CA
Which of these two softball hotbeds has more talent?
You are right, because they should be at the beach surfing in stead of spending the weekend at the fields playing softball!
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Dropn N - Posts: 343
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:44 am
re: Southbay --
Yes, I agree not a lot has come out of the Southbay. Three years ago with my '95 DD was transitioning from baseball to fastpitch, we looked around for a 2nd year 10U team to possibly join in Southbay, Santa Monica, or West LA. Nothing in those areas at all... closest team with any rep was the Downey Nemesis which was 1:20 to get to practice, :50 minutes to get home. She did not make the team anyway, and the evaluation was "she can hold her own with my outfielders, great attitude, lot of heart, but too late in the season at this point". She also would have been the smallest player on the team, which is always an obstacle to deal with.
Here are my thoughts on the Southbay's (Including Santa Monica and WLA) paucity of National Level teams:
First, the population of the South Bay cities is low compared to other areas of similar geographic size.
Second, the price of homes, especially in the northern part of Southbay, is so high that families with children have difficulty buying in the area. I'll bet if somebody looks up the latest census for the demographics of the area, the % of households with children in the 10-14 age bracket is pretty low compared to any other area we're talking about.
Third, there are no fields! the Southbay has not seen new neighborhood development in 60 years. The southbay was built rapidfire between 1945 and 1955, long before the country decided youth sports (softball, soccer) deserved community planning help with fields. There are so few softball fields that in many of these cities softball teams practice on baseball diamonds, and even during the Spring Rec season, fight for one night per week against the Adult League Slow Pitch teams who have hogged up all dirt fields for 30+ years.
Lastly, there is little hitting/pitching coaching: Speaking only for the Santa Monica league (and I think PV, Redondo, Torrance, Manhattan, Hermosa, all the beach cities would be the same) -- there are no league owned batting cages. Want to hit? Go pay at professinal cages. There is one pitching instructor spread across 8u - 14U . Combine these two factors and what kind of feeder can the Rec leagues be? Little pitching instruction combined with little batting practice holds back both disciplines.
So these kids either travel down to the OC, or simply decide playing rec and then high school ball is fine.
Yes, I agree not a lot has come out of the Southbay. