It’s a cause that Norwalk girls lacrosse coach Lynette Martinez holds close to her heart.
While a student at Westhill High in Stamford, Martinez was softball teammates and friends with Rachel Sottosanti, who was a senior captain while Martinez was a sophomore.
Sottosanti, a standout shortstop and captain for the Vikings, also coached youth basketball and softball in Stamford, and was someone many of her teammates said they looked up to.
While a freshman at Southern Connecticut in 2009, one year after graduating from Westhill, Sottosanti died by suicide. The tragedy has had a lasting impact on Martinez.