Working Hard to Realize a Dream

Pursuing her dream to become "the best softball player in the world," Kirsten Ford began playing t-ball at age 7 and says her father encouraged her on the field and off, pushing her to achieve excellence. Kirsten wrote the below article for the Yakima Herald-Republic.

We wish her every success. - Editor

Working Hard to Realize a Dream

by Kirsten Ford - An Aspiring Fastpitch Athlete

I've had the same dream since I was 7 years old.

It started with my father asking me to watch a women's softball game on TV with him. That game changed my life forever. Central Washington University's fastpitch team was playing a doubleheader. They were tied at 3, and it was the last at-bat.

I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to be on that field yelling at the umpires and making the diving catch that finally won CWU the game. I looked at my dad, and he looked at me. Then, somehow I knew we had the same idea.

From that moment on, I wanted to be the best softball player in the world.
I started out with T-ball, two wonderful years of hitting the ball right to the infielders and running to the wrong base. I never could find a mitt that fit me quite right. Back then, it really wasn't about competition or being the best player. We just played to have fun.

As the years went by, I continued to play. And each year, the game -- and the competition -- got harder than the one before. Sometimes it seemed politics ran the field. And sometimes it seemed parents were playing instead of the kids.

My dad has always been my coach -- on the field and off. He pushed me and helped me more than anyone ever could. He helped make sure the path to my dream was a clear one.

While the other girls hung out, I played catch with my dad. When they were gossiping about boys or who they were dating after practice, I was hitting balls into the net. When they went to the mall to shop, I was running.

I was always a loner. It wasn't that there was something wrong with me; it was just that I wanted to be the best.

My dad pushed and pushed. He pushed until I hated him for it. He would always ask if I wanted to be pushed, and I would always answer yes, so it wasn't his fault.

When I learned what he wanted me to learn, I was rewarded. When I failed, I was lectured and told to go do more until I got it right. There were times when we would have a doubleheader, but I wouldn't do very well, so he would have me run extra drills.

But, at the end of the day, I felt better about myself for the extra training and happy that my dad cared so much that he would go to any length to make me a better player. And, even more important, a better person. My dad is my hero.

I will do anything to reach my goal of becoming a fastpitch player at the college level. Playing at this level will be difficult, but I really want to play.

With that goal in mind, I entered high school and tried out for softball. That first year found me on the "C" team. The coaches all said it was "a very tough decision." But it totally deflated my desire for the game I loved.

My sophomore year I couldn't even muster the energy to work out during the off-season. I didn't even try out my junior year. But not playing softball had a negative effect on my life. I want so badly to change and get my motivation back.

So when I had a chance to play with Coach Chuck Bodeen, I jumped at the opportunity. Bodeen coaches the Yaks, Yakima Valley Community College's fastpitch team. He also coaches the 18-U Yakima Pepsi Stealers fastpitch team.

"We would love to have you," he said, adding the cost can be overwhelming for some.
I told him I would play at any cost, but that was before I realized it would cost as much as $1,200 for gear, uniforms, travel and other expenses.

That is all of my life savings for a chance of a lifetime. When I told my father the cost to play, he -- like me -- was shocked.

"With gas prices being the way they are, I just don't think I will be able to give you the money you need," he said.

My father had done so much for me already. I knew all of the money would have to be raised myself.
So I set out one day, stopping by about 30 local stores. Everyone was very nice. At some places, the bosses just weren't in. At other places, people just said no thanks, but good luck.

During the six hours I spent trying to get sponsors to make my dream come true, I made $50 from a small espresso shop in Yakima.

I've never been good at asking for money from other people. Growing up, I was taught you earn it yourself. When I get out of high school I want to become an engineer, just like my dad. I want to succeed in life.

To get to college, I need a scholarship. To get that scholarship, one option is the opportunity of a tournament team to maybe get noticed for what talent I have. I'm not banking on fastpitch as my only option. But I really want to play.

And I will continue to work hard at everything I do, not just fastpitch. I play the flute, piccolo and saxophone in the school band. And my grades -- although not perfect -- are very good. I was just accepted into the National Honor Society.

I am exploring all my options, but softball is still in my heart. And I don't want $1,200 to get in the way of my dream.

Pasadena Star-News Names Michelle Escamilla "Softball Player of the Year"

Pasadena Star-News Names Michelle Escamilla "Softball Player of the Year"

Pitcher Michelle Escamilla was a big fish in a small pond for four seasons at Alverno High School, Pasadena CA.

As a senior, Escamilla and her teammates from the tiny school in Sierra Madre found themselves going up against larger schools during nonleague play.

Escamilla proved she was not only a big fish from that small pond but among the best in the San Gabriel Valley while posting a 23-3 record as the Jaguars finished 23-4.

For her outstanding season, Escamilla is the Star-News softball Player of the Year for 2008. "I think she knew that in order for us to do well, she had to bring it up this year, and I'll tell you right now, she had an awesome year," Alverno coach Frank Russo said.

Escamilla, a four-year starter, acknowledged it helped to have a more well-rounded team this season.

"I had a lot more confidence out there pitching this season because the team was the best, I think, out of the four years I played," Escamilla said. "It made me feel real confident out there when I have really good players backing me up."

Following a 21-2 junior season in which she practically carried the team, Escamilla enjoyed great success as a senior.

"I'm definitely impressed with our school every year, but this year especially," she said. "Even though we didn't get to the finals like I had wanted, I still feel pretty good about the season we had."
Escamilla, who also batted .423 with seven doubles and three triples and was second on the team with 22 RBIs, proved she belonged at the Arroyo Tournament with impressive showings against Covina and Los Altos.

She struck out 13 in a 2-1 loss to Covina and came back with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 setback to Los Altos. "A lot of our players are kind of young, and I'm sure they don't know how significant that game was, but I thought it was a pretty big deal that we could do that well against a large school and such a highly ranked large school," she said.

Added Russo: "The knock we get is that our league is not that strong, but we played a lot of good teams and she did very well against exceptional teams."

Another big victory for the Jaguars was a 3-0 victory at La Ca ada on May 2. Escamilla allowed one hit, struck out nine and went 1 for 3 with a run scored.

A pair of unearned runs proved costly in the Jaguars' 2-0 loss to Paraclete in the CIF-Southern Section Division VI quarterfinals. But the outgoing senior showed what she could do against some of the area's best players at the Public vs. Private all-star game when she struck out 18 in nine innings.

"That was a great cap, especially playing against some public schools who said, `How good is she?' " Russo said. "People wanted to know who Michelle is and what she does, and they got an opportunity to see her."

Escamilla turned down some four-year offers to stay close to home and will attend Mt. SAC. "A lot of my offers were outside California and I'm dead-set on staying here," Escamilla said. "I think (Mt. SAC) is the largest junior college in the country and a good choice for me.

