South's Marranca commits to Iona

by Matthew Ondesko, Managing Editor

It’s always a joyous time when a player is able to see all their hard work come to fruition. Signing day is a fun time with family and friends. It’s a day when the athlete finally puts pen to paper after a long recruiting process.

Williamsville South High School’s McKenzie Marranca went through the recruiting process like everyone else. During the time she learned a lot about herself both as a player and a person. Marranca learned how important it is to have the right people in her corner.

She also learned about how resilient and determined she is. The process can be long, and drawn out, at times. But, through it all, Marranca made sure she advocated for herself.

“Through the recruiting process, I learned how resilient and determined I am. It has taught me the importance of having people in my corner supporting me and that I truly lean on my friends, coaches and family for support,” stated Marranca. “It taught me the importance of patience and persistence, especially when reaching out to hundreds of coaches, attending showcases out of state,training everyday for hours, and balancing my advanced program schoolwork along with my multiple clubs which I hold high positions in. As a player, I realized the value of self-discipline, preparation, and trusting myself and the process to achieve my goals.”

Her goals were realized when Marranca recently signed her letter to play with Iona of the MACC. It was a lifetime in the making with Marranca finally committed to play Division I softball. When it came to picking her next four years Iona had everything she was looking for.

It had academics and athletics that she was looking for. It also had the type of community that Marranca could see herself in for the next four years. Marranca knows it’s not all about softball, but also about life.

“My decision to commit to Iona was based on academic and athletic opportunities along with the community Iona fosters. Iona stood out because of its strong community and athletic program. Inside that athletic program was a commitment to each and every player’s development in not only softball but also in life, which aligns with my goals as an athlete and as a person,” stated Marranca. “Iona university offers a special atmosphere, one that is welcoming, supportive and fit to your needs with programs that will help me grow academically and personally over the next four years”

Now that Marranca is signed, sealed and delivered it’s back to the business of playing softball. She can go back to just going out there and having fun like she always has. For the most part off her career Marranca never played with pressure.

She played free and easy, even during the recruiting process. She always let her game do the talking. Marranca never cared who was in the stands watching her. As she gets ready for the spring season, Marranca is ready to go.

“Committing has definitely taken a bit of pressure off my shoulders, but for the most part I feel as though I have always played free, embracing my mistakes and learning from them. Of course I had the pressure of performing perfectly to attract coaches but I never let that pressure build up to the point I couldn’t enjoy the game I fell in love with,” stated Marranca. “During the recruiting process I felt free to take risks, refine my skills, and fully embrace my sport without worrying about a coach seeing me. Now after committing the pressure of where I am going to go to college has been lifted and that is an amazing feeling.”

As Marranca gets ready for the next chapter of her life, she knows that there are still things that need to be worked on and refine. That means every part of her game. Working on the physical, and mental part, of her game will only help her when she gets to Iona.

She just doesn’t want to be another body on the bench. Marranca wants to be able to contribute right away.

“To compete right away, I know I need to focus even more on both my physical and mental game. This includes getting even stronger, improving my speed and agility, and working on the inner smaller details of my mechanics,” stated Marranca. “I also want to prepare mentally by building my confidence and being ready for the high intensity of a college-level competition. As much as I work on these things by myself or with my team everyday, I know that it will not be enough until I get to Iona at the college-level and perform with them. And I am excited to get to work and compete right alongside them.”

The work never stops for Marranca. If you are looking for her during the offseason just check the cages. Marranca is spending her extra time working on her swing. She is also working on all parts of her game, including taking her reps in the field.

Marranca wants to be known as strong all-around player, not just a great hitter or fielder.

“Putting in extra work in the cages and on the tee is a huge part of my weekly routine. I spend on average 4 ½ hours in the cages every week. I also spend an average of 6 hours practicing my fielding and catching aspect of my game,” stated Marranca. “While I’m in the cages I focus on building a consistent and powerful swing by breaking down my mechanics and reinforcing good habits. I dedicate time to drills and pitches that target my weak spots, like improving my timing, hitting to all fields, and directing my power. The work I put in during practice gives me the confidence when I step into the box during each game and the confidence I have when I step onto the field.”