Leni Greenberg is a talented 2029 outfielder/first baseman who’s currently in the ninth grade at Sierra Canyon High in Chatsworth, Calif.

A member of the BSC Bengals – Latta team, she was ranked No. 20 in the 2029 HOT 100 published last spring and in the write-up was described as “one of the most accomplished outfielders in the 2029 class.”

Leni was also selected to the 2025 USA HPP program and competed in 2024 for the Israel Junior Olympic team which won the Gold medal.

In December, she participated in the National Select Event held in Vero Beach, Fla. and was announced as being chosen as a Top Performer for the U-14 USA Softball HPP Select Team.

Below is her first-person account of the journey to make it—but it didn’t come without some disappointment early on.

First, here are three articles on Line Drive Softball we did over the last month covering the event:

• Event Spotlight: The USA Softball HPP National Selection Event…Taking Place This Weekend in Vero Beach, Fla. (December 5, 2025)

• Social Media Spotlight: The USA Softball HPP Select Event… A Huge Hit With Attendees (December 8, 2025)

• USA Softball News: 2025 HPP National Selection Event Top Performers Announced for U-17, U-16, U-15, U-14 and U-13 Age Divisions (December 30, 2025)

*****

Not Making the Cut 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of stepping onto a field with USA across my chest… but that dream was tested early on.

During my second year of 12s, I tried out for the USA Softball All-American Games in April of 2024 but I didn’t make the cut. I was disappointed—there’s no sugarcoating that—but instead of letting it break me, I chose to let it build me.

I saw it as a wake-up call and an opportunity for growth, and from that moment on, I committed to grinding harder than ever.

Fast forward a year later, and I earned the opportunity to attend the USA HPP tryout in Irvine, Calif. All my teammates were going and I thought:

“I want to do it, too.”

It was an open tryout of about 200 players and finding out that I made it through that round—and that I was headed to Florida—was unreal!

It was a moment of pride, relief, and motivation all wrapped into one.

It reminded me that the work matters, and that consistency pays off. I was beyond hyped. I knew I had put in the work, and now I finally had the chance to prove it—and I did.

I was initially selected as a first baseman, which is my secondary position, so I took that as another challenge to embrace. Leading up to the event, I dedicated myself to learning the position inside and out while continuing to get stronger, faster, and sharper—especially in my hitting and outfield play.

Every rep had purpose, because I knew what was on the line.

Before I knew it, the day I had been counting down to for months was finally here. I was in Vero Beach at the Jackie Robinson stadium, living the moment I once only imagined.

*****

HPP DAY 1 – Thursday, December 4, 2025

Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous—I felt grateful, excited, and incredibly blessed. Walking in on the first day and seeing hundreds of elite athletes in my age group (U14) was overwhelming in the best way.

It really showed me how big this opportunity was and how honored I was to be part of it.

One of the most special parts of the experience was reconnecting with old teammates on my Bengals – Merilees 12U team while also meeting new ones from all over places like Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Florida, and more, which made the whole event even more meaningful.

Hearing from incredible speakers such as Bri Ellis and Jenny Finch who shared not just advice, but their personal journeys through the sport, inspired me deeply.

Their words reminded me why I fell in love with this game in the first place.

While the speeches were being given, I took a second to look around and just take in how packed the stadium was with all us young females representing USA.

I also got the chance to really connect with my teammates and go through metric testing, including grip strength, exit velocity, vertical jump, and speed.

On top of that, we took our official photos and received our uniforms along with spirit packs that had goodies in it like prime, towels, bracelets, Oakleys, and more.

That moment was honestly surreal.

I had always seen photos of girls at this event and wished I could be one of them—and now I finally was!

It felt like one of those full-circle moments where everything I had worked for was standing right in front of me. My metrics went well, and I felt really confident about them. I loved my teammates, the environment, and being fully present in the moment.

*****

HPP DAY 2 – Friday, December 5, 2025

The next day, we moved into on-field evaluations—showing how hard we could throw and how well we could perform at our positions. I locked in, trusted my preparation, and let everything flow.

I reminded myself that I had earned my spot here, I deserved to be here, and I needed to play like it. I competed hard, had fun, and stayed true to my game.

We were all moving back and forth from field to field and it was a packed schedule but being able to do it with friends made it so much fun. 

After that, I got to spend time with both old and new friends, making lifelong memories and soaking in the experience before locking back in for the games ahead.

When our first game finally arrived, I was excited to just go out there and ball with my teammates. I played loose, had a ton of fun, hit well, and truly enjoyed getting to play my game at that level.

I got to face many elite players and pitchers and the environment was so competitive! 

*****

HPP DAY 3 – Saturday, December 6, 2025

Day 3 was the final day, with two more games to finish it all out. I played hard, learned from my mistakes, kept my head up, and competed against tough competition.

I finished the event with a .500 batting average, which I was proud of, but more importantly, I walked away knowing I gave everything I had.

As a bonus, I even got to see two of my favorite softball legends, Sis Bates and Sam Fischer, which made the experience even more unforgettable.

*****

Hearing the News

A month or so later – on Monday, December 29^th, USA Softball released the top 18 performers list that me and my family had been eager to see.

I opened it and saw my name… I was in complete disbelief and shock!

My mom even started crying and I really was just proud not only to represent but also to show my mom and dad that all the effort they put into to help me is worth it.  

This entire journey reminded me that…

… dreams don’t happen overnight—they’re built through setbacks, persistence, and belief.

Wearing USA across my chest wasn’t just a moment—it was proof that trusting the process and never giving up truly pays off.

I loved this event so much and am excited to continue down this path while continuing to learn the game and grow! 

— Leni Greenberg/Class of 2029