"I definitely think that I'm going to take those two years to improve because I do want to still keep playing after that, and if I step up my game a little more, I can get into a good school here in California."

Source:

Pasadena Star News Written by Scott Galetti Photo by Watchara Phomicinda

Softball in Heaven? Maybe

Editors Note: The below story was received by the mother of one our interns. Because the vast majority of our readers are young athletes, we wanted to share it. See what you have to look forward to! The author is unknown.

Softball in Heaven?

Two 90-year-old women, Rose and Barb, had been friends all of their lives.

When it was clear that Rose was dying, Barb visited her every day.

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One day Barb said, 'Rose, we both loved playing women's softball all our lives, and we played in all through High School.

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Please do me one favor: when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's women's softball there.'

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Rose looked up at Barb from her deathbed, 'Barb, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you.'

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Shortly after that, Rose passed on.

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At midnight a couple of nights later, Barb was awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to her, 'Barb, Barb.'

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'Who is it?' asked Barb, sitting up suddenly.. 'Who is it?'

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'Barb -- it's me, Rose.''You're not Rose. Rose just died.''I'm telling you, it's me, Rose,' insisted the voice.

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'Rose! Where are you?' 'In Heaven,' replied Rose. 'I have some really good news and a little bad news.'

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'Tell me the good news first,' said Barb.

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'The good news,' Rose said, 'is that there's Softball in Heaven. Better yet, all of our old buddies who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we're all young again. Better still, it's always springtime, and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play softball all we want, and we never get tired.' 'That's fantastic,' said Barb. 'It's beyond my wildest dreams!

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'So what's the bad news?'

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'You're pitching Tuesday.'

Senior Spotlight: Meet Michelle Primm

"Primm" and Proper: An East Gaston Senior Pitcher Leads All-Gazette Softball Team

Practice, practice and more practice.

That's the best way Michelle Primm can explain her ability to dominate this softball season.
Honored today as The Gazette's player of the year, Primm enjoyed the fruits of her labor as she led East Gaston to a second straight conference championship.

"I've been able to play tournament ball every summer and that's really helped me a lot," the senior pitcher said.

It shows.

Primm rarely allowed a run, finishing the season with a 1.25 ERA and 21-4 record. She struck out 161 batters in 163 innings and added a no-hitter to her resume in the Grand Strand Invitational at Myrtle Beach.

But what set her apart this spring was her explosive bat. She hit over .400 and led the Warriors with seven home runs and 34 RBIs.

"That was an extra bonus that nobody expected," East Gaston coach Richard Hawley said. "That really made a huge difference for us."

Primm and the Warriors enjoyed another fabulous season, sweeping the Big South 3A/4A Conference's regular-season and tournament championships. East Gaston then advanced to the second of the 4A playoffs, where it lost to eventual state finalist North Davidson.

"I really think that we came together as a team really well - especially toward the end of the season," Primm said.

If Primm learned anything throughout her high school career, it's that hard work pays off - a lesson she'll take with her to Belmont Abbey, where she will play next season.
Primm found it in herself to take a beach vacation immediately following graduation but she immediately returned to a schedule jam-packed with tournaments every weekend until August.
She plays for Bobby Shoemaker's Denver Dazzle team and takes plenty of instruction from her dad, Kenneth Primm, too.

As much as she plays softball, at no point has she felt burned out. She still enjoys every minute of it.

"My goal has always been to go to college and play softball and that's something that's driven me to keep going," Primm said. "Now that I've reached my goal, I have to produce results to keep me there."

Source: Gaston Gazette -by Philip Gardner

Pre-Teen Player Profile: Lyndsey Patton

Lyndsey Patton: A Dominating Force Both On And Off The Field

Lyndsey Patton is a key cog for Safety Net's 11-12-year-old fastpitch softball team, but that's not what impresses those close to her.

She has a full plate and appears to balance it nicely. Her passion is softball, and her hero is former U.S. Olympic pitcher Jenny Finch. But she knows where her priorities lay." She makes straight A's in school, and she graduated from the sixth grade this year with an A average, and she got to graduate with honors," said her mother, Rene Patton.

"She's active in the community and in her church. I think that's an accomplishment for a child to play on a travel team, play city league and to go to pitching and practice, and still maintain her grades."

However, it is difficult to overlook her considerable talents.Consider this: Over the course of 19 games, she has hit 7 grand slams, 9 homeruns, 3 triples and 4 doubles-stats that would make Chipper Jones envious.

"She's a very good athlete. She hits home runs almost every game, at least once if not twice," said Patton's coach, Sheila Hatfield. "She's a very good shortstop, and a very awesome hitter. She's a true team leader."

When she's not playing shortstop, she pitches. And while she is not the staff's ace, she may have more potential at pitcher than any other position.She wants to play softball at the high school and college levels, and eagerly accepted her father's suggestion to begin training with a pitching coach."I have definitely noticed an improvement in my game," said Patton." I think everyone needs practice, and I wanted it by someone who has experience."

Her father, Lyne, has noticed her improvement as well." She was pitching in the mid 30s, and is now pitching in the low 50s," said Patton.As her pitching has improved, attention has continued to mount. Last year she played with Clanton-based Freedom Fast Pitch.

This year, she will be trying out for the Prattville Thunder, a traveling team that invited her due to word of mouth."She's so young, and she's so strong that it's hard for her to control the ball all the time," said Hatfield. "She doesn't know what to do with all that power."

Source: Selma Times -by Barrett Welch

Aledo (Texas) Wins State Title and Remains Number One Ranked Team in the Nation

Aledo (Texas) Wins State Title and Remains Number One Team in the Nation

The Aledo Ladycats remain the No. 1 team in the nation in last week’s USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25 Poll.

During the last week, Aledo won two games, a 6-0 win over Waco Midway in the Texas State Semifinals, and a 4-0 victory over Nederland in the Texas 4A State Championship.

In the title clinching win, Ladycat pitcher Whitney Canion improved ton 31-0-1 on the season and struck out a state record 22 batters. Broad Run (Va.) remains as the No. 2 team in the country, followed by Butler (N.C.), who won its third straight 4A title with a 5-3 win over North Davidson.

In the No. 4 position is Sheldon (Calif.), followed by, Central Davidson (N.C), Pembroke Pines Charter (Fla.), Canyon del Oro (Ariz.), Shadle Park (Wash.), Simi Valley (Calif.), and Cibola (N.M.). Simi Valley saw its undefeated season come to an end with a 3-0 lost to Valencia in the Central Coast Sectional Final. Santiago (Calif.) is ranked No. 11 this week, with Kennedy (Calif.), Hueytown (Ala.), Smithson Valley (Texas), Escondido (Calif.), and Ooltewah (Tenn.) following.

