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07/13/2022 12:00 AMAutumn Clancy’s sophomore season with the East Haven softball team was cut short due to an injury. However, Autumn made a complete recovery as a junior and became a full-fledged varsity player for the Yellowjackets, helping the team win its first SCC title in school history this year.
Autumn’s softball journey began in when she started playing tee-ball at The Pit in 4th grade. Autumn wasn’t a huge fan of softball at first, but she decided to stick with it, and quickly saw that her commitment to the sport would pay off.
“When I first started playing, I did not like it. But I just gave it a try. It was something different,” says Autumn. “I just kept playing, and I started to really enjoy it. I liked having my teammates around me and making new friends every year.”
Autumn started to enjoy softball more as she began playing in the East Haven Little League. At the same time, she was playing for the CT Raiders. Autumn’s teammates welcomed her and helped her realize that she could have a future in the sport. When she was in 6th grade, Autumn joined the team at Joseph Melillo Middle School and also the CT Eliminators. In her freshman year, she competed for the CT Hornets.
Autumn gained valuable experience at every stop along the way. After spending countless hours playing for numerous teams, Autumn had found her passion for softball.
Autumn’s freshman season at East Haven was canceled due to COVID-19. During that time, she spent a lot of time in her backyard hitting off a tee and preparing for the upcoming year.
As she entered her sophomore season, Autumn saw a position change by moving from shortstop to third base. During her junior season, she began playing first base. No matter where she’s playing, Autumn feels that it’s all about her mentality on the softball field. Autumn understands that while the movements are the same, where you are on the diamond impacts what you want to do when you get the ball.
“It’s a mental thing. It’s kind of the same position, just different situational things,” Autumn says. “It’s just different footwork. You have to have a different mentality. You have to know when and where to go with the ball.”
Autumn spent her sophomore season splitting time between East Haven’s JV and varsity teams. Autumn found that it was different atmosphere and the high school game was much faster. However, just like her days playing youth softball, Autumn gained strength through the support of her teammates as she made her transition to the Yellowjackets.
In May of that season, Autumn suffered an injury to her ACL and meniscus. She underwent surgery last June and was finally cleared to return this past March. Autumn was determined to make her way back to the field and worked every day at physical therapy in order to return for her junior year. More so than just the physical impact of working her way back, Autumn wanted to make sure that she had the right mindset of coming back stronger.
“It’s all mental. It’s a big factor of the game,” says Autumn, who also plays volleyball for East Haven. “I worked hard every day at physical therapy and came back physically. But my mentality had to get stronger. I had to battle through the injury and come back strong.”
When she came back as a junior, Autumn shared time as East Haven’s varsity first baseman alongside fellow junior Gianna Bernovich this year. Autumn was happy to be playing softball again and proud that all of her efforts had paid dividends. Autumn also felt proud to help the Yellowjackets claim their first conference title in school history with a 6-1 win over Jonathan Law in the final of the SCC Tournament—a victory that highlighted a record-breaking 23-win season for the Easties.
As Autumn worked hard to come back, she and her teammates worked together to become the best versions of themselves this season. While walking off the field as SCC champions, Autumn knew that the Yellowjackets had accomplished that goal.
“We all worked very hard to get there. We took it one day at a time,” Autumn says. “It was a great feeling winning that SCC Championship, especially with it being the first in our school’s history. It was a great feeling. We all worked for it.”
After watching Autumn return to become a difference maker, Head Coach Ed Crisafi says that she defined what a true team player is throughout the past year. Crisafi feels that good things are in store for Autumn when she hits the field as a senior next season.
“After suffering a season-ending injury in 2021, Autumn continued to cheer on her teammates for the rest of the year. She came back this year and split time at first base, while probably not at 100 percent,” Crisafi says. “We’re looking for Autumn to bounce back to a strong senior year and lead us to another great year.”
As she enters her senior year, Autumn is hoping to lead the Yellowjackets on another deep postseason run. Autumn knows that opponents around the state realize how good the East Haven softball team is, and she feels honored to be contributing to the program’s legacy.
“People look up to our team and see great things coming from us. We keep working hard,” says Autumn. “It means a lot to be a part of the East Haven softball team. We’re always at the top level.”