NEWFANE, N.Y. (WKBW) — It's one thing to be a dual-sport athlete. It's another to be one in all three seasons. Angelina DiTullio is doing just that, becoming Newfane's first ever female six-sport athlete.
"It's crazy. Like there's not many of us, but to be the first six sport female athlete, that's insane," she said. "It's a struggle but it's fun to do.
In the fall, DiTullio juggles football cheer and soccer. In the winter, she juggles basketball cheer and basketball. In the spring, it's lacrosse and softball. She didn't anticipate dual-sporting all three seasons after only doing four sports last year, but that's just how things turned out.
"I was only going to dual-sport in the fall season and then I was like oh I kind of wanna do it again," she said when talking about the winter season and adding basketball cheer to the mix.
"When she told us she was dual-sporting again in the winter, I was shocked", Kennedy Sears said, her cheer and lacrosse coach. "I was like you're gonna take that on again? Then she told me she was playing softball which she's never played before and I was like OK. We're doing it again!"
Juggling two sports every season is hard, especially when both teams practice at similar times. It's why she can't be at every practice, especially if her other team has a game or competition. But she does find a way to give her all even when she's not physically there.
"She does care about each sport that she does," Sears said. "She wants to make the team better, she wants to make the atmosphere better in everything."
And that's what DiTullio is doing this spring on both the lacrosse field and in the outfield. She's grateful for this opportunity and grateful to be a Panther.
"If I went to a bigger school, I don't think I would've been able to accomplish this with all six sports," she said. "But going to a smaller school and all the support, I'm just able to do it and it's amazing."
Six sports, three seasons, and one determined student-athlete. Angelina DiTullio is setting the bar for what it means to take on a hefty load and excel.
