From Multi-Sport Athlete to Soccer Standout: How Landri Steenhard Balances Passion, Academics, and Legacy
Landri Steenhard is an emerging soccer talent from Gilbert, Arizona, entering her junior year of high school at just sixteen years old. Despite her youth, she already exhibits exceptional skills and has a promising future ahead of her.
Though Steenhard is now dedicated to soccer, her athletic journey began with a wide range of sports. “I’ve played a lot of sports,” she shares. “Basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, and even quarterback in football, where NFL Hall of Famer Donovan McNabb coached me. I love all sports, but soccer is the one I’m most passionate about and decided to focus on.” Steenhard’s interest in soccer sparked when she watched her older sister, Lily Steenhard, play the game at just four years old. However, her true passion was ignited during her freshman year when she realized she wanted to take her soccer career beyond the high school level.
The Impact of Soccer
For Steenhard, soccer is more than just a sport. “Soccer has given me a second family, and my love for the game grows every day,” she says. “It provides a place where I can forget the stresses of life and focus on one thing—soccer. I’ve learned valuable lessons through soccer that I wouldn’t have gained elsewhere,” Steenhard concludes. It’s powerful to see how deeply a sport can impact someone’s life. Like many athletes who choose to pursue their sport at a higher level, Steenhard dedicates countless hours to refining her tactics and techniques. In doing so, soccer becomes a source of continuous learning and has a profound effect on her character.
Steenhard Excelling On and Off the Field
Steenhard is not only a standout athlete, but also excels academically, boasting a remarkable 4.04/4.64 GPA. Her commitment extends beyond the soccer field, where she exemplifies discipline in both her athletic and academic pursuits. As Steenhard puts it, “It’s what you do outside of soccer that makes you stand out. For me, that means getting extra touches on the ball when I don’t have practice, doing my own workouts, and working hard in the classroom.” Steenhard’s dedication is inspiring to everyone around her, both younger and older, including myself. Knowing her personally, I’ve always been in awe of her work ethic and how mature she is. It seems to run in the family, as her sister, who is my age, shares the same drive and determination. Her sister is Steenhard’s inspiration on and off the field. She explains to me, “I remember being a little ball girl on the sidelines watching you and her play together through the years. You both were great role models to me. Since then, I’ve continued to look up to Lily’s soccer career and academic career.”
Outside of soccer and academics, Steenhard enjoys playing pickleball. She explains how her grandparents introduced her to the sport years ago. “On the weekends, they would come over to our house and we’d have pickleball tournaments. In the past year, my friends fell in love with pickleball too,” she states. Steenhard even shares how, after the winter formal, she and her friends went straight to the courts and played in their dresses.
Lessons Learned
Over the years, Steenhard has gained valuable insights from her time on the field. After suffering an ankle injury that sidelined her for a while, she reflects, “The injury lit a fire in me to work as hard as I can in every opportunity, because I learned what it is like to have that taken away.” She has also learned the importance of working diligently for what you want and has discovered that country music helps her get in the zone for matches. “I once heard Caitlin Clark say that she listens to country music before a game because it calms her, so I tried it,” Steenhard explains.
Steenhard’s Goals
As Steenhard continues her soccer journey, she is focused on finding a college that’s the perfect fit for both academics and athletics. I admire this because most athletes get carried away with looking for a college where they can excel in their sport, but forget about the academic side.
Steenhard is also passionate about the visibility of sports, “I agree that women’s sports do have a lack of exposure,” she says. “I am from Iowa and couldn’t be more proud to see how Caitlin Clark has influenced the world’s view of how powerful and energizing women are in sports.”
As Steenhard embarks on her life journey, she is determined to leave a lasting impact in every aspect. This commitment is what makes her an exceptional person and a remarkable female athlete. She serves as a reminder to many, including myself, that success isn’t just about winning on the field—it’s about the lessons learned and the legacy you create.
