Softball Coach: Career is 'Exciting and Educational' at Yorktown

Christa Leighton,  alumnus, is a big part of Yorktown's successful softball program. For the past two seasons, she has been the assistant coach at .

Leighton, who was an All-State center-fielder her senior year at Brewster, said coaching at Yorktown has been an exciting and educational experience for her.

"It’s just really exciting to see the girls come together, learn from their mistakes and prove themselves and show that they have the determination to fight through what whatever adversity that comes along," she told Patch. "That is what I am most proud of, not if we win or lose but the growth that they develop on the field and off."

The Huskers enjoyed a 14-8 season this campaign in Section 1’s highest classification, Class AA, including an 8-4 triumph against visiting rival Mahopac on May 25, in the opening round of the sectional tournament.

Yorktown head coach John McKenna said Leighton plays a big role in the development of his players.

"As a guy I can give them my knowledge," McKenna said. "Having a female, having them have someone to look up to, there are endless rewards because there is knowledge about their future that I can’t give. Christa works her rear-end off communicating with the girls, pulling them one-on-one, three-on-one, whatever the situation calls for. She passes on her knowledge, which is what good coaches do."

While she enjoys coaching at Yorktown, she said that the experience playing for Brewster—particularly her senior year, 2004, when the Bears won sectional and regional championships and went to the state semifinals—is one she will never forget.

"The best memory was just the fact that we were so close as a team," Leighton said. "We had no doubts about each other. We grew as individuals. Just seeing everybody succeed on the field, that will last forever. Even though we are not best of friends, those girls will always be in my heart."

Leighton said she thought she received lots of "tough love" from her father when she was growing up. Little did she know, he was a sweetheart compared to the coaches at Seton Hall University, where she would later play Division I softball. She graduated from the school in 2008.

"I had a group of coaches that showed me a lot of tough love at Seton Hall," Leighton said. "I thought I had tough love with my father, but that [Seton Hall] was really tough love."

The experience of playing for the Pirates has helped her tremendously and prepared her for her current position as assistant softball coach in Yorktown, she said.

"I also took away from Seton Hall the little things like catching the other team sleeping," she said. "We (at Yorktown) have wonderful plays that encourage our base running so we can get that lead runner to second."

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