Pignone shows off her leadership skills

by Matthew Ondesko, Managing Editor

When Ashlyn Pignone stepped on the softball diamond her freshman year she didn't know what to expect. She was a wide-eyed freshman just hoping to make the team, which consisted of a lot of upperclassmen.

She remembers she was nervous like most freshman would be. She didn’t know if she belonged on the same diamond as her peers. Not only did she belong, but she started every game that season, except Senior Night.

All the hardwork she had put in during the summer, and offseason, prepared her to compete on the biggest stage. Being able to play a lot during her freshman year gave her a springboard for the rest of her high school career.

“Being the only freshman to start every game except senior night on varsity was a great opportunity to not only grow as a player, but as a person,” stated Pignone. “I remember being so nervous when Coach Taylor encouraged me to try out for a team full of upperclassmen, but within the first moments of practice, I realized that because of the hard work I put in, I deserved to be there just like the other girls around me.”

She deserved to be on the team, but like in life, there were the ups and down of a softball season. She would have her good games, and not so good games. Despite the outcome, Pignone always put in the work.

And, she did it with a smile on her face. Wins and loses come and go throughout a career, and personal achievements are great and all. But, at the end of the day, it’s how you treat people. Everyone wants to win, this is why they keep score.

But, you can still be a good person despite all the personal, and team, achievements on and of the field.

“As I go through the ups and downs of a softball season and life in general, I always push myself to be the hardest worker in anything that I do and while being a hard worker is an essential skill to have, I think being a good person is truly the most important quality to have in life. It goes so much further than personal achievements. Just by simply being kind to someone even for just a few seconds, you never know how big of an impact you can make on someone’s day,” stated Pignone. “At the end of the day, if there is only one thing people remember about me, I don’t want it to be how talented I am as an athlete because at some point playing sports will be over. I want them to remember how I treated them and how that one small thing I said or did made their day that much better.”

On the field Pignone is a true leader, it comes with the position she plays. Playing shortstop is that type of position. She is the leader of the defense making sure everyone is in the right position on the field.

Playing the position entails making the plays when called upon. It entails providing leadership on and off the field. Pignone knows if she can make the plays on the field, both routine and difficult, it instills confidence on the rest of the team.

“As a shortstop, you have to be able to take control of the field. You have to be someone the team can depend on when it comes to making important plays consistently,” stated Pignone. “A dependable shortstop provides leadership and stability in the field, boosting the team’s overall confidence and performance. I am proud to have been chosen as a captain on both the varsity softball team and basketball team.”

She takes being a captain seriously. Some are born leaders, while others are kind of forced into it. Pignone is a born leader, it just comes natural to her. She can thank her parents for instilling that type of trait in her.

It’s not about being named a captain, and wearing the “C” on the jersey. It’s about forging those friendships on the off the field, and court. It’s about uplifting her teammates when things might be going wrong.

It’s about building those strong relationships with the rest of the players, and coaches. Pignone isn’t a yeller. She isn’t going to get in your face and tell you what you did wrong. She is the lead my example type. She gets out there and works her tail off, and shows the rest of her teammates what it will take to be successful.

“Being a leader has always come naturally to me, thanks to the incredible example set by my parents. From a young age, my parents showed me that true leadership is about uplifting others and creating a positive environment,” stated Pignone. “It’s not about being named captain, it’s about bringing the best out of my teammates and building strong relationships with them and my coaches. I don’t like to yell or get in people’s faces, I like to lead by example and make sure everyone is putting in their best effort with positive attitudes. These things make being a leader more natural and enjoyable while we work towards success together.”

When Pignone isn’t on the softball diamond, you can see her on the basketball court. Like most, Pignone is a two-sport athlete at Frontier High School. She runs the point for the basketball team during the winter.

To be a solid point guard, Pignone knows she has to have a good understanding of the game She just can’t go out there and run around, trying o make plays. She is the exertion of what the coach wants to do.

“As the point guard I am responsible for setting up plays, directing teammates, and making quick decisions under pressure. I am required to have a strong understanding of the game and have the ability to communicate effectively with my teammates,” stated Pignone. “A good point guard sets up plays that highlight other players’ strengths, leads by example, maintains composure, and motivates the team, ensuring everyone is in the right position and executing the game plan effectively. This leadership is crucial for keeping everyone working smoothly together as a cohesive unit on the court.”

The fact she is even able to play any sports this season is somewhat of a minor miracle. In late April of last year, Pignone tore her ACL and meniscus at softball practice. It was a devastating blow for Pignone, who was always used to being out there and competing.

Now, she was on the sidelines having to go through the rehab process. At first, Pignone didn’t know how she was going to get through such an injury. But, as time went on, she calmed herself down and knew she needed to attack her rehab like she has done with everything else in life. That was just head on.

“One of the hardest obstacles I’ve had to face so far was tearing my acl and meniscus at softball practice in late April of this year. I spent most of my time at practice or at a game so at the time, I had no clue how I was going to get through this. I had a good recovery and five months later, I was cleared to return to sports. Looking back, I am thankful this happened to me because it showed me I am able to persevere through whatever is thrown at me,” stated Pignone. “After going through an injury, I am much more focused on the health my body is in. I focus on stretching before and after activity, putting healthy food in my body, drinking a good amount of water, and getting enough sleep. All of these things add help me perform well on the field/court.”

As soon as basketball season ends, Pignone dives right back into softball full-time. There really is no breaks for her, and she likes it that way. She likes being busy. She likes having that schedule that she can look back on.

At the end of the day it keeps her relaxed knowing she has something going on.

“There is usually no break in between basketball and softball season, but I don’t mind it because I love to keep myself busy,” stated Pignone. “For me, always having a schedule helps me stay relaxed because I enjoy being productive.”