St. Viator's Robinson counting on softball to keep her busy

Haley Robinson plans to study education in college.

The St. Viator senior sure could educate high school students on time management.

All she did this past winter was handle a full class schedule, and compete in two varsity sports - cheerleading and basketball.

It was the classroom from 8 a.m. to 2:05 p.m., the basketball court from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the cheerleading floor from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

When asked how she did it, Robinson was quick to say: "I took a lot of naps."

Now down to one sport in the spring - softball - the Hoffman Estates native and all-area first baseman is on easy street.

"To be honest, I'm kind of bored," said Robinson, who maintains a solid 3.3 GPA and will play softball at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she will study to be an elementary schoolteacher. "I have so much free time. I'm home like by 5:35 p.m. now and I don't know what to do with myself.

"I'll be done with my homework by 8 p.m. and I'm like,'Oh, I'll go watch a movie or something.' "

Those who have watched Robinson and her teams have had plenty to cheer about (no pun intended) the last few years.

In basketball, she has played in sectional games for coach Jason Raymond the last three years, including the championship game at Woodstock North last month.

In competitive cheerleading, her teams have been to state competition at Illinois State the last two years, taking 13th in the medium division in late January.

And last year, the Lions softball team enjoyed its finest season in program history, advancing to the supersectional.

Robinson played a major role on that team, earning 'Defensive Player of the Year' acclaim for the second straight season while also hitting .450 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference and .398 overall, third best on the team.

With many of the players graduated, Robison becomes a team leader for John Scotillo's 2018 squad.

"From her parents (Bret and Renee), Haley inherits her drive and desire to help others, especially the younger girls," Scotillo said. "She wants to follow in her mother's footsteps as a teacher."

Renee also played softball while at Willow Academy in Des Plaines.

"My parents are absolutely my biggest role models," Haley said. "They supported me through everything. Not many parents would be OK with their son or daughter doing two varsity sports at the same time."

And Haley did it following a scary momentum in the fall cheer season.

"In practice I had a real bad fall on my head and I was in a neck brace for three weeks this fall," she said. "I was out of cheerleading for about a month."

"It was so scary," she added. "I was so lucky to get back in a month for the start of basketball. My cheerleading coaches were so great the whole time. They called my parents and sat in the ambulance with me on the way to the hospital."

She made it back in time for the start of basketball in November.

Robinson is back to 100 percent now and Scotillo is thrilled to have his first baseman back for her senior season.

"I saw her play when she was in eighth grade and knew she would be in the line up for four years," said Scotillo, who is starting his fifth year as the Lions head coach. "Haley is the heart and soul of our team. She is capable of carrying a team on her back when necessary."

In addition to her defensive skills, Robinson can both hit with power and beat out a bunt. Robinson hit .450 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference a year ago and .398 overall, third best on the team.

Prior to high school, Robinson had solely played the outfield.

"Coach Scotillo moved me to first base my freshman year," Robinson said. "I love the action. You're so close to everything and involved in almost every play.

"All my coaches have been so helpful at St. Viator and he (Scotillo) is like a second grandfather to me," Robinson said. "He's just so nice and understanding. He has taught me so much. I would not be going to college to play softball had he not been my coach."

In college, she will play first base for the Bluegolds while studying to be an elementary school and even maybe coaching one day.

"I don't know if I'm knowledgeable enough to be a cheerleading coach," she said. "I know a lot about it as an athlete but I don't know if I'd be able to coach other people. I would want to come back and coach with coach Scotillo. I don't know if I could coach with anyone else."

Robinson knows she has a role as a leader for Scotillo this spring.

"I've really gotten a chance to work with a lot of our freshmen this year, " she said. "We've had about seven or eight practicing with the varsity and it's been a great experience. I'm so happy they all came out. It's awesome.

"We had incredible seniors last year. The bond we had was amazing. It was like nothing I had ever experienced."

Robinson will miss her experiences as a three-sport athlete at Viator.

"l don't know of too many others who can play on two physically demanding varsity sports (basketball/ competitive cheerleading) at the same time," Scotillo said. "Then, without a day off, transition into softball. You just can't keep her off the field."

Her competitive spirit began when she was just four years old.

"I think I was dancing from first and I wanted to do gymnastics, " Haley recalls. "So my parent were like cheerleading would be the best of both worlds. There was a little gym we'd to in Waukegan that I think a family friend owned. I'd go there for cheerleading."

Her brother Kyle played tee-ball and Haley always loved going to the those games. She wears his same No. 26 that he wore in lacrosse at St. Viator and Carthage College.

Haley later started playing basketball and has kept her interest in all three sports.

"I find that playing softball makes me quicker on my feet," she said. "I can think quicker on my feet and move quicker because it's such a fast-paced game. But cheerleading brings strength and that helps in softball because I can throw the ball faster."

Robinson says cheerleading is more physically demanding than basketball or softball.

"It's more grueling and physical," she said. "You use so many different muscles that you don't normally use. You use small muscles in your arms that you wouldn't use in other sports."

Robinson has used all her skills to be one of the top athletes at St. Viator.

"She plays so passionately that sometimes she's too hard on herself," Scotillo said. "She never accepts 'good' as being 'good enough' and is always working to improve."

Robinson, who played for the Schaumburg Slugger and Palatine Sting Rays, had a breakout year as a sophomore when she batted .400 and kept up the same pace as a junior.

"The things I admire the most in Haley are her passion and the fact that she wears her heart on her sleeve," Scotillo said. "She leaves everything on the field."

Robinson will leave St. Viator with plenty of fond memories after competing with three different teams, two during the same season.

"My coaches were so accommodating," she said. "And my teammates could not have been more supportive. They've been so helpful and my friends were always like, 'If you need anything just let me know.' Everyone has been great."

Just like Robinson.