Since Sofia Vitale was 7 years old, she has spent her spring and summer seasons on the softball field, perfecting her pitch while keeping her eye on the ball. It didn’t take her long to discover her love of the sport, and an even deeper love for helping others grow in the sport. Since she aged out of the minor league three years ago, Vitale has been spending time volunteering on the field, helping girls aged 8-12 during the summer months. In between her games and practices with the East Boston major league, the Winthrop High School softball team, and an AAU team, Team Boston, she helps coach clinics, getting the minor league athletes ready for their upcoming season. Because Team Boston is a tournament team, she practices and takes pitching lessons all year long to stay prepared. During her freshman year, Vitale was awarded as “Rookie of the Year,†for starting on the varsity softball team. In addition to softball, Vitale is also a varsity football cheerleader and works at the Winthrop Marketplace in the summer.
How do you juggle sports and school work?
It requires both time management and planning. I make sure each week I know what my schedule looks like and begin to plan out my time. I always make time for my homework; that is my main priority. I go to my sport after school, come home, eat dinner and start my homework almost immediately. A struggle I face is stressing over not finishing my work. That is why I am big on scheduling my time, so that everything gets done, leaving me with less worry. I also make sure that I get a good night’s sleep every night so I will not be tired when doing homework, the following day.
What is your favorite
subject?
My favorite subject in school is definitely math; algebra in particular. I have
never really enjoyed reading or history but have come to really understand
anything to do with numbers. Math seems to come more easily to me than anything
else. I plan on going to college, though I haven’t figured out exactly where I
would like to attend or what I would like to do, but I would like to see myself
finding an occupation dealing with numbers. I feel it is the best fit for me
and very applicable to life.
Who is your role model?
My role model is definitely my dad. My dad supports me in anything and everything
I do, especially softball. I play for him. If he were not there at every single
game either in the dugout or yelling to me from the stands, at every practice,
or constantly showing me videos and tricks to improve myself, I really don’t
know if I would even still be playing. He is a huge motivation for me, and I am
so grateful for him and everything he does. He has made me love the game of
softball and keeps me striving to do better. He also has helped us to find
something we can bond over every day. I would be nowhere close to where I am
now if it were not for him. He is definitely my biggest role model.