Daltorio to close out career, pass baton

By Chuck Housteau

Versatility

The Cardinal Mooney athlete has earned 12 varsity letters

111It would be a fitting conclusion for Daltorio, who has been one of the most talented and versatile athletes to walk Mooney’s hallways.

Of all the great competitors that have filed through those halls and played on the school’s numerous championship teams, none has accomplished what Daltorio has in her four years at Mooney.

She recently earned her 12th varsity letter as the leader of the Cardinals’ girls track team.

She also earned her eighth All-SVC honor during the recent SVC track meet and has been a part of six championship teams.

“I feel really grateful,” Daltorio said. “I had great parents who encouraged us in sports.”

Daltorio had a great heritage to follow and some great family genes.

Her dad, Dom Daltorio, was the long-time basketball coach at Springfield Local High School (1983-98) and has coached her in two sports at Mooney.

Her mom, Marilyn (Colla), also was a good athlete before girls sports were a normal part of the high school curriculum.

The Daltorios have four other children who have all been student athletes at Mooney: Patsy (six letters), Dom (eight) and Danielle (11) all have graduated, and Deana (one) is a freshman this year.

“I got involved in sports early,” Daltorio said. “I can remember going to my dad’s and brothers’ games and playing in open gyms when my dad was coaching at Springfield.

“I started playing basketball in the fifth grade and haven’t stopped since.”

She cracked the starting lineup as a freshman for Coach Jack Bermann’s varsity basketball team and went on to letter in volleyball and track that first year.

“My goal was just to try and letter as a freshman in basketball, but I eventually got to start,” Daltorio said. “After that, I lettered in all three sports [basketball, volleyball and track] that year.”

Daltorio had a tough act to follow in sister Danielle, who owned the previous school record with 11 varsity letters. The sisters played two seasons together in three sports.

“She really set the standard for me,” Daltorio said. “For her to go through all those sports and never quit, that really gave me an example to follow and inspired me to succeed.”

At the recent SVC track meet, Daltorio showed why she is considered a leader on all the teams she performs on.

She competed in four events, winning two (the high jump and the 4x400 meter relay) and placing second in another to earn all-league honors and help lead the Cardinals to a team championship.

More importantly, Daltorio showed why she is considered the ultimate team player when she relinquished her role as the anchor of the 4x400-meter run to a teammate who had been running faster lately. Daltorio, instead, was put in the leadoff spot.

Daltorio simply raced out to a big lead in the first leg of the relay and enabled the Cardinals to cruise to a win and put an exclamation mark on the team’s victory.

“Dayna is a stallion. She’s the leader of our team,” said her father, Dom Daltorio. “The girls all follow what she does. She’s always been that way.

“She always comes to every practice and game with a great attitude,” he said. “If attitude means everything, Dayna is attitude. Dayna is talent with attitude to go with it.

“Her 12 letters is an amazing accomplishment,” Dom Daltorio said. “It just goes to show you what a little hard work and determination can do.”

Daltorio is also a good student, and will attend Walsh University to play volleyball and study education and communication.

She will pass the Daltorio baton to sister Deana, who lettered in track in her freshman season.

At the Daltorio household sports is the common bond, so Dayna Daltorio’s accomplishments are held in high esteem, even though she broke Danielle’s record.

“My daughter Danielle is a good sport,” Dom Daltorio said. “Her quote was, ‘as long as we keep it in the family.’

“We kept it in the family, and her sister is happy for Dayna. It’s nice to have both of them up there like that.”