Softball Season Is Always in Full Swing

Most softball teams use late winter and early spring to prepare for the upcoming season. In Fairfield, the girls are already prepared and can’t wait for the season to start.

Members of the Fairfield 14-and-under softball team (Fairfield Light ’97) have been practicing with head coach Rob Caione as well as assistant coaches Lou Dellipoali and Sara Holland up to four times a week since Nov. 1 for the upcoming season. The team has already played in one indoor tournament. It went to a tournament last month in Queensbury, N.Y. to play at the Adirondack Sports Complex. Shortly after the team left for home, the roof collapsed under the weight of snow. Tournaments scheduled for late last month and this month have been canceled.

That has not deterred the Fairfield girls, who have continued to practice at Tomlinson Middle School. They practice every Wednesday for two hours and return for two practices on Saturdays at Triple Play in Trumbull and at Tomlinson. Pitchers also practice Sundays at USA Elite Training in Durham.  Triple Play owner Joe Iannucci directs the girls practice specifically on Saturday mornings with the coaches, as well as girls private lessons. The pitching practices at USA Elite are under the direction of Jen Hapanowicz.

“We want to at least offer as much practice as possible,’’ Caione says. “Girls travel fastpitch is so competitive, and you just don’t want to go to a tournament and get blown out.” Caione said, “Our primary goal is to teach great technique and make sure we are competitive, winning is not the primary goal.”

Caione’s team begins tournament play next month and will play in six tournaments in April, May and June. The team also competes in the Fairfield County Fastpitch Softball League, which runs from May through July. Most of the players will also be playing Fairfield Little League Girls Softball in the Juniors and Majors divisions. Last year, as 12-and-under players the team won the District 2 championship. It finished as the Section 1 runner-up, dropping a 2-0 game to Orange in the championship game. The coaches fully support Little League community softball and believe it is critical for the girls to participate for many reasons – socially and community-related.

"The girls don’t mind the work, knowing that the rewards from winter practices will be realized in the summer. “It helps you get prepared so you know what to do during the games,’’ says Sam Platz, who pitched a no-hitter to lead Fairfield in its District-clinching win last July.

Caione estimates the team will play nearly 60 games before the season wraps up at the end of July.  Players and coaches take off in August. The team picks up again in September, with more tournaments and practices. With many of the girls playing multiple sports, there are some conflicts. But many of the girls make softball a priority.

All of the teams in the Fairfield softball program work out frequently in the winter. It’s the price the coaches and players are willing pay to be competitive and teach team sports-related life skills. The work brings back championship banners in the summer and develops players who can step right on to a high school diamond. “We want them to play, but we don’t want to let it get over the top,’’ Caione said. “We want to let them try other sports and do other things, let’s not forget they are kids.”

Have a youth sports score to report? Send information and pictures to trenner@mainstreetconnect.us.

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