Being a coaches daughter means that dad/coach is your harshest critic, but Alison Newland of Georgia Impact sees the upside to dad being in the dugout.

Newland is a dual athlete with tremendous versatility on the field and power from the left side.

Name:  Alison Newland

Club:  Georgia Impact - Newland

High School: Bremen High School  

Hometown: Bremen, GA  

Height: 5-foot-5

Position(s): Outfield/Catcher/Second Base

College: Uncommitted

How is the transition to high school going both in the classroom and on the field? How are you doing so far team-wise? The change has gone pretty smoothly. In the classroom, the only real change is more homework. I love being on the varsity team. I love the girls I play with and my coach is awesome.  Our team is off to a bit of a slow start, but we've got time to turn things around and make a run.

Do you play other sports or are you focusing solely on softball right now? For right now the focus is all softball.  But, I'll be playing tennis this spring and I'm looking forward to it.  I've been playing tennis almost as long as I've been playing softball.

You're a lefty slapper… what do you think is your best strength at the plate? Actually, I wouldn't call myself a slapper.  I'm more of a hitter than a slapper.  Versatility is certainly a strength for me.  If the defense plays in, I've got the power to get it through them or over them.  But the defense can't play deep because I've got enough speed to pressure the infield to make a play.

You've been described as a "coach on the field." What have been the pros and cons of actually BEING a coach's daughter? Even knowing that my dad just wants the best for me, it can be hard sometimes to separate between parent and coach because he is going to go harder on me and expect more out of me. But, a huge advantage is always having someone I can talk softball with who really knows the game. It's been really beneficial to me having a dad who played baseball himself in the SEC.  He has been through this and  knows what to expect. 

What's been your favorite softball experience so far? My favorite softball experience is meeting all the great people that are involved in the game.  I've made friends all over the country that I know are going to last forever. Even girls I've only known for a season feel like family.

Where are you in the recruiting process? The recruiting process has really taken off for me since last fall.   I have several great offers right now and I have a few more visits lined up over the next couple months.  I'm looking forward to making a decision by the end of this year.

Do you have a list of criteria you're looking at to evaluate your future university or going more by "gut feel?" I think that a certain part of the process has always been about that gut feeling on whether a school is a good fit for me, but my number one priority has always been academics.  Aside from that, I need somewhere that gives me a family feel.

What's something unusual or different about you that few people know? I really enjoy writing and I'd love to write a book one day.  Also, when I play tennis, I serve right-handed, but play left-handed.  It freaks people out to see me switch hands after I serve.

Favorite food: Mac and cheese (especially shells and cheese)

Favorite movie of all time: The Blind Side

Philosophy of life: Swing hard just in case you hit it.

Dream vacation: Rome, Italy

Celebrity you'd most like to meet: Simon Baker, my dad and I love The Mentalist.

Favorite pro team (any sport): Atlanta Braves, even though they're terrible.

Fill in the blank: The one thing I can't stand is when other people use poor grammar.

Favorite holiday and why: Thanksgiving. I get to see a lot of family I don't see otherwise, and the food is a definite plus.

Any superstitions or rituals on the field? The stories I could tell with this one!  Our team has so many rituals it's hard to keep track.  I have to high five our first base coach, Troy Glenn, before my first at bat every game. I don't ever step on the chalk lines before the game. I always do the same thing in between pitches before I step in the box. And probably the strangest: I always skip the belt loop to the left of the buttons on my pants.

Guilty pleasure (something you love, but may be embarrassed to admit!) I love puns.  Especially terrible ones.

What do you want to major in once in college? Engineering

Describe yourself in one word on the field? And one word off the field? On the field: aggressive.  Off the field: outgoing