In the No. 17 spot is Valencia (Calif.), fresh off their sectional championship over Simi Valley. Another newcomer is in at No. 18 with Mount Carmel debuting after winning the San Diego Sectional Title. Rounding out the top 20 is 24-1 Hickory (Va.), and Ryle (Ky.). Rankings 21 through 25 include: Naples (Fla.), Coronado (Texas), Eau Gallie (Fla.), Byrd (La.), and Elyria (Ohio).

The rankings were compiled by representatives and committees from each state across the nation.

Anjelica Selden: The Strikeout Queen!

The Strikeout Queen
Anjelica Selden wrapping up UCLA career


Professional softball will have to wait ... Anjelica Selden wants to give back a little something first.

Selden knows her UCLA softball career could end as early as today, although the Bruins have College World Series aspirations. Actually, it's just her college playing career that is almost over ... the former Vanden High School standout plans to return to the team next season as a graduate assistant coach.

"I've already been drafted to the pro leagues (the New England RipTide of the National Pro Fastpitch softball league), but I don't think I will do that," she said. "I may play overseas in Italy, but first I want to stay and help out.

"I think there's a lot I can pass on. I feel really passionately about being a leader. I want to teach my team the Bruin softball way."

Selden hopes the teaching can wait a couple more weeks, while she leads UCLA on the mound.
Selden and the Bruins began an NCAA Super Regional series against Georgia on Saturday night. The teams will play at least one and possibly two more games today, with the winner of the best-of-three series advancing to next week's College World Series.

If the Bruins move on to Oklahoma for the third time in Selden's four seasons, the pitcher again will play a major role.

The 22-year-old right-hander recently earned first-team all-Pacific 10 honors for the third time, and first team all-Region for the second time.

She is having arguably her best season yet as a Bruins, with a career-best 1.01 ERA going into Saturday night's game. She has an impressive 26-3 record, with 287 strikeouts in 200.2 innings.

But she longs to return to the World Series. Selden led UCLA to the brink of national championships in both 2005 and '06, coming within one out of an NCAA title as a freshman.
UCLA struggled, relatively speaking, last year. Selden finished with a 17-11 record and a 2.82 ERA.

"This is my last time around so obviously you want to end on a good note," she said. "We're young this year, but we've got a lot of really talented girls. There is nothing distracting us ... our goal is to get to the World Series. "Personally, I really want to get back there. The atmosphere is unique ... you have to be there. It's the best of the best. You can just feel the intensity."

Another World Series appearance would put a final stamp on Selden's career as one of the best pitchers in one of the best programs in the country.

Selden has 107 wins in four seasons, second in UCLA history, and her 158 complete games also is second all-time among Bruins.

She has spent her entire senior season as the Bruins' all-time strikeout queen. She entered Saturday night's game with 1,393 K's, the best total in school history by more than 300.

"I'm not a stats person ... but that stat ... let's just say I feel honored to be among some of the best softball players ever," Selden said. "That's not an easy thing to do. There was a lot of hard work."
And a lot of ups and downs. Despite winning more than three-fourths of her decisions, Selden has been the leader in good times and bad. The Bruins suffered a rare first-round NCAA loss last season, to go with the near-misses in 05-06.

"I think I've grown as a pitcher, but more as a person," she said. "I'm more aware of situations. I respond better to adversity ... a quick recovery. I have a short-term memory."
Selden hopes more long-term memories come today, and next week.

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Source: The Reporter -by Tim Roe

Shanna Diller Signs With The Rockford Thunder

Illinois Softball Star Shanna Diller Signs with Rockford Thunder

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The Rockford Thunder of the National Pro Fastpitch Softball League has signed free agent infielder Shanna Diller, a former Normal Community High School and University of Illinois star, Thunder general manager Aaron M. Moore announced Friday.

Diller finished her Illini career recently ranked No. 2 in runs scored (163), home runs (37) and RBIs (158). She also ranks fourth in batting average at .314.”I am very thankful to have the opportunity to continue my career with a great organization,” Diller said. “It’s extremely exciting to be able play just a couple of hours from my hometown.”

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“Shanna is a player we’ve had our eye on since the fall college season,” Moore said. “She provides us with another solid bat and is versatile in that she can play both of the corner infield positions. We look for her to contribute to the team right away.”

There's a New Number One Team in the Nation

New Number One Team in the Nation in Latest USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25



After five weeks as the No. 1 team in the nation, Pembroke Pines Charter’s reign at the top of

the USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25 Poll, has come to an end. The Jaguars lost in Florida’s 4A State Championship against Naples to end their season with a 29-1 record, and fall to No. 4 in this week’s poll. Taking the No. 1 spot this week is Sheldon (Calif.), who improved to 25-1 on the season.


This isn’t the first time the Huskies have been No. 1, as Coach Mary Jo Truesdale’s squad held the ranking in the year’s first poll on April 3. With the loss to Pembroke Pines, Aledo (Texas) and Broad Run (Va.) slide up a spot each to Nos. 2 and 3 respectively. Canyon del Oro (Ariz.) ranks at No. 5 again this week, after winning the 4A-I Arizona State Championship. Following Head Coach Amy Swiderski’s crew is: Butler (N.C.), Kennedy (Calif.), Shadle Park (Wash.), Simi Valley (Calif.), and Central Davidson (N.C.).


In the No. 11 slot sits Santiago (Calif.), who fell from last week’s rank of No. 7, after a loss to Corona (Calif.). Smithson Valley (Texas) jumps four spots this week to 12 after improving their record to 31-2, and continues to march through the 5A Texas State Playoffs. At No. 13 sits undefeated Escondido (Calif.), followed by Coronado (Texas), who saw their season come to an end at 37-4, after be eliminated in the 5A Texas Regional Quarterfinals by Weatherford.


Rounding out the top 15 is Cibola (N.M.), who drops four spots after losing their first game of the season to Rio Rancho (N.M.). Hueytown (Ala.) is this week’s No. 16 team, after defeating Austin (Ala.) in the 6A Alabama Sub-State Playoffs. Hueytown is followed by Eau Gallie (Fla.), Plano (Texas), Byrd (La.), and Carl Sandburg (Ill.). Rankings 21-23 features Ooltewah (Tenn.), Hickory (Va.), and Mandarin (Fla.). Elyria (Ohio) and Naples (Fla.) are Nos. 24 and 25, and are new to the week’s poll. Elyria is currently undefeated at 19-0 and Naples enters the poll after defeating the previous No. 1 team in the nation, Pembroke Pines Charter, in the 4A Florida State Championship Game. The rankings were compiled by representatives and committees from each state across the nation.

Softball Coach Arrested, Youth Team Kicked Out Of League

Editors Note: We came across this very disturbing story from News Channel 5 in Columbia TN about a coach being arrested for an altercation with an umpire. There are lessons to be learned here for players, parents and, most of all, for coaches.

