Bright Future For HHS Softball Squad

Rams Varsity Softball Coach Kristen DeLaRosa likes what she sees on the diamond, a good sign for a first-year coach looking to put her stamp on a team.

"I've seen them come togther and play some really big games, and the teams we have left are good match ups for us. The rest of the games will be exciting for us to be a part of and to play in," said DeLaRosa.

Fortunately, DeLaRosa's inaugural season has been made a little easier than it might of been thanks to group of players whose closeness makes even the hard days seem a little easier.

“They are so close to each other and it’s hard for me to come in as a new coach, so it was good to see that they were already a family,” said DeLaRosa. “They already had this great relationship. Team cohesion is crucial for a team to be successful. They’re happy to be there with each other, so I was very happy to see that.”

The squad is coming off a 2012 season in which it notched just 5 wins. With 4 so far this season, the Rams are looking to exceed that, and thanks to a strong nucleus and committed players, they have a great shot.

“I hope to establish my expectations for the team,” said DeLaRosa. “It’s very important for teams to have a goal that’s measurable for them to reach and I want them to feel they’re able to reach that goal and find success in themselves. I think that’s really important for them—going out there to build and get better.”

Among this season’s standouts is senior Cammie Klein, who is committed to playing with Cabrini College in the fall. Cammie is the type of player a team wants in the batter’s box when there are two outs and you need a rally, said DeLaRosa. Unfortunatly, her season came to an early end after she underwent knee surgery.

“She’s a fantastic player,” said DeLaRosa. “She knows what her job is and even with her knee she could be a big player. She knew one little hit could be a step toward a rally. Sometimes you need somebody to light the fire one more times to comeback. She had a great glove and rose to the occasion. She wanted to be there for every pitch, wanted to be there for every batter.

Though Klein is leaving, there are signs of a bright future for the Rams, including standout freshman Jess DeDomenico, who isn’t afraid to put the team on her shoulders day-in and day-out.

”She’s been pitching against some fantastic teams these days, against teams that have some really big bats, and even if she comes up in an inning where the team’s coming around, she always manages to pull herself together and get out of the inning.  She’s a fantastic pitcher with a great head on her shoulders.”

Battery-mate Randi Kosmides is another player DeLaRosa has come to rely on.

“She’s been really great behind the plate,” said DeLaRosa about the senior catcher. “She has a fantastic arm and really just covers her position well. She doesn’t let things get past her and she’s also been a great leader for the team. She’s been there for everybody. She cheers them on and is a great person to look up to and it’s been fantastic to have her here.”

Another “piece” that DeLaRosa will count on next year is Amanda Oberg, a junior captain who acts as a liaison between coach and players.

“She’s done a great job of vocalizing to me what the needs of the team are. She’s my No. 3 hitter and has been knocking the ball around left and right, and that’s great because it riles everyone up. It gets them excited.” 

In centerfield is Carly DeCristofaro, who has the tools needed to field one of the more challenging positions in softball.

“She’s lead off and centerfielder. She’s a great athletic player and a switch hitter, and its good to have her abilities and talents out there, because we have a lot of different players out there. She’s put in a lot of effort and a lot of work to better herself at softball and that’s good for the other girls to see.”

With the season winding down, DeLaRosa is looking ahead to a brighter future, and with assistant coach and longtime friend Sara Landau there to toss ideas around (the pair were teammates at West Windsor Plainsboro South), she’s confident the team will get there.

“I think one of my goals was, coming into this season, was basically, getting them to get down to what I wanted from a softball team. They’re pushing some limits they haven’t pushed before. I’m a big small game player, so we practice bunting and I think it’s important to move players around. Some games it works really well for us.”