female, that have had a significant impact on the success of their team. I select the players based on my own observations, sometimes in consultation with the player’s coaches.

Up to four awards may be given each month and are not school specific; they can go to a player at any school that Siskiyou Youth covers. Winners receive Impact T-shirts that were designed by Golden Grotto. The T-shirts and award are cosponsored by SiskiyouYouth.com and NorCal Classic Hits radio, KCWH, 102.3/101.7