Greensburg Central Catholic grad Emma Henry regains confidence with Point Park softball team

Emma Henry has nothing bad to say about the one season she spent playing softball at Central Connecticut State. The Greensburg Central Catholic grad was happy to compete at the Division I level despite being limited to five at-bats (with two hits) in 16 appearances for the Blue Devils.

But she also uses the term “imposter syndrome” when talking about the experience. Someone who deals with imposter syndrome, by definition, battles self doubt and fear of being viewed as a fraud.

Henry said that’s how she often felt at CCSU. Going from tiny GCC to a school of more than 12,000 students and a softball roster of more than two dozen players, she began to feel lost, like she didn’t belong. Her confidence waned.

So, last spring, she entered the transfer portal with the aim of playing somewhere closer to home. Somewhere she would feel more comfortable and regain her mojo.

“I think I still did good there,” she said. “… Being away from home, I didn’t believe in myself as much.”

She turned to Point Park, a newly minted Division II program, and immediately started to regain the form that made her a standout for the Centurions.

In 28 games entering Sunday — all starts — Henry was hitting .338 with eight RBIs and 12 runs. In Mountain East Conference play, she has been even better, hitting .372.

Back in Pittsburgh, Henry has surrounded herself with familiarity. It’s an area she knows well. Family and friends are able to attend her games more easily.

There’s even a sense of comfort with the Pioneers’ home field. The team plays its home games at Fairhaven Park in Kennedy Township, where, Henry said, she played a lot of travel ball tournaments.

“It’s been kind of an adjustment,” she said. “In the beginning, our first games, I had some mental struggles. I had low confidence from my past, I guess. I slowly started to get my confidence back and feel like myself.

“I think hitting is mental. It was really just a mental thing for me.”

Point Park coach Michelle Coultas, in her 18th season with the program, was happy to land a player with a Division I pedigree. She knew Henry only by her reputation as being one of the WPIAL’s top softball players in the Class of 2023, but, when the two began having conversations about Henry coming to Point Park, Coultas said there was an instant connection.

In the fall, as she was getting acclimated to the program — and vice versa — Henry played various positions, including pitcher. But, during the regular season, though listed on the roster as a utility player, she has settled in at right field.

Coultas said Henry has the capability to play several positions, but she is in the lineup primarily for her offense. Coultas has put her anywhere from No. 3 through No. 5 in the batting order.

“She knows the strike zone. She has some power. She has a nice swing,” Coultas said. “She adjusts to the pitchers well. The reps have been important, just her seeing more and different kinds of pitching.

“Once she gets that confidence, she’s going to put up some big numbers.”

And that confidence seems to be growing with each game. Point Park was 6-9 in the MEC heading into Sunday’s games, making a respectable showing for its first season in a D-II conference.

Now, with her feet firmly back under her, Henry figures to be a big part of any success the Pioneers have going forward.

“I think I came here with an open mind,” she said, “just, like, I’m going to play as hard as I can, and whatever happens, happens.

“I really didn’t have any confidence coming from last year, so it’s only up from here.”