Rosie DiMartino on playing with her sisters a decade ago: “When I played with them, it’s hard. You try to keep up. It’s good competition. You’re not going to get the easy way. You’re going it to get the hard way. You want to hang out with them to play well, too.” (Photo courtesy of Boston College)
With little or no soccer news available to the public, FrontRowSoccer.com has decided to run some of its memorable feature stories and some of editor Michael Lewis’ favorite columns and features over the past 16 years. This is a feature about the Rosie DiMartino of Massapequa Park, N.Y. that was posted in BigAppleSoccer.com on Dec. 18, 2009.
By Michael Lewis
Because she is the youngest of the four, Rosie DiMartino has become accustomed to losing one-and-one competitions to her older siblings.
“I shoot with them sometimes,” she said. “We play games outside. If you win you feel like ‘Oh yeah, I beat my sisters’ and if I lose I’m very competitive and I hate to lose. I get upset.
“When I played with them, it’s hard. You try to keep up. It’s good competition. You’re not going to get the easy way. You’re going it to get the hard way. You want to hang out with them to play well, too.”
But playing against the likes of Tina, Gina and Vicki DiMartino is one hell of a way to learn the game at a much higher level, especially if you have the talent that Rosie has.
Last year she got her high school career off to a rousing start by finding the back of the net 14 times and helping create four other goals for the Massapequa H.S. team (14-3-1) that earned its seventh consecutive Nassau County Class AA championship. Not too shabby for a freshman. She also played for the Massapequa Soccer Club.
Actually, for the record, her name is Jaclyn, but the youngest sister prefers to be called Rose or Rosie.
Rosie, who is 5-3 1/2 and 110 lbs and is still growing, plays for the Albertson Fury Elite and the Long Island Fury (Women’s Premier Soccer League), is a member of the U-15 Girls National Team.
“She has the ability and vision to create for others and is considered a ‘sniper’ around the penalty box, willing to rip a shot anytime with either foot,” L.I. Fury coach Michael Demakis said. “She’s an extremely hard worker and will continue to learn and grow as her soccer career continues to moves forward.”
The assessment of Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley, who has coached Rosie on the Albertson Fury.
“She has a very talented left foot,” he said. “Very smooth on the ball. Got a rocket of a shot. I think he [Dan DiMartino] Paul must put coal in their backpacks because the girls hit the ball unbelievably well. Great enthusiasm for the game. I’m sure with those genes she will go on to be a very good player.
“Probably unfortunately for these [opposing] players, she’s got to follow these three. You know what? When Crissy went out, they said Gina is not as good. She is not going to follow Crissy out and she has done very well for herself. Then they said Vicki will never be able to follow Gina and Crissy because she’s not the player they are and she has proved everybody wrong. You’ve got to bet your hand she’s [Rosie] going to do it, too.”
Here are some other stories you might be interested in:
THE AMAZING DIMARTINO SISTERS: 4 siblings stand out at the national level
VICKI DIMARTINO: Making her name in college, internationally