Softball Coach Arrested,
Youth Team Kicked Out Of League


COLUMBIA, Tenn. - A Midstate softball coach was arrested after punching an umpire.
Jonathan Rose, 34, is charged with aggravated assault for striking an umpire during a youth league game in Columbia.

Police said Rose hit the umpire with his fist and knocked him unconscious during a tournament game. Rose is the assistant coach for the Summertown Lady Volcanoes.
Rose and the umpire disagreed over a call.

Al Ray, director of the Maury County Parks and Recreation, said this is the first time anything like this has happened.

"Sometimes adults get a little too caught up in what's going on and lose track of what this is all about and what it's intended to be," Ray said.

Rose's team of 10-year-old girls was kicked out of the league.

"The coach and unfortunately the team will not be allowed to participate in any USFA events," said Ken Crooks, Middle Tennessee regional director for the state's U.S. Fastpitch Association.
The umpire returned to his regular job Monday.

Although the Lady Volcanoes will have to disband parents plan to organize another team so the girls will be able to play.

You can watch the Channel 5 video here: Coach is Arrested

Source: News Channel 5 - Columbia TN

Order Out of Chaos: Beating the Odds

Editors Note: This morning we came across this wonderful story in the Bainbridge Island Review of a young lady who is beating the odds.

Order Out of Chaos
By John Becerra, Jr. - Bainbridge Island Review

Brittany Wisner has overcome a nightmare childhood to be a standout member of the Bainbridge fastpitch team.

When people talk about Brittany Wisner, one of the first things they mention is how hard she works and how much she talks – which is quite a bit.

“She’s loud, but in a good way,” teammate and friend Lindsay Willmann said.
Head coach Liz McCloskey said she was impressed with her from the moment she appeared on the field, even to the consternation of others.

“Some people questioned my thought of putting her on varsity because she was very outspoken because some people perceive that as being cocky and having a big head,” she said. “But that’s just her being a leader and loving the game and putting everything she has into it.”

Currently, Brittany is a starter for the Bainbridge fastpitch team and has been since her first game as a freshman at second base, quickly moving over to catcher and ensconcing herself at the position en route to being a two-year captain, a two-time All-Metro and All-Kitsap News Group selection.

That recognition comes from how hard she works at improving her overall game, from hitting off the pitching machine to fielding endless grounders to work on her overall fitness level.

Click for the full story >> Order Out of Chaos

For Starry-eyed Kids The Olympic Dream May Flame Out

Games Have Given Softball a Big Boost Every 4 Years

Editors Note: This story is another good reason why female fastpitch softball athletes, teams and leagues need to make their collective voices heard.

Find out how at >> Back Softball. Get involved!

Dozens of girls wearing softball uniforms pressed against the makeshift fence well before the game began. They watched stretching, jogging, swinging. Then they waited until long after the game's conclusion, chanting, reaching, until finally getting every last U.S. player's autograph. "Pretty awesome," said Shelby Turnier, 13, a pitcher in the Palm Beach Gardens Fast Pitch program. "Because they are right in front of you." The U.S. national softball team was at Osceola Park last week because the Olympic Games in Beijing are just five months away, and a barnstorming tour is part of the team's preparation. Softball interest generally spikes before, and after, the Olympics.

But what will happen to softball participation nationwide if softball never again appears in the Olympics after 2008? "Every fourth year, we get that shot in the arm," said Matt Dunbar, umpiring chief for the South Florida chapter of the American Softball Association. "So I think it will start to dwindle. Let's face it: If little kids' dreams are crushed, they will go after something else that they can dream of."

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Mike Candrea, coach of the U.S. team as well as Arizona, agreed that taking away the "very powerful dream" of the Olympics will have a "trickle-down effect on our youth." Hector Torres, the bullpen coach for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in Athens, argued that many young athletic girls will choose volleyball or soccer.

Girls like Jennie Finch, the popular U.S. pitcher whose name and No. 27 were on the backs of many of the girls in attendance. Why a favorite? "Just everything," Turnier said. "To be able to be a wife, a mother that age, and playing softball at the same time, that's so much responsibility." Finch, now 27, played basketball and volleyball growing up, but preferred softball.

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"When 1996 came around," Finch said of the first Olympic contest, "I was in line to get an autograph from Lisa Fernandez like everyone else. It gives you that little spark, that dream. I hope [the exclusion starting in the 2012 Olympics] doesn't affect it, but I can only hope that." Many girls at Osceola Park said that they would still play for the love of the game, the possibility of a college scholarship, or even a chance to play in the six-team National Pro Fastpitch league, even saying the latter should get more coverage.

But that league doesn't generate anything near the exposure, or sponsorship opportunities, of the Olympics."You're not going to make a living doing that," Candrea said. "The college game is good, and is growing, and is safe, and you will get that notoriety, but you can't take a college team and get what you get with this team." Like the scene South Florida got last week.

Article source: ETHAN J. SKOLNICK South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Inspiration For All Female Fastpitch Athletes

Timeout With … Hannah Anderson, A Senior, Granite Falls Softball

It's something softball coaches and parents suggest all the time: Keep your eyes on the ball. But for Hannah Anderson, the task is much more difficult.

Anderson, a four-year starter at Granite Falls, has a rare vision deficiency called vertical heterophoria that prevents her eyes from staying in vertical alignment.To counteract the problem she wears special glasses when she hits. Still, some days the glasses don't seem to help much and Anderson has a hard time seeing the ball."It's definitely proven to be a struggle," she said.The third baseman has overcome the vision flaw, though, earning All-Cascade Conference first team honors and becoming an indispensable team leader.

Coach's corner

Second-year Granite Falls softball coach Candi Reeves called Anderson a kind, modest person who always carries herself with style and class. "She's one of the best kids I've ever known in 21 years of teaching," said Reeves. "She's a phenomenal all-around kid."The hot cornerTo play third base, which Anderson has done for the Tigers since her freshman year, a player must be ready for anything, including a laser-like line drive."That's actually what I love about it," she said. "It's completely a reaction position, definitely a hot spot. You get a lot of action."

Never perfect

No matter how good a player gets, there are ways to get develop more skills, said Anderson: "There's always room for improvement. That's something I pride myself on, that I can always do better."TrailblazerAnderson was a key part of two historic Granite Falls sports achievements. First, as a freshman she helped the girls cross country team qualify for the state meet for the first time in program history. Then, during her sophomore year she played for the Tigers softball team that made history by advancing to the fastpitch state tourney."That was a blast," Anderson said of the latter achievement.

"It's definitely a proud moment, being able to say I was a part of that team."Getting involvedOn top of her athletic commitments, Anderson is highly involved in other school groups. She's the Associated Student Body activities coordinator, Honor Society president, Spanish Club vice president and co-president of the school's Future Business Leaders of America club.

