Brittany Casini, ‘18: Putting Her Best Feet Forward

When transfer student Brittany Casini's collegiate softball career ended, she found a new athletic calling at Seattle University that she'd never before imagined. Battling physical challenges caused by a congenital birth defect, she traded her softball mitt for a pair of oars. With determination and a lot of hard work bolstered by the support of an inspirational head coach and dedicated athletic trainer, Casini earned a seat in the Varsity 8+, the Redhawk women's rowing team's top boat. Now an alumna with a B.S. in Sport and Exercise Science and preparing to apply to podiatry schools, Casini is giving back to the team that gave her a second chance.

Casini was born with two club feet, a condition in which tendons and muscles in and around the foot are too short, causing the feet to rotate inward and downward at the ankles. Two reconstructive surgeries on her left and most severely impacted foot ?lengthened and repositioned tendons and ligaments, helping to ease the foot into a better position. Some of the bones in her ankle had to be fused together, however, which limited her range of motion. Doctors predicted she would never be highly active due to the severity of her defect, but Casini had other ideas.

Softball captured her attention at just five-years-old. Casini began playing for a Little League team in her home town of Covina, Calif., and continued playing through high school. Driven by a highly-competitive spirit, she pushed herself, ignoring chronic pain in her right foot brought on by overcompensation for her weaker left side. Casini's left leg is slightly shorter than her right and her left foot is two sizes smaller than the right. Part of her left calf muscle is atrophied, as well -- all ramifications of club foot.

Casini received a scholarship to play NCAA Division II softball at Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo. Agile, yet hampered by physical challenges, she was not a fast runner and played infield positions during her freshman season.

"A lot of coaches pushed me aside thinking I was just slow, not attributing it to a physical defect" she says. "Growing up, I never used my physical challenges as an excuse for my performance; it's just a part of who I am." 
 
Casini transferred to Seattle University her sophomore year with hopes of playing Division I softball. She was in touch with Head Coach Geoff Hirai and tried out for the team. Unfortunately, Hirai was unable to offer her a spot. Recognizing Casini's athleticism, however, he had an idea. Hirai reached out to Jenny Park, head coach of the women's rowing team, and told her he had an athlete who might be a good fit. Park invited Casini to come and work out with the team. This proved to be a turning point in her life. 
 
"I had to think about it a bit, because softball had been such a big part of my life and I was still sad that it had come to an end," Brittany explains. "But I couldn't imagine my life without athletics, and I was flattered that Coach Park had contacted me, so I decided to give it a chance. I had never even thought about rowing before, but it turned out to be the best thing I could have done." 
  
Casini committed to give rowing her all. She pushed herself until some injuries occurred due the limited mobilization in her left foot and a proneness to stress fractures. Park then began to work with her, accommodating her needs so she could be successful. Casini's gratitude is evident.  
 
"Coach Park believed in me despite everything, was a big motivator and encourager, and a big part of the reason I ended-up loving rowing so much." 

Athletic Trainer Tiffany Mallick was another game changer for Casini.  
 
"Tiffany was my AT senior year, and the only one who sat down with me and said, 'I want to work with you to figure out how we can make your left foot more mobile. She did things no one else had ever taken the time to do to help me be as strong as I could without as much pain." 
 
Mallick's remedies included creating a heel lift wrapped in Velcro and sliding it under the shoes in the boat, equalizing Casini's leg length so she could press off with both legs rather than just the right one. She also used mobilization and tissue-breaking techniques. Casini says the combination of techniques and the heel lift provided her the most flexibility and range of motion she'd ever had in her left ankle.
 
Setting a goal to make Varsity 8+ (eight rowers and coxswain), Casini began competing in the Novice boats her sophomore year. By senior year, she was racing Varsity 4+ (four rowers and coxswain). With the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships approaching, she asked Park what she could do to improve enough for shot at Varsity 8+. She committed to a workout plan designed to increase her level of fitness and eventually competed in a "seat race," earning herself a spot in the Varsity 8+ boat in time for the WIRA Championships at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, Calif., where Seattle U earned a sixth-place finish. 
 
Moving On 
Casini is currently working as a medical assistant at the Foot and Ankle Center of Washington. Under the mentorship of the center's two experienced podiatrists, she is gaining    clinical experience while preparing to take the MCAT in 2020 and applying to podiatry schools. Upon becoming a podiatrist her goal is to participate on mission trips with an organization like Operation Footprint, which provides surgical treatment for clubfeet and other pediatric congenital and neuromuscular deformities to underserved children in the developing world. 
 
Student-Athlete to Assistant Coach 
In her free time, Casini is fulfilling another dream–to be a coach. She had always wanted to coach softball, but has now turned her thoughts turned to coaching rowing at Seattle U. She contacted Park, who offered her a position as assistant coach.
 
"To be on the other side and witness this is even more rewarding than when I was doing it myself," Casini says. "I love the love these women have for each other and the way they empower one another. It's awesome to witness. I couldn't be more grateful for my athletic experience at Seattle U, both as a rower and now as a coach."