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08/02/2018 12:00 AMEast Haven’s Jenna Esposito has been playing softball for as long as she can remember. The first time Jenna competed for a team was at the tee-ball level in 2004, although she started playing in the backyard with her sister Ali even before then. Jenna recently completed her junior year with the Yellowjackets and will serve as a captain for the Easties next season.
“I can’t remember a point in my life without softball,” says Jenna. “I’ve been playing forever.”
Jenna constantly strives to improve all aspects of her game on the diamond. Her passion for the sport drives to become the most complete softball player she can be.
“I’ve always wanted to get better. Every time I do get better than I was before, I just think of a new reason to get better. I think my personal goals push me to keep going,” Jenna says. “My goals have always changed. A few years ago, it could’ve been defense, but now, it’s offense. Every time I lose myself in one part of the game, I work to gain it back.”
Much of Jenna’s never-give-up attitude stems from the fact that she missed the cut for the softball squad in 6th grade. Jenna responded to that adversity, and she’s made the cut for every team she’s tried out for ever since.
“There are times in everyone’s life with everything you do where you question yourself and don’t know what to do next. For softball, I’ve always known it’s who I am and that I wasn’t ready to stop playing yet,” says Jenna. “Even though I didn’t make the team, I did play Little League, so I didn’t stop. In 7th grade, I tried out again and made it, so I proved I could do it. When I question myself now, I think about then and how hard it was to try again, what I accomplished, and how proud of myself I was. That gets me through anything I face now.”
Jenna’s ability to overcome adversity has helped her develop solid leadership skills that she plans on using in her capacity as a captain. Jenna says she’s eager to lead East Haven on the field next spring.
“I am so excited to be captain. I’ve been working toward it since I didn’t make the team in 6th grade. I knew I could do better, so I’ve been working to prove to myself more than anyone that I’m capable of a lot more,” she says. “In my senior year, of course I’m going to focus on myself, but I’m going to focus more on the team and what we can do together.”
Head Coach Ed Crisafi felt that Jenna was the perfect pick to be a captain for the Yellowjackets. Crisafi really appreciates the attitude that Jenna brings to his team.
“We had no hesitation picking her as one of the captains. Even though she played in only half of the games, whenever she didn’t play, she acted on the bench like she played,” says Crisafi. “She constantly cheered her teammates on, constantly was the first one out of the dugout giving a high-five or congratulatory handshakes, and she’s the type of kid she’s going to work hard in the offseason. I have no doubt she’ll do it.”
Jenna wants to get her bat in the lineup every day next season. As a result, she’s going to be working with a hitting coach this fall, in addition to practicing alongside her sister Ali, who plays for Albertus Magnus College.
“My offense hasn’t been the best the last few seasons, so I want to work on that with a hitting coach,” says Jenna. “This year, I’m working to be better offensively. I’m ready to work for it and do what I have to do to get in the lineup this year.”
Even though Jenna wasn’t in the batting order for every game, she still saw her fair share of innings at second base for East Haven this past season. Jenna liked making an impact for the Yellowjackets with her glove.
“When I was younger I played shortstop, outfield, and pitched, but I’ve never felt quite as at home as I do at second base,” Jenna says. “The view I have, the feel I get—it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I love it more than any other position I’ve played.”
Jenna is also an exemplary student at East Haven, having earned Scholar Athlete honors for the Yellowjackets during all three of her years of high school. Jenna, who wants to study pre-med in college, notes that several of her teammates have also fared quite well in the classroom, in addition to the field.
“The whole team works really hard on the field and is able to juggle academics with that. This year, so many people on the softball team won Scholar Athlete, and I want to say how proud of all of us I am,” says Jenna. “It means a lot seeing the work ethic our team has. Not only can they do it on the field, but they also do it at school.”