"I worked for it": Meet Italy's Amanda Fama

Get to know Italy shortstop and star hitter Amanda Fama ahead of the 2021 Tokyo games.

Amanda Fama grinded her way to Tokyo.

Even though Fama wasn’t a highly recruited player out of high school, she was on a softball mission. She loved the game and knew that playing at the highest level was the path she wanted to follow.

“This game requires you to give it your all to be successful. For me passion and heart are most important. If you don’t have those, you can’t give it 100%. Whether it’s on the field, in the gym, in the cage, lifting, at practice, two-a-days, I give it everything I have because I don’t want to look back and regret not having done enough.”

For Fama, the outcome speaks for itself. From a successful collegiate career to winning European Championships and now heading to Tokyo, she has always focused on being a player who can get the job done. At the plate, that has meant finding ways to manufacture runs for her team.

“Opponents aren’t sure what to expect when I step up. They know I’ll put the ball in play and make something happen, but I take advantage of the whole field and will do what it takes to drive in runs.”

To maximize this approach, Fama has always trusted DeMarini. Specifically, she has swung the CF for many years, preferring it for its legacy of performance.

“DeMarini has been such a huge part of softball and I’ve always loved the bats. It means a lot to me to be sponsored by the best bat brand in the business … The bats always exceed my expectations. The balance and performance are exactly what I need, right out of the wrapper.”

When it came time to design her bat for Tokyo, Fama knew she didn’t want to get too crazy. Ultimately, she landed on the design she felt best represented her country: the classic Italian black and blue. “People don’t always know this since our flag has red and green, but the blue ties back to the crest of Italy’s King. But for a nod to the flag I also added “Italia” in red on the barrel.”

When the first pitch is thrown, Fama will finally be living out the dream she has worked so hard to achieve. “As a dual-citizen, it’s hard to put into words what it means to get to represent Italy. I’m extremely grateful and proud to get to play in the biggest tournament in our sport and do it for my country.”