On a mission

Eventually, Anderson, who is interested in becoming a high school math teacher, hopes to do missionary work and help the needy. Said Anderson: "I really enjoy helping people and making a difference."Positive thinkingAsked what kind of music she likes, Anderson said, "I definitely like inspirational songs." One of her favorites is "Don't Give Up" by Eagle Eye Cherry.

Source: Written by Mike Cane, Herald Writer - Herald Net

Softball Player Partially Paralyzed. Family Touched By Generosity of Girls' Fastpitch Softball League

Softball Player Partially Paralyzed. Family Touched By Generosity of Girls' Fastpitch Softball League.

Auction is held to help athlete with medical expenses.

Editor's Note: The fabulous girls of fastpitch softball are always ready to help raise money for a worthy cause - - you always are there to the aid others in their time of need. Whether it's to raise money for a community project, to help a coach fight cancer, or to rally around a team mate to help pay medical bills, fastpitch players, teams and leagues always step up to the plate to show their kindness and generosity. If your team or league has been involved or has plans in the works to hold a worthy fundraising project, send us the web link or email the Softball Institute.


The South Huntington Beach Girls Fastpitch Softball League planned to turn its opening day of the season into a fundraiser for 16-year-old Natalie Buchoz. But while the weather has postponed the fundraiser until March 1, it hasn't stalled the outpouring of support from the community for Natalie, who suffered a spinal injury in a skiing accident Jan. 29. The avid softball player is now partially paralyzed.The Edison High School student was finally able to come home from the hospital on Valentine’s Day. The softball league she grew up playing in will host a silent auction to off-set the Buchoz family’s medical costs.Tad Buchoz, Natalie’s father, said the family has been very touched by how the community has helped. Friends and family have delivered meals to the Buchozes three or four nights a week, he said.“

Our family is just completely at a loss for words with our gratitude,” Buchoz said. “The support that we receive from the community has allowed us to focus all our energy on the healing of our Natalie.”The silent auction will help the family build a downstairs bedroom for Natalie, whose bedroom is upstairs and not wheelchair accessible. It will also help the family with the long-term costs of therapy.Buchoz said Natalie has focused her tough athletic psyche on healing.

“As a girl who’s played sports her whole life she’s had a really aggressive, attacking mentality. She attacks therapy like a practice or a game,” Buchoz said.The softball league is familiar with Natalie’s winning attitude. League President Steve Caswell said they have made “Nattitude” bracelets in the vein of Lance Armstrong’s “Livestrong” campaign.Caswell said the auction just seemed like the right thing to do for a family that has been so involved in the softball league.“Not only did Natalie grow up playing in our league, her mother, Nancy, used to be president,” Caswell said. “Most of us know her family really well. It was a heartfelt decision for us.”The silent auction will have about 80 gift baskets to bid on.

Caswell said people and organizations from around Southern California donated to the cause. Many of the items up for auction are sports-related. There are Lakers, Angels and Ducks tickets, even a basketball signed by famed coach John Wooden. Surfboards and beach apparel will be on the block. There will be themed packages as well, such as baskets of USC and UCLA gear.

The auction, which was scheduled for Saturday, will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 1 at the softball fields behind the Edison Community Center, 21377 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach. For more information on the auction, visit www.caringbridge.org/ visit/nataliebuchoz.

Article source: written by Josh Aden of the Huntington Beach Independent

Meet Softball's Yoda: Coach-Philosopher Teaches How To Hit

Meet Softball's Yoda:

Coach - Philosopher Teaches

How To Hit

National champ works out of Huntington Beach warehouse,

shaping pupils into players.


Editor's Note: One of our crack fastpitch interns, who helps with research, came upon this very fascinating article about a softball coach in California. We wanted to share Coach Tony Rico's story with all of our athlete and coach readers. The article was published last month in The Orange County Journal.

Inside an unmarked, 4,000-square-foot corner of an Enterprise Lane industrial office complex, a skinny, tanned man with a Softball Connection ballcap, eyeglasses and the beginnings of a handlebar mustache is talking above the sizzle of 60 mph pitches and the aluminum clang of bat on softball.

Tony Rico is speaking about good players being "the hunters" rather than "the hunted." He's calling pitches "chances," swings "decisions" and softball "life" sliced up in scoreboard innings.

Fluorescent yellow softballs spit from pitching machines inside three batting cages that run the width of the room. Teen-age girls take heavy-armed swings at bullet after bullet, their eyes narrow beneath their hard-plastic helmets, their attention lasting as long as one pitch.

"Make good choices and you'll be successful," says Rico, the renown softball coach-philosopher-guru who's scuttling among the cages, sprinkling nuggets of wisdom on this hour's batting pupils.

More than 250 players, from beginners to three-time Olympic softball gold medalists, travel from as far as the Bakersfield and Chandler, Ariz., to this hidden space to learn from Rico, 42, the owner of the Softball Connection instructional facility and the coach of the national powerhouse Worth Firecrackers Gold youth softball team.

His students, most ranging in age from 8 to 18, want to sharpen their softball skills to improve as players, maybe land a college athletic scholarship or compete for the U.S. National Team. Dozens of Rico's success stories have landed on this room's walls, their college jerseys in frames, their images in autographed posters and their Olympic memorabilia shielded beneath glass.

His best advice won't be about the mechanics of a swing or a stance in the batter's box. He's the kind of coach – a "Yoda," one student called him – who'll teach you to think for yourself, try, fail, try again and succeed.

"I'm teaching life here," says Rico, who urges batters to think like a CEO running a Fortune 500 company, a veterinarian operating an office full of gimpy puppies or an Army sergeant needing to talk a terrified soldier out of foxhole.

His metaphor-loaded approach works. Look at the walls, the front-office desk crowded with three-foot tall championship trophies and the Olympians like shortstop Natasha Watley, utility player Amanda Freed, second baseman Lovieanne Jung and catcher Stacey Nuveman who drop by for quick tuneups.

Look at Rico himself, a man of Mexican heritage, barely 5 feet, 8 inches tall in Nike cross trainers. He's the son of World War II veteran, a single parent to two sons, a baseball player who never played anywhere professionally … unless you count Holland.

Tony Rico was born in Bellflower, racing into life "before the doctor could even get his shoes on" in the delivery room, his mother told him.

The youngest of five children to Carmen, a full-time parent, and John, a construction worker and former Army sergeant, Rico discovered baseball at age 5.
He and his father listened to the Los Angeles Dodgers games on the radio and read the boxscores in the newspaper the next day.

He remembers taking a torn corner of the newspaper up to his father the day an ad for Little League sign-ups appeared. His father let his youngest child join the team even though the family didn't have much money.

Succeeding in baseball was important to Rico because his father, a man "as stout as a linebacker and two of me," he says, had to forfeit his athletic dreams when he was drafted into the Army as a high school junior. His father never had diamond stories. He had war horrors, memories of ordering young men to "Die on your gun!" when his troop came under fire in Iwo Jima.

