RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Her mother, Marissa Young, was a three-time All-American pitcher at the University of Michigan and is now the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils.
Her father and current club head coach, James Lamar, played football and basketball at Indiana University and her grandfather, Robert Young, is a long-time coach at the college and club levels and, until, recently was an assistant coach at Duke.
It’s not hard, therefore, to see where outstanding 8th grade infielder Layla Lamar got her athleticism, softball skills, and high softball (and academic) IQ.
Layla was the second player in the 2024 class to commit when she verbaled to Tim Walton and the Florida Gators right before the Early Recruiting legislation was implemented in April of 2018 (the first was another Gator commit, catcher Alexia Carrisquillo).
That doesn’t mean it’s all been an easy journey for the North Carolina resident; last December Layla underwent wrist surgery which kept her off the field for nearly four months and was as tough mentally to be out that long as it was physically to recover and rehab.
But the athletic corner infielder bounced back with a vengeance as she was a key contributor on her father’s Lady Dukes 14U team which finished tied for 17th at PGF Nationals this year.
Here’s a closer look at Layla and what makes her tick, including who inspires her, who her favorite player is and that one word she uses to describe herself on and off the playing field…
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Name: LAYLA LAMAR
Hometown/State: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Grad Year: 2024
Positions: 3B/1B
Club Team: Lady Dukes 16U National – Lamar
School (City/State): Alston Ridge Middle School (Wake County, North Carolina)
GPA: 4.0
Recruited Status: Committed to University of Florida
Top School Honors: Student of the Year 6th and 7th Grade
Preferred College Major: Pre-Med. I dream of being a Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon.
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What’s been your most memorable softball experience?
When my team beat the LTG Lions at PGF to put us in the Sweet 16 of the 2019 PGF Nationals. The feeling of us all being one at that moment was surreal. I love playing with my teammates!
What would you say are your strengths on the field?
Coaches say I have a lot of power and hit the ball hard. I think of myself as not only a power hitter but as a player with good speed that allows me to get on base with bunts. I defend the short game really well and I am not afraid to get in a hitter’s face when I play the corners. I love the challenge of making remarkable plays look routine.
