Page 10 - North Haven Magazine Issue 31 Holiday 2023

North Haven by Mike Proto
Girls Softball Travel Teams
Preparing Aspiring Athletes for future Success on and off the Field
The North Haven High School Girls Soft-
ball team had an extraordinary season last
spring, a true year for the ages. They finished
the regular season undefeated with an as-
tounding 20 – 0 record, and finished with a
23 – 2 record overall. Seasons like this do not
come along very often and they do not hap-
pen by accident. There are many factors that
must come together in a perfect storm for
such an unforgettable achievement. First, the
players must be very talented and have made
the commitment to become better athletes The Girls proudly pose after being presented with
each and every day. Secondly, they must have their 2nd place medals in a recent Tournament. receiving the instruction and coaching they
made the equally important commitment to
play for one another as well as for their school
and community. Championship teams have a
camaraderie with each other that is palpable.
This has also been referred to as team chemis-
try, and, while it is difficult to measure objec-
tively, championship teams clearly have it. In
a very real sense, they have become a family.
Thirdly, there must be extraordinary leader-
ship from the coaching staff. It is no easy task
to keep a talented team that is consistently
winning to remain focused for an entire sea-
son and avoid any letdown, particularly in a
league that is as competitive as the Southern
Connecticut Conference. Co-Head Coaches
Vin Cretella and Sarah Lombardi are to be
commended for a job well done.
Many people wonder why some talented
teams never seem to come together while Coach Dinuzzo Addressing the Team and make sure they are ready for whatever
other teams develop the aforementioned
team chemistry necessary to play at a cham-
pionship level. The answer to this question
may quite possibly lie in a fourth factor that
is often overlooked, but which is present in
teams that have reached the highest levels
of achievement. The players on such teams
have in most cases played together from a
very early age, have played against a high
level of competition, and have received qual-
ity coaching all the way up the ladder. Being
involved with quality Travel teams certainly
played an important role in the success ex- The Knighthawks building Team Chemistry in our vocabulary. I hope to turn these girls
perienced by the North Haven High School’s
Girls Softball team this past season, and,
with this thought in mind, the North Hav-
en Girls Recreation League has taken giant
strides forward to ensure that their aspiring
athletes have the opportunity to grow to-
gether and face the competition necessary
to reach their full potential. In the last few
years, under the leadership of Travel Coor-
dinator, Jim O’Brien, the Recreation League
has established Travel Teams that are provid-
ing these aspiring athletes with the chance
to play against teams around the entire state,
and even out of state in some cases. The re- Future High School Softball Players with Coach
sult is that the teams are now competing Dinuzzo
against better competition and are having
10
experiences that can only help them develop
the character, integrity, and skills needed to
be successful as players and as individuals.
The Rec program currently has a 10U team,
a 12U Team, and a 14U Team. There are also
plans underway for the establishment of an
8U program next season.
In the last few weeks, I have had the pleasure
of observing the 14U Girls Softball Team and
meeting their Independently hired Coach,
Marc Dinuzzo. It is clear that these girls are
need to be successful in the future on and off
the field. Their practice sessions are very well
organized. While much emphasis is placed
on game situations and developing a mind
for knowing what to do in any given circum-
stance, an equal amount of time is spent on
improving their hitting and bunting skills.
The practice is business like, and yet, it is ev-
ident that the girls are enjoying themselves.
As Coach Dinuzzo said to me, “They know
as soon as they hit the practice field, it’s time
to stretch and warm up as a team, and not
just as individuals. This shows them how to
do the same thing in everyday life, whether in
school or just home. I have to prepare these
girls for the next step in their young lives. Rec
ball is good to introduce them to this game
we call softball, but being a Travel team, I, as
their coach need to step it up a few notches,
the game has for them.”
While there is emphasis placed on develop-
ing their softball skills, Coach Dinuzzo also
focuses on developing their character. As he
stated, “Respect goes a long way. I teach the
girls that they have to respect their coaches,
umpires, teammates, and opponents. I also
teach them what team means. We win, lose,
and have fun as a team. We all have each oth-
er’s back and lift up one another when down.
I try to give the girls confidence. ‘I can’t’ is not
into champions.”
It remains to be seen whether the girls par-
ticipating on the Travel Teams will reach
the pinnacle of success experienced by last
season’s North Haven Girls softball Team.
However, one thing is certain. These young
aspiring athletes are gaining the skills and at-
tributes needed to be successful at the next
level, and, more importantly, they are being
taught the character traits necessary to be-
come valued members of the community and
a credit to their families in the future.
North Haven Magazine - Holiday Issue 2023