Holding a batting average above .300 in softball is considered difficult even for the most talented players, but for rising South High School junior Amber Roggendorf, the .631 mark she reached this season set her apart from the competition.
Serving as the team’s sophomore captain, Roggendorf coupled that average with nine home runs, 39 runs batted in and 26 runs scored, according to girls varsity softball coach Ryan Pingitore. On the defensive side of the ball, Roggendorf was just as dominant, with Pingitore praising her “flawless” play at third base.
Along with being named team MVP to close out the season, Roggendorf’s performance earned her an All County Honorable Mention award from Nassau County. But, for all her personal achievements, Roggendorf said her success at the plate was centered around a team-first approach.
“I just wanted to help my team out,” she said. “If I was up and other people were on, I wanted to hit for contact. And if I brought them in, I brought them in.”
Growing up in Great Neck, Roggendorf began playing softball at age 3 and said she was encouraged to strive for success by her father.
“My dad was always a great role model for me, he’s always pushed me and inspired me to work harder,” Roggendorf said.
A two-sport athlete, Roggendorf also picked up basketball in fifth grade and has since played center both on the school team and in outside leagues like St. Aloysius CYO. Roggendorf said having the same teammates both in school and CYO gave her the chance to form strong relationships.
“Most of the girls on the basketball team here I played with when I was younger, so we’ve always had great chemistry,” she said. “Just continuing that from CYO to here is great, because we’ve really grown up together.”
Along with sports, Roggendorf is involved with her class planning committee and the Girls Varsity Association, a service-based club that promotes female athletes at South High. Roggendorf said balancing the two sports with schoolwork and clubs has taught her “a lot of responsibility,” since she has learned to manage her time more effectively.
“It is kind of tough [managing schoolwork and extracurriculars], but when I have a free I’ll go get my work done because I know I’ll have practice,” she said.
Serving in one of the softball team’s leadership positions so early in her high school career, Roggendorf said she picked up notes in leadership from this year’s seniors and those on the basketball team.
“It was interesting because I took most of the stuff I learned from the captains in basketball and brought it to the softball team,” she said.
Although she just completed her sophomore year, Roggendorf said she hopes to continue her softball career in the future. For now, she remains focused on helping the South High Rebels succeed both on the basketball court and the softball field.
