By Cary Shuman
Yes, we know Winthrop is widely regarded as a hockey town.
But there’s another popular sport that’s making a huge comeback: girls’ softball.
Thanks to the vision of program founder Christina Marenghi and the support of Winthrop Little League President Matthew Emanuelson, enrollment in Winthrop softball is soaring.
Marenghi foresaw an opportunity in softball
Christina Marenghi launched the town’s softball program three years ago. It now operates under the umbrella of Winthrop Little League with eight summer Major and Minor Division teams and four spring travel teams.
A former Winthrop High star quarterback, Emanuelson has watched the resurgence from the perspective of Little League president and softball parent. Matthew and Elizabeth Emanuelson’s daughter, Kelly, plays in the softball league. Their son, Zach, plays baseball in the Winthrop Little League, which had 300 overall participants this season. Their youngest daughter, Lindsay, starts in T-Ball next spring.
“The softball program has really grown,” said Matthew Emanuelson. “The growth from Year 1 to Year 2 was well above expectations and we’ve steadily grown since. And it showed a good demand that the town needed. Christina really saw a great opportunity for the girls in our town. Tyson Graygor has really been helping Christina and putting himself in a good position with softball.”
Speaking about his daughter Kelly’s participation, Matthew said, “All of the softball coaches have been amazing, especially Kelly’s coaches (Melissa Kelly, Nick Farmer, and Lindsay Salas. They’ve done a great job trying to keep the players engaged, moving forward, fundamentals, and responsibilities. The coaches sacrifice a lot for the girls.”
Future bright for
Winthrop softball
Could we see a strong run in the MIAA state championships for a Winthrop High School team in the immediate future? Are there young Lisa Monteleone-Ferraras and Lisa Gill Howards currently competing on the ‘A’ and ‘C’ softball fields?
The answer is likely yes. Emanuelson said there are some talented players competing in the youth softball program, noting the emergence of ace pitcher, Brielle MacFarland, whose father, Rob MacFarland, was a hockey standout for the Vikings in the early 2000s.
“Brielle’s very good,” said Emanuelson. “She takes private lessons and plays on AAU teams. Brielle’s sister, Mia, is one of the better all-around players in the Minor Division. She plays really hard.”
Emanuelson is excited about the future of softball in Winthrop.
“I think we have some great young players coming up, and it’s great to get them started early just like baseball does,” said Emanuelson. “Our baseball and softball program have really caught on over the last year. I think there is a lot of momentum leading to the high school level. We stress the fundamentals, stress the basics, but we try to make it fun.”