(Taylor Zito is coming off a stellar sophomore season as the pitcher for Stamford High School’s softball team, leading the Black Knights to a league playoff berth and a win in the state tournament. Zito will be writing about her travel ball experiences this summer.)
By Taylor Zito
Hi, my name is Taylor Zito. Today I will be telling you about myself and my background with softball. I am currently the starting pitcher for Stamford High School’s softball team.
I started playing when I was just five years old, but it wasn’t till 2½-3 years ago that I started pitching. Having an older sister who pitched (Brittany Pia) gave me something to look up to, and that is what influenced me to start pitching.
This past year was my first year at Stamford High, I went to Westhill for my freshman year. Coming from another school I thought it was going to be hard for me to adjust. I was proven wrong though. The girls on my team were very welcoming and it didn’t take long for me to feel like I was at home.
I didn’t expect that I was going to get so far this year.I have grown dramatically since the beginning of the season. I am very proud that working 5-6 days a week in the offseason paid off. I felt very pressured knowing I was going to be the starting pitcher as a sophomore. It was mixed emotions between being nervous and being excited. I knew people were expecting so much from me, so I had to try my best to show everyone that I was able to “hang with the big girls.”
Now that high school ball is over, I play for a summer team called Tradition South, with Tommy Pia as my coach. On my team we practice twice a week and play in tournaments on the weekend. It is a good experience being able to play with girls from all around. But the highlight of this summer season is that we get to go to Utah in mid July for a national tournament.
I am very honored with my accomplishments this year and also being the MVP for Stamford High School’s softball season. I know I said I grew a lot this year but that doesn’t mean it is time for me to settle. I know that I still have space to grow, it’s all a stepping stone experience.