"Soldiers died around him," Rico said, his eyes drifting to a corner of his office where an American flag sits in a triangular glass case. "That's the flag from my father's funeral in 1998."
John Rico lived to see his son become a star shortstop for the North Bellflower Little League Eagles, a quarterback and a pitcher and second baseman at Bellflower High and a short reliever at Cerritos College.

"I had the talent, but I was lacking poise and discipline until I went to Cerritos," says Rico. "Coaches told me, 'You keep acting like that and you're off the team.'"

He learned to play with honor and confidence, not arrogance. His cleats needed to be polished black, uniform clean, hair short and neat. He had a role on something bigger than himself: a team.

These were the lessons he wanted to teach others, first as an assistant at Cal State Los Angeles, where he completed his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1988.

Then Rico began giving hitting lessons at Switch Hitter Baseball School. Earning $25 a lesson didn't pay the bills, so Rico joined his father's profession, working construction for the transportation department.

"I was 6 feet under the street with a digging spade and an aching back, wondering what to do with my life," Rico remembers. "I missed ball."

In 1990, Rico signed up to play for the Minolta Pioneers, a Holland professional team that was excited to have an American player from California join their roster. When he arrived at the airport, the coaches missed him coming off the plane.

"I think they were expecting a tall, blonde surfer dude, not some little Mexican guy," says Rico, still laughing. "So that lasted a year."
And Rico returned home to Southern California, took a job as a physical therapy aide at a Costa Mesa clinic and, on a whim, agreed to give a softball player a hitting lesson at Arnold/Cypress Park
Three parents awaited Rico outside the batting cage that 1991 afternoon, saying "Will you teach my daughter?" He reluctantly took on one student. Then two. Then more.
He taught hitting lessons out of the backyards of two Irvine homes, 14 hours a week, four nights a week, $25 a pop.

In 1993, Rico started private lessons inside a 25-foot-long cage behind his Huntington Beach home. He had a shoe-string budget and put $250 toward a used pitching machine called "The Chucker."

Gary Wadine, the founder of the Firecrackers, wanted Rico to coach his daughters. By 1996, he wanted Rico to help coach the teams and by 2002, he handed Rico "the briefcase" on a plane ride back from a Tulsa, Okla., tournament to run the Firecrackers.

"My mom used to say, 'Life is what you make it,' and here came softball, this great opportunity, that gave me a chance to stay close to sports," says Rico, who left his physical therapy job in 1998 to become a full-time softball coach.

In September of 2006, Rico started Softball Connection, with three batting cages, 60 students and one student's mother, Melinda Manahan, working as the scheduler and administrator.
Today, Softball Connection has 260 students taking lessons from Rico, a remarkable number considering his only advertising comes by word-of-mouth.

His 2007 Firecrackers 18-and-Under Gold team became Amateur Softball Association national champions. More than half the roster has landed softball scholarships to college next fall, including Pacifica High shortstop Kristen Arriola (Arizona), Kennedy High pitcher Allee Allen (Oklahoma) and Kennedy High twin outfielders Elia and Jamia Reid (Cal Berkeley).

But Rico doesn't like to talk to new students about other players' championships, scholarships or gold medals. He makes a new connection to each player, asking what she did last weekend and whether she enjoyed herself before saying, "Show me you can hit five ground balls."
Hit. Hit. Hit. Hit. Hit.

"You made the right choices," Rico says.

Source: MARCIA C. SMITH - The Orange County Register

National Pro Fastpitch Makes 2008 Draft Selections

NPF MAKES 2008 DRAFT SELECTIONS

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and its six-affiliate teams held its annual Senior Draft on Monday via conference call to select 24 of the best college players in the four-round draft.

Each team had at least three selections in the four-round draft, with the Akron Racers holding a league-high six picks. There was also a lot of movement prior to draft day in terms of the final order, with 14 of the 24 picks changing hands between the teams.

When the order was finalized, it was the Philadelphia Force that held the No. 1 overall selection, a pick they acquired in an off-season trade with the Chicago Bandits. Philadelphia also held the No. 2 overall pick, followed by the Akron Racers, New England Riptide, Rockford Thunder and Washington Glory to close out the first round.

NPF Commissioner Cheri Kempf spoke of the senior draft, as not only a way to spotlight the top college talent from across the county, but as a great opportunity for those players to mature in the most competitive league possible.

"Once again, the NPF draft showcases the top talent in college softball,” stated Kempf. “It will be exciting to see these athletes mature as professional players, within the most competitive environment in the sport- the National Pro Fastpitch League."

Due to NCAA regulations, an active college senior-athlete is not eligible to sign with her respective franchise until their 2008 season is completed.

Following is a recap of each team’s top picks.

Philadelphia Force
After finishing the 2007 NPF regular season in fifth place and carrying one of the league’s highest earned run averages, the Force knew they would have to get stronger in the circle for 2008. And they may have done just that by drafting two of the top pitchers in the country in Katie Burkhart and Megan Gibson with the No. 1 and 2 picks, respectively.

Burkhart, a first-team All-American selection out of Arizona State, finished the regular season with a 28-10 record and 404 strikeouts. She also maintained a 0.90 ERA as a junior for the Sun Devils.

“The Force is very excited about adding Katie Burkhart to their pitching rotation,” said Force GM Tom Kleinman. “We played against her last year in an exhibition game in Philly and she was awesome. The addition of a lefty to our team will make us so much more competitive.”

Philadelphia selected Gibson with the second pick of the draft and will look for her to produce both in the circle and offensively. As a junior at Texas A&M, Gibson finished the season with a 16-3 record and 1.40 ERA. She also carried an impressive .418 batting average during the regular season to be named to the Louisville Slugger NFCA All-American team.

“The Force is thrilled to add Megan to the roster,” stated Kleinman. “She is a multi-talented player that no doubt will compete for a starting position everyday, even when she is not pitching!”

In addition to the pitchers, Philadelphia selected utility infielder Savannah Long with the No. 8 pick in the draft, as well as Indiana catcher Tori Yamaguchi with the 21st selection.

Akron Racers
Akron, who held the No. 3 pick in the draft after trading first round selections with Rockford, followed the Force’s lead and selected pitcher Angela Tincher from Virginia Tech University.

Tincher, who like Gibson and Burkhart, was also a first-team NFCA All-American selection. She finished the 2007 regular season with a 33-5 record and the nation’s best ERA at 0.61. She also recorded 539 strikeouts to be named the Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year.

"Angela is one of the most gifted athletes in the game. Her domination on the mound this past year clearly places her among the best in the country,” said Racers President/GM Joey Arrietta. “Her All-American work ethic, tenacity and fierce competitiveness elevate her game beyond words."

