LYNN — Most first-year softball players don’t become offensive superstars off the bat, but don’t tell that to Lynn English’s Amelia Serino.
With strong timing and athleticism, Serino, a sophomore, has helped lead the Bulldogs in just her debut season on the diamond.
“I assumed, at one point, she had played growing up,” said English Coach Ashley Aldred. “And then, she had a triple or a double against Lynn Tech and she was on third base and I said, ‘You played growing up, right?’ and she said, ‘No.’”
Serino leads the Bulldogs across multiple offensive categories. She has a batting average of .480 and an on-base percentage of .500.
“She’s very composed and the type of athlete who, if you look at her, you can’t tell if she’s just struck out seven times in a row or gotten seven hits in a row,” Aldred said. “She has great body language and I think that’s a very important thing, especially in softball because you know it’s a game of failure.”
Serino also plays hockey. Her friends encouraged her to try out for the softball team so it could be a fun activity. Little did Serino know, she would be breaking out of her shell and leaving a big mark.
“I basically learned all about the game from my teammates and coaches because I was starting from scratch,” Serino said. “I didn’t know anything.”
Despite a lack of experience, Aldred said Serino’s eagerness to learn and improve made her coachable.
“With this being her first year ever playing softball in the 10th grade, it’s sometimes hard to develop skills of a sport that you’re just picking up,” Aldred said. “But she’s very coachable. She listens and asks questions.”
Then there’s the mixture of softball and hockey terminology.
“A lot of times, I give her comparisons or try to teach her something, I’ll try to think of a way I can connect it back to hockey that makes sense for her,” Aldred said. “She’s playing a sport for the first time and I’m using softball lingo, so it doesn’t always make sense to her. But I’ve learned that if I connect it back to hockey, she gets it more.”
Serino contributed her success to supportive coaches and teammates.
“They’re all really nice and they support you – and joke with you,” she said. “It’s just really fun.”
Despite her stellar batting average, Serino said it’s easy to get in her head when she makes a mistake or strikes out.
“I just really, really take a deep breath and remind myself it’s just a game – and to have fun,” she said. “I just hope to have more fun, win some more games, and I want to get better hits for myself.”
Aldred hopes Serino will “keep doing what she’s doing” to help herself and the program.
“We’re beating all the teams we’re supposed to beat right now, but we’re just struggling competing with the teams that we can compete with and beat,” Aldred said. “So, we just need to keep playing hard seven innings every game.”
While trying out a new sport was an adjustment, Serino encourages others to do the same and block out the noise.
“I would say, ‘Just do it,’” she said. “And don’t care about what other people think. Try your best – always.”
Author Juliana Pinto is a student at Endicott College studying journalism
