Gianna Santoro trusted herself, her catcher, and the defense around her this spring. Yet more importantly, it was that belief in her own abilities that enabled her to attain a new level of recognition within not only her league, but her team’s pantheon of history as a consummate player and leader.

The Yellowjackets’ softball pitcher started off with the sport around the age of 3 and stuck with it ever since, while trying her hand at volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading along the way. Yet this season as a junior captain for East Haven, Gianna helped the Easties return to the state tournament while attaining First Team All-SCC status. She also broke the school’s single-season strikeout record in the circle with 194 punchouts. Additionally, Gianna hit for a batting average of .452 with 33 hits, leading the team in both categories.

“I have just been gaining confidence as a pitcher,” says Gianna. “It is one of the most important positions on the field, and to go the whole year with a group of girls behind you, you must have confidence to shine on the field. Breaking the strikeout record was huge, and ever since I entered high school, I heard that All-SCC was such a huge accomplishment. Earning First Team All-SCC gave me a sort of relief from all the hard work I put in.”

Being besties with your battery mate is also key to a pitcher’s prowess, from Gianna’s perspective. She says it takes that duo to know how to pick spots while working with the coaching staff to fan batters at will.

“Having that bond with your catcher is a big part of it, and I had a great bond with Gianna Fowler,” Gianna says. “We worked well together, and she knew what pitches to throw and not to throw. We also both communicated really well with our pitching coach.”

Stepping into a leadership role as a junior was somewhat intimidating for Gianna, much less with a youthful group of girls. Yet she learned it was about getting to know each individual person and adapting to their strengths and what got the best out of them.

“Being a captain is not easy because we had such a young team this year,” Gianna says. “But for me, I looked at it from the point that they are girls that are looking up to you. It was about growing the bond with them, learning what works for them, and adjusting yourself to that.”

Gianna did not exactly excel in self-belief in her youth. Still, as time passed on and she developed a diverse repertoire, she began to blossom in her confidence. When you boil down the mental game to its essence, Gianna explains it is about taking it one throw at a time and trusting your arm to make the hurl.

“I had little confidence in myself when I was younger, but I got confidence as I got older from throwing new pitches and succeeding with them, and also my coaches believing in me,” says Gianna. “Also, as I got older and went through the recruiting process and understanding college coaches, it also built more confidence in me. I would not have been the best I could have been this year without that confidence. You have to believe in yourself to throw that pitch.”

The Yellowjackets entered the spring with several question marks in terms of how the younger ranks would come together and coalesce within the program. Yet through some tasking but rewarding practice drills, Gianna and the veteran players clearly saw that all of the younger girls belonged in the fold.

“At the beginning of the year, we knew we would have a young team,” Gianna says. “At the start, we did not know how many of those younger girls would play varsity. The girls showed they wanted to be there every day. The outfielders and infielders worked their butts off. We also did fun challenges at practice that got the girls’ confidence up. We made it back to states, and we were happy we got what we wanted out of the year.”

East Haven skipper Ed Crisafi explains that the Yellowjackets were never in any sport of peril or out of a game with Gianna in the circle. Moreso, she became a squad steward thanks in large part to her ability to lead by example.

“Gianna had a great junior season on the mound. She kept our extremely young team in every game. We always had a chance to win with her,” says Crisafi. “She is a tremendous leader, as shown by her being a captain elect her junior year. She never misses a practice and leads with an intensity second to none. I'm really looking for a great senior year from her.”

Looking ahead to her send-off season next spring, Gianna wants to hit a triple crown of personal recognition. While looking to put pen to paper when it comes to finalizing her post-graduation steps, she wants to one-up herself and add to the East Haven history books.

“Hopefully, next year I make First Team All-SCC again, make the All-State Team, and maybe make the Senior Select All-Star Game,” says Gianna. “Also next year, I want to sign for a commitment to college. It would also be nice to beat my own strikeout record.”