The Racers used its second pick and the No. 11 overall selection on another pitcher. With this selection, the Racers picked University of Hawaii pitcher and first baseman Kate Robinson. As a junior with Hawaii, Robinson finished the year with a 17-1 record and a 2.01 ERA to be named the WAC Pitcher of the Year. She also belted 19 home runs and drove in 72 runs on the season.

"Kate has a dynamic personality that combines the athleticism necessary to dominate on the mound and deliver at the plate,” stated Arrietta. “Her ability to play first base and contribute offensively makes her a threat anytime she is in the game."

The Racers, who had the most picks in the draft with six, selected two catchers and two infielders with its final four selections. They selected catchers Shannon Doepking (No. 15) from Tennessee and Susan Ogden (No. 18) from Oklahoma. Ogden was a second team All-American selection in 2007 for the Sooners. Joining Doepking and Ogden as Racers draftees was shortstop Angelena Mexicano (No. 17) from the University of Illinois and Brittany Barnes (No. 23) from Georgia Tech.

New England Riptide
Like the two teams before them in the draft, the New England Riptide also selected a pitcher in the first round of the 2008 NPF Senior Draft. With the No. 4 overall pick, the Riptide selected UCLA’s Anjelica Selden.

A native of Vacaville, Calif., Selden finished 2007 with a 17-11 record in the circle, on her way to honorable mention All-Pac 10 honors. She recorded 213 strikeouts on the season to increase her school record to 1,106 passing the likes of Keira Goerl, Lisa Fernandez and Amanda Freed.

"We are looking forward to the 2008 season and are excited that these three great players will be joining our returning players,” said Riptide owner Joe Adlman. "There was so much talent out there this year and that helped make this year's NPF draft so thrilling and fun to be a part of."

Also like Philadelphia and Akron, the Riptide used one of their remaining picks to select a catcher. They selected Creighton University’s TJ Eadus with the No. 14 overall pick. With the team’s final selection of 2008 at No. 21, they chose Alabama utility player Jordan Praytor.

Rockford Thunder
The Rockford Thunder held the second most picks in the draft with five, including the No. 5 overall selection. Knowing that the team was probably going to lose last year’s starting catcher and offensive threat Mackenzie Vandergeest, the Thunder knew they would need to draft a top catcher, and they did just that by selecting Georgia Tech’s Savannah Brown.

The Yellow Jacket starting catcher has the ability to come in and make an immediate impact, both behind the plate and at it offensively for the Thunder. As a junior, Brown finished second in the nation in RBIs with 76, a total that set the new ACC single-season record. She enters the 2008 season fifth in conference history in home runs (37) and sixth in RBIs (157).

“We’re extremely excited about the addition of Savannah to the Thunder,” said Thunder GM Aaron M. Moore. “Replacing a player of Vandergeest’s talent is not going to be easy, but we feel like Savannah is going to be extremely productive in all phases of the game.”

Rockford continued with the theme of this year’s draft when they selected Oklahoma pitcher and 2007 NFCA All-American and Co-Big 12 Pitcher of the Lauren Eckermann with the No. 12 pick in the draft. With picks No. 13, No. 19 and 20 the Thunder’s attention went back to run producers, as they selected Tennessee first baseman Tonya Callahan, DePaul utility player Sandy Vojik and Tennessee Tech shortstop Beth Boden, respectively.

“This year’s draft was very productive for the team,” said Moore. “We had some major holes to fill, especially offensively, and we feel like we’ve improved our club in several different areas. The players we drafted are going to be asked to come in and make an immediate impact, so we’re definitely excited.”

Washington Glory
The Glory, last year’s NPF Champion, used the final pick (No. 6 overall) of the first round to select University of Arizona ace pitcher Taryne Mowatt.

Mowatt, who poured in one of the greatest performances in WCWS history, finished the 2007 season with a 42-12 record and a 1.46 ERA. Her efforts in the circle helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back National Championships. Followed the 2007 season, Mowatt received recognition as the WCWS Most Outstanding Player, NFCA second-team All-American and was a two-time ESPY Award winner as the Best Female Athlete and Best College Female Athlete.

“Mowatt is a fantastic pitcher and a great role model for young athletes,” stated Glory Head Coach Carie Dever-Boaz. “She stole the hearts of millions last year during the 2007 Women’s College World Series and then again at the ESPY’s. I believe Taryne will complete what is already one of the best pitching staffs in the league.”

Washington used its next pick, the No. 16 overall selection, on Virginia native Courtney Bures. Bures, who is originally from Haymarket, Va., was a first team All-SEC selection in 2007 at Mississippi State. She finished first or second on the team in several categories, including RBIs, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

“Bures is a hometown girl that has an incredible glove up the middle,” said Dever-Boaz. “Courtney hits the ball extremely well, and has great speed on the base paths that will keep us running and putting pressure on our competition."

The Glory held the final overall selection in the draft and used that pick on Oregon State utility player Cambria Miranda.

“Once again, I feel we were incredibly blessed in the NCAA draft. I believe these three ladies will round out our squad perfectly and put us in a great position to defend our NPF championship,” concluded Paul Wilson, Glory Owner & General Manager.

Chicago Bandits
Chicago was the only team in the league not to hold a first-round selection or select a pitcher in the draft, but they did add some much-needed depth at catcher with the No. 7 overall pick. With this pick, the Bandits selected Marshall University’s big-hitting catcher Rachel Folden.

Folden, who is originally from Baldwin Park, Calif., enters her senior season at Marshall as the school’s all-time leader in home runs (41) and RBIs (163) and is second in several other categories, including doubles and total bases.

“Rachel is someone I’ve been keeping an eye on for three years since she played at Marshall with former Bandits Amanda and Jessica (Williams),” said Bandits owner Bill Conroy. “The Williams sisters highly recommended Folden as a potential player for Chicago. She’s a two-time All-American selection and a USA Top 50 Player of the Year candidate, and she is a workhorse behind the plate.”

In addition to the No. 7 overall pick, Chicago also held the No. 9 and No. 10 overall picks in the 2008 NPF Senior Draft. With the No. 9 selection, the Bandits selected Emily Nichols, a catcher from the University of Iowa. And with the team’s next selection, they selected Aileen Morales, a shortstop from Georgia Tech University.

“These are the three players I targeted and hoped to land. Fortunately, everything fell our way and I was able to draft the three players that fit our needs the best.”

The SEC, Big XII, ACC and Pac-10 conferences each had four players selected in the draft, while the Big 10 had three selections. Georgia Tech and Oklahoma tied for school honors with each school having three players selected.

Pitching, again, showed its priority and importance to the game of fastpitch as seven pitchers were chosen overall. There were also seven catchers and six potential middle infielders selected in the 2008 NPF Senior Draft.

Major League Baseball is the Official Development Partner of National Pro Fastpitch in the category of women's professional fastpitch softball. The partnership, which began the fall of 2002, is part of The Commissioner's Initiative on Women and Baseball, a league-wide effort to help Major League Baseball and the 30 Major League Clubs build stronger relationships with female audiences.

