Sydney Maenza '21 Recruiting Profile

My family moved to our town when I was 5 and that summer my twin sister and I started playing t-ball. We came back to play with our rec league every summer. I loved the warm summer months, the really hot days and the fun of being on a team and playing the game.  As I grew older, other activities like dance, basketball and gymnastics fell by the wayside and my life centered on the game of softball. By the time I reached middle school I started to play in more competitive leagues and found a knack for pitching. As twins everyone thought it was great that I was a pitcher and my sister was a catcher but to me it just meant that we each had our own necessary counterpart which could keep us practicing 24/7.

Pitching is a year round venture. Performing drills, focusing on mechanics, muscle memory and learning to control your mental capacity for the game are just part of the job. My dedication to honing my skills, learning new pitches, hitting my spots and maintaining ample movement has been rewarded with starting positions, shut out games and tournaments championships. But those rewards are infinitely better knowing there is a team behind me to back me up and make the plays that get the job done. The disappointments teach you as much as the rewards.  There are those times when you don’t make the 6^th grade team or you’re just not “on” that day.  There’s the thrill of making the 12U travel team instead and the varsity roster freshman year but not getting much play time. And of course there’s the pandemic that steals away your Junior season as a starter but bolsters your determination to come back in your senior year and make enough of those experiences to fill two seasons into one.

While playing a sport throughout high school I have also placed great focus on my work as a student. I am proud that, even with a busy schedule, I have been able to achieve honors throughout each year while continuing to advance to honors and AP level classes. Maintaining success both as an athlete and a student requires exceptional dedication and organizational skills. My parents, both frontline workers in this pandemic, have exemplified and influenced my drive to succeed. Interests such as art, cooking and fitness are also part of who I am. My experiences volunteering with Special Olympics and at Yale New Haven Hospital have inspired my interests toward a career in nursing.

As I embark upon my senior year of high school, in what will remain unprecedented times, I know that softball will remain a constant. It is a part of who I am and someone I want to continue to be throughout my college years.