By Joseph Wolkin
Julianne Soviero is focused on developing young softball pitchers throughout Long Island. The 1998 Ward Melville High School grad and 2002 valedictorian at Manhattan College is attempting to make a difference for young athletes, searching for ways to educate them about the recruiting process and keep them savvy of the sharks swimming through the competitive waters.
In May, Soviero self-published her second book, “Empowered Recruiting: The Student Athlete’s College Selection Guide.” In her latest work, the now Ronkonkoma resident said she attempts to convey multiple messages to student athletes, with chapters about knowing one’s options, eligibility, signing and more.
“I have been working with elite athletes in my business for well over a decade,” Soviero said. “What I was finding that was very challenging is that, by the time they decided they wanted to play competitively, it was like there was way too much information for them to acquire to do that because it’s become too complicated to do that. Usually, to get this kind of information and to sit down with them — the amount of time it would take to do it thoroughly — is astronomically expensive. I wanted to create a way to make all of this information accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time.”
Soviero is president of Flawless Fastpitch, an organization dedicated to instructing how to pitch in softball, along with learning the anatomy and physiology of properly delivering the ball. Guiding numerous athletes to successful Division I and II collegiate careers, she said she wants to continue expanding her influence with the book.
“I don’t get any joy in telling people that consult with me that if they want to play in Division I, they have to start super young,” Soviero said. “But it’s just the truth. When you’re in seventh or eighth grade, you don’t know what you want to do. Some people don’t even know what they want to do until after they graduate college. At least if you begin the education process at that time, you can say that maybe Division I is too much for me, and you can go to Division II. A lot of people assume that Division III offers athletic scholarships and they do not.”
Growing up, Soviero went to Setauket Elementary School, P.J. Gelinas Jr. High and pitched for four years for the Patriots varsity softball team, graduating from Ward Melville High School in 1998. Her pitching success led her to become the recipient of the 2001 NIT Student/Athlete Award. Come 2010, she became a consultant for LIU Post’s softball team, staying with the team through 2013.
Among those who stand out in Soviero’s eyes include Seaford’s Lindsay Montemarano, who completed her junior year with the Michigan Wolverines, and Brightwaters’ Liz Weber, who attended LIU Post.
Compared to Soviero’s other book, “Unleash Your True Athletic Potential,” she said she hopes student athletes and parents will not only come out with a better knowledge of the recruiting process, but also have a better understanding of what the process of being scouted by colleges is like.
Soviero said she makes occasional appearances on Fox and Sirius XM Satellite Radio, preaching her company’s work along with athletes that have signed with major teams.
“This book [was written] specifically because I was seeing how many athletes are struggling through this very complicated process to be noticed by colleges and things like that,” Soviero said. “It’s become very difficult for them, and it’s become enormously expensive.”
Her book is available on Amazon.com.
