Q&A with St Joseph’s HS softball player, Easton area resident Niamh Dougherty

TRUMBULL, Conn. — Niamh Dougherty was born in Dublin, Ireland and moved with her family to Bermuda where she lived until she was in first grade. The family moved back to the US in 2011, living in Westport for 10 years before moving to Easton in 2021. She is currently a senior at St Joseph’s High School in Trumbull, where she has played on the Varsity Softball team each season. Niamh was named Captain for both her junior and senior seasons. She was on the First Team CT All-State Softball and First Team All-FCIAC in the 2022 season. She is a utility player who has played catcher, short stop and outfield for her teams. Niamh plays on the CT Impact 18U Premier softball travel team and is committed to play D1 softball at Colgate upon her graduation in 2023. She also plays for the Irish National Softball team, playing in the U22 European Championships in the Czech Republic in June and the Open European Championships in Barcelona, Spain in July.

Name: Niamh Dougherty

Age: 17

Sport: Softball

Years in current sport: 12 years

Teams: St. Joseph’s High School Varsity, Connecticut Impact 18U Premier, Irish National Team, Colgate Commit

School: St. Joseph’s High School

Grade: Senior

What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams? 

Niamh Dougherty: My goal is to start at Colgate and to win a Patriot League Championship while I’m there. Also, I would love to win a medal with the Irish National Team. I want to win a state championship.

What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

Dougherty: My biggest challenge is between the ears. I have struggled with mentality for years and really honing in on it the past year has helped me tremendously. One thing that I do to manage this is when I make a mistake, I try to completely forget about it and remember all of the work I’ve put into the sport. Remembering also that everybody makes mistakes has helped me.

What was the best advice you were ever given?

Dougherty: One thing specifically that I remember helped me is that when you watch the best athletes play, if they make a mistake, after that you wouldn’t be able to tell who made the mistake because they pick themselves up and forget about it.

What do you love about your sport?

Dougherty: I love the team aspect and that everybody is working towards the same goal. Without a team, none of it would be possible and everybody has a role. Even if you’re on the bench, you can provide moral support and be the loudest one cheering.

Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?

Dougherty: I have many superstitions, like I have to wear the same hairstyle every game, I have to put my batting gloves and helmet on in a certain order, I have to pick up dirt on almost every pitch. Before the game, I have to get dressed in a certain way. On game days I eat the same meals.

What do you like to do outside of your sport?

Dougherty: I like to fish, walk my dogs, bake, hangout with my boyfriend, friends, and family.

What has being a member of a team taught you? 

Dougherty: Being a member of a team has taught me how to be happy for other people’s success, even if you’re not doing as well as you’d like. It’s also taught me leadership and how to be in that role, since as I grew up I’ve been a quiet kid most of the time.

What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?

Dougherty: Being told that I was more than just my performance and more than how I do in the game. A mistake doesn’t define me and who I am.

Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.

Dougherty: Softball is such a game of failure, there isn’t a specific one that comes to mind. You’re failing more than you’re succeeding, and I think as a whole overcoming that is having a short memory and remembering all of the good things that have happened. In the end, I’m not going to remember all the errors or strikeouts, I’m going to remember the great times I’ve had with my team.

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