National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL).

2008 NPF Senior Draft Results
Round 1
1 (1) – Philadelphia Force - Katie Burkhart, Pitcher, Arizona State
2 (2) – Philadelphia Force - Megan Gibson, Pitcher, Texas A&M
3 (3) – Akron Racers - Angela Tincher, Pitcher, Virginia Tech
4 (4) – New England Riptide - Anjelica Selden, Pitcher, UCLA
5 (5) – Rockford Thunder - Savannah Brown, Catcher, Georgia Tech
6 (6) – Washington Glory - Taryne Mowatt, Pitcher, Arizona

Round 2
1 (7) – Chicago Bandits - Rachel Folden, Catcher, Marshall
2 (8) – Philadelphia Force - Savannah Long, Infielder, Oklahoma
3 (9) – Chicago Bandits - Emily Nichols, Catcher, Iowa
4 (10) – Chicago Bandits - Aileen Morales, Shortstop, Georgia Tech
5 (11) – Akron Racers - Kate Robinson, Pitcher/First Base, Hawaii
6 (12) – Rockford Thunder - Lauren Eckermann, Pitcher, Oklahoma

Round 3
1 (13) – Rockford Thunder - Tonya Callahan, First Base, Tennessee
2 (14) – New England Riptide - TJ Eadus, Catcher, Creighton
3 (15) – Akron Racers - Shannon Doepking, Catcher, Tennessee
4 (16) – Washington Glory - Courtney Bures, Shortstop, Mississippi State
5 (17) – Akron Racers - Angelena Mexicano, Shortstop, Illinois
6 (18) – Akron Racers - Susan Ogden, Catcher, Oklahoma

Round 4
1 (19) – Rockford Thunder - Sandy Vojik, Utility, DePaul
2 (20) – Rockford Thunder - Beth Boden, Shortstop, Tennessee Tech
3 (21) – Philadelphia Force - Tory Yamaguchi, Catcher, Indiana
4 (22) – New England Riptide - Jordan Praytor, Utility, Alabama
5 (23) – Akron Racers - Brittany Barnes, Infielder, Georgia Tech
6 (24) – Washington Glory - Cambria Miranda, Utility, Oregon State

For more information, click >> National Pro Fastpitch

First Pitch in Beijing Six Months Away

FIRST PITCH IN BEIJING SIX MONTHS AWAY

Six months from today the first pitch will be thrown at the fourth Olympic Softball competition. The game schedule is expected to be released this month, and International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter notes that numerous other preparations are ongoing for the August 12-21 tournament that will consist of Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, the Netherlands, Japan, USA, and Venezuela playing at Fengtai Softball Field.

Dutch outfielder/third base player Marloes Fellinger said, “After ten years of being denied, this team is not content to just be there. We are determined to have a good showing for the European region. As this marks the six month mark ‘til the games, we are working very hard and it is a great group of players to be around. We want to compete in every game. We are so honored to represent our country and proud to take the Dutch National Team to the Olympics. What a great life experience for all of us.”

Cat Osterman, a pitcher on the defending Olympic gold medalist U.S. team said, "This year is one of the most important for softball. This is a good chance leading up to our biggest stage to showcase everything our sport has to offer. The media coverage leading up to and at the Olympics is huge because it can show so many people what our sport truly is about, and the different stories behind it. As athletes we see this opportunity as a chance to not only prepare ourselves, but share our lives with other people. We want to let them into the world of softball and learn about the many aspects that makes this game our passion."

Off the field, the ISF President took part in a Q&A on the occasion of the first pitch being six months away.

Question) What are some of your hopes and expectations for this Olympiad?
Don Porter) “I hope we are going to be well prepared at that time for what we are going to be doing in China in August and prior to the start of the Games. Consequently, we are focusing to also make sure that we have everything ready from our operational side with the technical people and with the venue operating properly all during the Games. Of course all of this will be done well in advance of that deadline to make sure that everything is totally ready to start with the first game on August 12th.
“Hopefully everything will be in place also to build on the promotional aspect in Beijing and in China proper. We want to build up the attendance and look forward to working closely with the Chinese Softball Association doing promotions there from now to August to generate interest in softball.
“We want to be sure that we are touching all bases and getting ready to be operational. The other important part is to be sure that we have everything in place to attract media attention and to work with the media to generate stories. This is another vital phase apart from hosting numerous International Olympic Committee (IOC) Members at our games. They will all be there for the IOC Session and we will make preparations to have as many as possible if not all of them out at the competition.

“There are a number of IOC members that have not attended softball and we want to be sure to have them out to the Fengtai Softball Field and get them more familiar with our sport.”
Q) How do you feel about having two countries (Venezuela and the Netherlands) that were recipients of the Development Program in early stages competing at these Games?

DP) “Not only were these two countries that are participating in the Olympics given a lot of support but many others have received aid. We try to do this with all our members as some need more support than others. But trying to make sure that they get what they need to be competitive is very important. In my opinion we want to be sure that all eight teams are going to be competitive. Not only with them, but through many of our other federations, this has shown that there have been improvements in the number of participants and the number of countries playing the sport. This also applies for what regards the playing level by us developing coaches and umpires. And I think that this lends to what is happening with our federations in developing their teams and athletes. They have the support that is needed to get out and organize and promote the sport to compete at certain events.

“We are limited up to a certain point with what we can do, but we try to combine as much as we have in the way of the resources that the ISF has. This has to do with equipment. I have seen recently that the numbers are up from what we have done in the past two or three years and even prior to that. The number of countries that we have provided softball equipment to plus the technical side of sending coaches and umpire instructors has risen and this goes on constantly all the time.
“It is important that this goes on all the time and we remain consistent with our aid. Hopefully at some point we can try to find more support from the standpoint of sponsors. That has not been easy and we are not the only ones from the Olympic sports looking for help from sponsors. But we need to keep working so that we can find some help for offering the services that we are providing to our members.”

Q) What are some of your concerns?
DP) “There are concerns only for things that we can’t control. One of these is the competitive side of our game. That is up to the athletes and coaches and we are hopeful that they are going to be playing at the highest level and we don’t have any runaway games with one team beating the other by a considerable margin. We can’t control that but we’ll be focusing on the things we can control. Certainly we will be talking to our National Federations that have teams entered about their plans for the competition.
“In the meantime we will do what we have to do to prepare the venue, both the technical and the operational sides in readiness for the teams to be competing.
“The staff at the ISF Secretariat has various functions and responsibilities and all this will go together as we move towards the next two or three months as we go to Beijing. A number of us from time to time will make sure all is going as it should. It is a work in progress.”

Q) How are things going with the Back Softball campaign?
DP) “The campaign is moving well. We have a lot of events and activities that a number of us will be present at between now and August and an e