Alaina Giampietro on the Power of Family, Proving Herself Right, and Building a Legacy at RMU
From her grandfather's local rink in Ohio to leading a newly reinstated program, the RMU captain reflects on the resilience and leadership that define her journey.
For Alaina Giampietro, the game of hockey was never just a sport. It was a family tradition that started almost as soon as she could walk.
Growing up in Strongsville, Ohio, Alaina had a unique advantage, as her grandfather ran the local rink. Those early mornings on the ice with him created a bond that went far beyond the X’s and O’s of the game.
My full conversation with Alaina Giampietro is available now on YouTube.
“The stick was already in my hand,” Alaina recalled. “I always asked my grandpa to go to the rink. Those moments skating with him were where everything started.”
That early spark fueled a career that eventually led her to Gilmour Academy, where she first stepped into a significant leadership role as captain. It was during those years that Alaina began to understand that talent alone wasn’t enough to reach the next level. It required a level of dedication that she still carries with her today.
“Hard work pays off,” she said, reflecting on the lessons learned during her time at Gilmour. “It taught me so much about perseverance and what it actually takes to lead a group toward a common goal.”
However, the path wasn’t always a straight line. Like many elite athletes, Alaina faced her share of adversity during her junior career. But rather than let the setbacks define her, she used them as a mirror to find her own inner strength.
“I didn’t prove anyone wrong,” Alaina explained. “I proved myself wrong.”
That shift in mindset became a really important moment in her development. It was that sense of self-discovery that eventually led her to Robert Morris University. The decision to join the newly reinstated RMU program was a leap of faith, but one that felt right from the start. She found a coaching staff and an environment that valued her as a person as much as a hockey player.
Now, as the captain of the Colonials, Alaina is focused on more than just the scoreboard. She is very much aware of the responsibility that comes with being at the forefront of a program’s rebirth.
“We want to leave the place better than we found it,” she shared. “Joining RMU allowed me to be part of something bigger. We are building a foundation here for the girls who will come after us.”
Her commitment to excellence isn’t limited to the ice. Alaina has managed to balance the demands of Division I hockey with a heavy academic load, a feat she credits to the discipline she’s developed throughout her career. For her, giving her all in the classroom is just as important as the effort she puts into a Friday night game.
Throughout her collegiate career, Alaina has relied heavily on a support system of teachers, coaches, and friends. But it always comes back to the foundation her family laid in those early days in Ohio.
As Alaina Giampietro looks to her future in the game she loves so much, her story is about what happens when true passion meets ultimate purpose. From the kid skating with her grandpa to the leader building a legacy at Robert Morris University, Alaina is proving that the right mindset can turn any challenge into a milestone.
My full conversation with Alaina Giampietro is available now on YouTube.