Team Italy Women’s Softball manager Enrico Obletter is in good hands with new pitching coach Lisa Birocci Bansi

Having played under the guidance and supervision of coach Enrico Obletter since 2005, Italian American softball pitcher Lisa Birocci Bansi has been a winner since crossing the Atlantic. Winning an Italian Cup, two national championships and a European championship together, manager Obletter and new pitching coach Birocci Bansi have raised the standard for the Team Italy Women’s Softball program. Long before Birocci Bansi touched down in Europe, the two-time NFCA All-American (2003 and 2005) and 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year from the University of Iowa set new single-season records with 29 wins and 263 strikeouts. Currently ranking second all-time in career strikeouts (946) and shutouts (40) at the University of Iowa, Lisa is respected for her outstanding pitching and her ability to develop up-and-coming talent well beyond America’s heartland.

After graduating from the University of Iowa in 2005 as an All-American in the competitive Big Ten conference, Lisa ventured abroad to begin her European softball career and helped Team Italy win the 2005 European Championship in Prague. Skipper Obletter said, “When she came to play in Italy, I was the pitching coach for the Team Italy Olympic squad. She played for Caserta in the Italian Softball League (ISL) for two years, then decided to return to the U.S. to begin her coaching career and get married.” Despite the vast physical distance between the dynamic duo, the two softball kindred spirits remained close. Obletter continued, “Lisa was very successful at her coaching career. We kept in touch over the years, and she always had the itch to play again. When she came back to Caserta in 2009, she rejoined the team and dominated the league.” The inseparable pair made history by leading Caserta to its first national championship. In addition, Lisa played with Team Italy again while competing in the 2009 European Championships in Valencia.

The storybook ending for Birocci Bansi’s playing career in Italy would provide countless hours of engaging conversation when she returned to America to take a position as pitching coach at Penn State, and eventually start a family. The overseas connection between Enrico and Lisa grew even stronger over time. Seven years elapsed and both of them knew there was some unfinished softball business to address. In 2016 ISL Bussolengo coach Obletter invited Birocci Bansi to come out of retirement to play for him again. He reminisced, “Lisa had not touched a softball in six years; however, like Caesar, she came, saw, and won. Through her spectacular pitching, she never lost a game. When Lisa was at-bat, she hit huge home runs in some of the game’s most clutch situations.”

After being selected to become the new head coach of Team Italy last year, Obletter had the responsibility for assembling an all-star coaching staff around him. He could have not have picked a better professional that Birocci Bansi. Enrico explained, “When I was nominated head coach in December 2016, I chose Lisa as our pitching coach. Her knowledge of pitching, softball, and recruiting players is priceless to our program.” Birocci Bansi is the owner of Extra Innings Fastpitch and LBB Fitness in Central Pennsylvania. A player-coach since high school in 2000, Lisa focuses on the legs, base, core and the initial drive off the mound where all of the pitcher’s power originates. She likes to keep pitching mechanics and the mental approach to the game simple while on the mound.

Team Italy manager Obletter and pitching coach Birocchi Bansi are working diligently with the country’s best women’s softball players to prepare them for the 12th Annual WBSC U19 Junior Women’s Softball Championship at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida from July 24-30, 2017. The Italians are ranked 12th in the 26-country international competition. Top-ranked Japan (#1), host USA (#2), Canada (#3), and Australia (#4) appear to be the teams to beat while rival the Netherlands (#8) will battle the Italians for bragging rights in Europe. Look for a big effort from Team Italy with manager Enrico Obletter and pitching coach Lisa Birocci Bansi leading the way to victory.

by Roberto Angotti