Bartlett senior Dennison addicted to her sport
There's a difference between liking something and being addicted to it.
The Dennison family of Bartlett is definitely addicted to softball.
From oldest son Thys, to oldest daughter Corinne, to mom Pek Hwa, to dad Brad, right on down to youngest daughter Callie, the Dennisons eat, breathe and sleep softball.
"Anyone that knows our family fairly well knows that all five of us are addicted to the game," says Callie, now a graduated senior from Bartlett on her way to Butler University to get her college education and play softball on scholarship.
It only figures that Callie would emerge over the years as a talented softball player who would end up with a Division I scholarship. She lived the game growing up, and even tried to duplicate her older sister's approach to the batter's box.
The combination of the addiction, coaching, hard work and dedication has paid off for Callie in many ways, and for her efforts this season she has been selected as the Honorary Co-Captain of the Daily Herald's Fox Valley All-Area Team. She shares the honor with Cary-Grove freshman pitcher Lindsay Efflandt. Dennison also becomes the first sister of a former all-area captain to garner the award. Corinne won the award in 2006 and just completed her career at Bethel College in Indiana, one of the top NAIA programs in the country.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for what she's accomplished," said Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith of Callie. "She was on our state team as a freshman and I don't think anyone then predicted her to become the pitcher she became. She really enjoyed that position."
And flourished at it. In leading the Hawks to a 24-11 season and second place in the Upstate Eight Conference, Dennison was 20-8 in the circle with a 1.63 ERA. She had 158 strikeouts, 6 shutouts and opponents hit a paltry .226 off her, even in this first year of 43-feet pitching in high school.
In the last two years, she won 36 games in the circle for the Hawks and helped the team to a supersectional berth last season.
Also a tough out at the plate, she led off for Bartlett this year and hit .402 with 4 home runs and 31 RBI, winning the Bartlett triple crown for average, homers and RBI. She also had 14 stolen bases and turned into one of the smartest baserunners around.
But it's in the circle is where Dennison was most recognizable, using her long stride and a variety of pitches to baffle opponents on a regular basis.
"She took up pitching because her dad needed another pitcher on his travel team," said Wolfsmith of Brad Dennison's Bartlett Silver Hawks ASA team that won the ASA Northern National 18U championship in 2008.
"To be a dominant position player, pitcher and hitter takes a lot of work."
And hard work is something Callie has never shied away from.
"I have to thank my trainers," Callie said. "I wouldn't be as fast as I am without them. And my pitching coach, Jill Waldron. I've been with her for five years and she made me improve so much both with my pitching and mentally. She's taught me a lot."
Dennison had played softball pretty much forever with several of the Bartlett seniors who graduated from last year's Elite Eight team - players like Elizabeth Kay, Rachael Anello and Tia Filishio. So coming into this season, Dennison knew she had to be the team leader more than ever.
"My team was still depending on me and I never worked so hard as I did in the offseason, going to Accelerated three times a week and with Jill," Dennison said. "I knew my team was counting on me and I was still hungry."
Wolfsmith couldn't be happier with the way his senior leader turned out.
"Just the leadership, the fielding her position so well ... those are the things that are hard to replace," he said. "I've had the unique pleasure of knowing the Dennison family for over a decade. I coached Thys in basketball and now he coaches with me. I coached Corinne, of course, and I've known Callie since she was just a little thing. She came in as one of the most mature players I've ever coached in any sport, but the biggest growth I've seen in her is in her leadership and how she has learned to handle all aspects of leading a team."
The support Callie has had from her family is something that will stick with her for a long time.
"My mom is my biggest fan," Callie said. "I never played a game where she didn't give me a great scouting report on the other team. She's so behind the scenes, nobody knows.
"My dad has taught me so much. If it weren't for him and my mom spending so much money on camps and lessons I wouldn't be the player I am. My dad always told me that you need to be versatile and you need to know all nine positions. That's why Butler wanted me."
And then there's the siblings.
"My brother has coached me the last five years and he's another one of my biggest fans," said Callie of Thys, who calls Callie's pitches both at Bartlett and in the summer. "He and my dad work so well together. I wouldn't be the pitcher I am without him. He's 24 and he could be doing anything he wants. He chose to spend all this time in the spring and summer coaching.
"And my sister. When I was younger I tried to be her. I tried to mock how she stepped into the batter's box. I was really inspired by the way she played. Expectations were high for me because I had the same last name as her."
Expectations that were met - and definitely exceeded.
<div class="infoBox">
<h1>More Coverage</h1>
<div class="infoBoxContent">
<div class="infoArea">
<h2>Related documents</h2>
<ul class="morePdf">
<li><a href="/pdf/foxsoftballfront10.pdf">Fox Valley all-area team Page 1</a></li>
<li><a href="/pdf/foxsoftballteam110.pdf">Fox Valley all-area team Page 2</a></li>
<li><a href="/pdf/foxsoftballteam210.pdf">Fox Valley all-area team Page 3</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>