A lot of girls out there will be playing in their first college showcase tournament this fall and there may be some serious nerves floating around as a result.  What do you do?  What are you supposed to do?

Here’s a few things that are somewhat standard protocol to keep in mind a few weeks before your showcase.

• Check the tournament website and see what colleges will be represented there.
• Determine if you have an interest in any of those colleges.
• Call or email the coaches and let them know you will be playing and invite them to come watch an inning or two of your game.
• Make sure you tell them what number you are and if you can, the position you play and the field you will be on.
• Create a player profile for yourself and attach it to the email.
• Let your coach know that you’ve invited this particular scout to watch this game and hopefully, he/she will put you in the line-up.
• If you see the scout out there and don’t have a chance to talk with them at the showcase, call them afterward and thank them for coming out.
• Remember, you may not get a call back depending on NCAA rules, but they will get the phone call and it will leave an impression.
• Oh and try not to be nervous.  Even if you get out there and strike out, they are also watching your attitude and your parents as well.

Side note: Some coaches are looking for more than just talent.  They are looking for girls who know the game. So, know the game ladies!

Good luck, play hard!!

There are many different things that go into starting a girls softball team from scratch.  Circumstances can vary depending on your location, the age of the girls and why you are choosing to venture into this job that often is unforgiving and ruthless.  Unless of course you are on a team that always wins and all the girls play every inning. (Right)

Well, if you’re still willing to move forward, keep a few things in the back of your mind.

• You will never please everyone.  No matter what, at some point during the season, there will be a parent if not many parents ticked off at you (including your spouse).
• If your daughter is on the team, you will argue.  Please know that ahead of time.  Don’t take out what happened on the field at home.
• Communicate!  Build a website.  Build an email loop.  Tell your parents what’s going on often.  Nothing annoys people more than uncertainty.
• Keep records of all money that has been paid to you and how you spent it and COMMUNICATE it to your team.
• Involve your coaches in your thought process and decision making.  This isn’t a one man/woman show here. 
• Never guarantee playing time.  Creating favoritism like that will surely lead to resentment from others.

That’s enough for now, I’ll add more later. 

With the fall fastpitch softball season ahead, there will be many new girls softball teams sprouting up all over.  Most of them probably in the southwest, but none-the-less, there will be lots of new teams.  Here’s a few tips on picking a name for your team and a logo.

Before you pick a name, search for it on eteamz.com and on Google.  

There isn’t anything more annoying than a new team choosing the same name as another team.  It’s confusing for one.  At least make the effort to check it out ahead of time.

If you can’t come up with anything original and are forced to copy a name, please add the managers name to the end.  It’s really courteous to do that for all the other teams that share your name.  That way, everyone can figure out who’s having the try-out, who’s playing in what tournament, etc.  We all hate guessing games, so don’t be so mysterious.  If it’s your team, slap your name on the end of it.

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It’s time again for the Triple Crown Classic in San Jacinto/Hemet, CA.  This is a fun tournament, especially if you get to play at Larry Minor’s house.  The guy has 2 softball fields on his property.  His home is gorgeous and every softball coaches dream.  One of the fields butts up to a hillside where there are buffalo.  The buffalo can stand about 10 feet away from the center fielder at any given time.

Anyway, Top two get a berth to the 2008 World Series and the entry deadline is Friday 9/7.

The tournament itself will be held 9/15-9/16.

For more info contact:

Travis Cotsenmoyer
Triple Crown Sports - So Cal 

951-789-2065

or go to the Triple Crown website to register online. 

The results are in for the best 25 collegiate fastpitch softball teams. 

No surprise in the top two for anyone that watched the Women’s College World Series, but in case you’re curious to see where your school placed on the list, here’s a link to the USA Poll.

Is there a coach at your high school that you’d like to recognize as a "model coach"?  If so, then now is the time to nominate this person for the 2008 CIF Model Coach Award.

How do you do this?  For starters, you need to make sure the coach has taught and demonstrated 6 core ethical values.  Here they are in no particular order:

• Trustworthiness
• Fairness
• Caring
• Good Citizenship
• Responsibility
• Respect

In addition, they must have 10 years experience under their belts actively coaching at a high school level.

Know someone that you’d like to nominate?

Here’s the form!

Your CIF State Section Office must have received these forms by 12/3/07.  Late submissions will not be read. 

New for 2008, Easton introduces a beefed up version of the "Stealth".  A very popular bat for big hitters and slappers, Easton is bringing us a new option to add to our girls’ equipment.

LENGTH 30 31 32 33 34
WEIGHT 20 21 22 23 24

More info about the 2008 Easton Stealth Bat

Disney’s Pacific Classic Tournament will be held in Orange County on October  6th-8th, 2007.  Registration is $400 and is due by 9/6.  The winners of this tournment will receive a berth to the 2008 HOF Tournament in Oklahoma City, OK next June.  Top 8 at HOF receive a berth to ASA Nationals.  The HOF Qualifier is open to ages 12u, 14u, 16u and 18u.

If you ‘ve never been to the HOF Stadium in Oklahoma City, I highly suggest you make it a point to do everything you can to play there.  It is amazing!  The ASA Hall of Fame is right next door and it is loaded with memorabilia of the greatest women to have played the game. 

For more information follow the link here to the website.

After a tough loss to the Arizona Wildcats softball team at the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), you gotta give it to Monica Abbott.  With all the accolades this girl has under her belt, it was hard to watch her lose that game.  Even though it was so exciting to watch Taryn Mowatt win it. 

Monica’s fans can help her now by voting for her to win ‘Sports Woman of the Year’.  Voting ends on August 31, 2007, so go online now and vote.  It only takes about 10 seconds.  You can get to the website here.

After a tough loss to the Arizona Wildcats softball team at the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), you gotta give it to Monica Abbott.  With all the accolades this girl has under her belt, it was hard to watch her lose that game.  Even though it was so exciting to watch Taryn Mowatt win it.   

Hollywood, CA Auditions

Ever dreamed of making it to the silver screen?  Are you an actress inside a softball players body?  Here’s your chance to audition for a role in an upcoming movie about a fastpitch softball team.

Here’s the info sent out by ASA age group coordinators.

September 1 and 2 - The Louisiana Film Center and STATE, LLC are holding auditions for the first film about girls fast-pitch softball. These auditions are lead roles for the main team. Talent must have high school appearance. Talent will be assessed on both acting & softball playing abilities.

STATE is a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) film. Both SAG and non-SAG actors are encouraged to audition. This is a family oriented sports drama movie about a battle-hardened football coach taking the reins of a girls high school softball team, and his team’s unlikely journey to the State Championship.
 
Where will these be held?

Here’s the info.
Dates: September 1 & 2, 2007
Location: Holiday Inn Hollywood - Walk Of Fame
2005 N. Highland Ave, Hollywood, Ca 90068
Doors Open at 9 am; auditions are first come first serve.