"The Tiny Tornado With A Ruthless Motor"

Vanessa Birner

IG: @TEAMBIRNER

5’0, 100lbs

Class of 2032

Martinez Middle School, FL

Don’t let the size fool you for one second. Vanessa Birner is an absolute firecracker competitor with a ruthless edge and nonstop motor that separates her from almost everybody her age. The 12-year-old multi-sport standout attacks competition with an electric intensity that never shuts off. Whether it’s flag football, track, cheerleading, or stepping into wrestling next week, Vanessa competes with the type of fearless energy that instantly jumps out the moment the action starts.

Vanessa describes herself as mentally ruthless with balanced skills across the board, and when you hear the way she approaches sports, it’s impossible not to see the fire burning underneath it all. She flies around the field with aggression, speed, toughness, and emotion that constantly impact the game. Coaches can expect nonstop effort, relentless movement, fierce competitiveness, and a player who absolutely refuses to slow down. In her own words, she plays so hard that she literally falls asleep shortly after games and events because she empties everything she has into competition.

That intensity showed throughout the field during her last flag football season, when she exploded for 15 touchdowns and 40 flag pulls in only 6 games, including a jaw-dropping 18 sacks. Vanessa brings pressure from everywhere. She’s aggressive, explosive, and constantly attacking while playing with the type of motor that can completely change momentum in a game.

Vanessa admitted she even gets penalties at times for being too aggressive and tackling during flag football because she attacks every play with such intensity. One second she’s flying into the backfield for a sack, and the next she’s breaking loose for touchdowns. She cares deeply about competing, winning, and constantly improving. She even said there are times she cries after wins because she knows the team can still play better.

Outside of football, Vanessa is stacking accomplishments everywhere. She has already won local, state, and national championships in cheerleading while also exploding onto the track scene despite only beginning club track two months ago. As a 6th grader competing in middle school track, she captured Gold in the Long Jump, Gold in the 4x100 relay, Gold in the 100M, and Silver in the 200M. Now competing on a 13- and 14-year-old relay team, Vanessa has already helped the squad win Gold in every single meet this season.

Her speed is already flashing too, with times of 13.2 in the 100M and 28 seconds in the 200M, and she’s determined to continue lowering those numbers every meet. The biggest adjustment so far has been adapting to the demanding lifestyle and training that comes with track, but instead of backing away from the grind, Vanessa has embraced it completely.

Vanessa said seeing how much other girls are improving pushed her mentally because she refuses to be outworked by anybody. Since she wants to compete in multiple sports, she understands the level of dedication required to stay ahead. That hunger fuels the work daily. She trains with Coach Bubba Clark from Game On Game in Tampa while continuing to debate whether she’ll stay involved in cheerleading long term as her athletic future keeps expanding.

Mentally, Vanessa already approaches sports with maturity beyond her age. She uses constant imagery and visualization before every play and event as part of her routine while also working with a sports psychologist to prepare herself mentally every single day. That commitment to mental preparation is rare for athletes this young and speaks volumes about how serious she is about her future.

Faith also plays a huge role in how she handles adversity. Vanessa said when difficult moments hit, she prays while focusing on what comes next instead of staying stuck in mistakes or frustration. She also talked about learning how important body language is and understanding that her actions impact everybody around her.

Her biggest goal is D1 athletics. Vanessa understands that reaching that level will require continued work in every area, including grades, leadership, attitude, training, and development. She already has 3 brand deals and has even had schools and parents reaching out trying to recruit her into different sports and teams. Still, she remains grounded and focused on simply continuing to work.

I assess that Vanessa is an explosive multi-sport athlete with elite competitiveness, strong natural speed, and an unmatched motor that constantly impacts games and events. Her aggression, relentless energy, and willingness to compete physically create immediate pressure on opponents. Beyond her athletic ability, her commitment to mental preparation, visualization, and constant improvement gives her maturity well beyond her age. She brings emotion, toughness, and a fearless approach that energizes teams around her.

Vanessa’s long-term potential is extremely exciting because of her combination of speed, drive, versatility, and mentality. She already produces at a high level across multiple sports while showing leadership qualities and advanced competitive focus uncommon for middle school athletes. As her physical development continues and her technical skills sharpen through training, her impact could become even more dynamic. Programs and coaches value athletes who compete relentlessly, embrace discipline, and raise the intensity level of everyone around them, and Vanessa already shows those traits naturally.