Rosary senior Danica Silvestri has committed to continue her softball and academic careers at Fairfield University, a private, Catholic college in Fairfield, Connecticut. Through her extensive experience playing both Rosary and club softball, Danica has developed an impressive understanding of the sport and remains an asset to Rosary’s varsity team in her senior year.

After so many years of honing her softball skill and competing at such a high level, I was interested in Danica’s perspective as a committed athlete and her outlook on her future as a Fairfield Stag after years of being a Rosary Royal. Thankfully, Danica agreed to answer a few of my questions and shed light on the complexities of student-athlete life:

How long have you been playing softball? Has it always been your favorite sport?

I have been playing softball since I was five-years-old, so 12 years. I have always had a strong passion for the sport, but because I have been playing so long, there have been points of burn-out—never enough to stop playing, though.

Are you currently on a club team in addition to Rosary’s Varsity team? If so, has being a club and student athlete ever been a struggle?

I am on a club team and have been on this team since the beginning of my freshman year. The team name is Batbusters Fullerton 2023. It was a bit of a challenge to balance everything at the beginning of high school, but I got the hang of it and have learned how to manage my time. Even so, when I play games on the weekend, I am at the fields for 2-8 hours, so it can be very time-consuming.

I was lucky enough to attend the final CIF game the softball team won last summer, and it seemed like there was a strong sense of teamwork and friendship among Rosary’s softball players. How have your teammates influenced your experience in a high school sport, and how did they react to your college commitment?

Being surrounded by such positive girls always changes your mood, no matter how you are feeling, so knowing that there will always be that energy in my time with Rosary softball is comforting. I look forward to playing games with them, and even practicing is always fun. It is a much more relaxed environment compared to my travel team, so I do not feel as pressured while still competing at my best level. When my teammates heard that I committed, they congratulated me and said they were very happy for me. My closest friends and teammates said they were proud of me as well.

What led you to decide on Fairfield University as the college to further your athletic and academic career?

Obviously getting the chance to visit the campus made my decision a little easier because I was able to feel the environment and if I was comfortable. When I took the tour and met the girls on the team, I immediately felt like I fit in and I could see myself attending the school. I was able to stay in the dorm with a Rosary alumna, Martina Gutierrez, and went to a team dinner at one of the girls’ townhomes. I got the chance to sit in on one of the classes, and knowing that there will be around 10-20 kids in each makes me more comfortable. I will get a better chance to learn and have a better relationship with my classmates and the teacher.

Aside from its fantastic athletic programs, Fairfield also boa

sts impressive academic opportunities. Do you have any plans for what you may major in as a Fairfield Stag? What part of attending Fairfield are you looking forward to most?

Sports have always been in my life and taking that away would definitely be a big change, so I plan on taking Sports Business as my major and Sports Leadership and Management as my minor. Fairfield has a very strong business program, so I believe that will give me a good head-start on a career, especially considering that they provide internships as well. From what I know, I really look forward to getting to know some new people, especially my new teammates and coaches. After speaking to Martina Gutierrez quite a bit, I know that the team spends a lot of time together, even if they are not playing or practicing, which helps them have a stronger bond. Though I really love my family, I also look forward to being away from home because I have always wanted have some more independence. Being almost 3000 miles away from my family, it will be a little bit harder to just catch a plane and visit.

Rosary softball coach Tom Tice Jr. affirmed Danica’s athletic prowess and commendable sportsmanship, sharing, “Danica is funny and energetic, and her teammates love her. She leads by example, working on her skills and asking great questions at practice, then showing off her amazing talent during games. She had the most important hit in school history, but you’d never know it talking to her because she remains humble and thankful.”

I am extremely grateful to Danica for taking the time to open up about her impressive commitment to Fairfield—the Stags are truly gaining a great student and a noteworthy athlete. I am sure the Rosary community joins me in wishing her all the best in both her final months as a Royal softball-player and her future endeavors at Fairfield University!