Ansleigh Crenshaw dreams of giving back to athletes who face the same challenges she has.
What started as a casual interest in soccer quickly turned into a lifestyle for Georgia Southern women's soccer senior. Crenshaw's soccer career has not only shaped her into the woman she is today, but has also shaped the career path she plans to pursue.
Crenshaw decided to join the sport at age six when one of her friends began playing soccer. The senior midfielder quickly found her love for the sport and began taking steps to better herself as an athlete on the field.
The Eagles' midfielder spent her high school years travelling between Hardeeville and Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, as well as Jacksonville, Fla., to train, play, and practice. "It was very chaotic because I was living in Savannah, but it was the best thing for me," said Crenshaw.
The decision to continue playing soccer in college came naturally to Crenshaw. "It was easy, because it felt like that was a dream I always had as a little kid," said Crenshaw. She played her freshman year of college at Palm Beach Atlantic University before making the transfer to Georgia Southern.
Transferring to Statesboro made sense as Crenshaw comes family of Eagles, with both of her parents and her brother attending Georgia Southern University. "It felt like another home; the girls on the team are my best friends. It's just a family thing," said Crenshaw.
Crenshaw holds her family close to her heart and looks to her dad, Jason Crenshaw, when times are tough. "He pushed me to the max and is very competitive, but I'm so thankful for him. He's made me the player I am today," shared Crenshaw.
Throughout her soccer career, Crenshaw has struggled with confidence on the field. "You're always your own worst critic, and I learned I had to use that as motivation to push myself harder," she said. Crenshaw struggled with keeping a healthy mentality throughout her athletic career and wants to help other athletes who are facing similar struggles.
The Eagles senior is majoring in psychology with plans to go into sports psychology to help athletes facing mental health challenges. "I know I went through it, and I struggled, but now the girls can look to me to help them get through it and grow as well," said Crenshaw.
Crenshaw's grind and grit have showed on the field. In 2023, the Eagles midfielder played in all 19 matches, making 15 starts and scoring two goals as a junior. This season she has started all 13 games and her 1,099 minutes played ranks second on the squad. But the end is not here yet for Crenshaw. "We have eight more games to play, and we want to get into the Sun Belt Tournament and take over the Sun Belt," said Crenshaw.
Her future is still up in the air as she is still deciding if she will continue to play soccer after college. But Crenshaw knows either way, she wants to pursue sports psychology by getting her master's degree, still deciding if she's ready to hang up her cleats.
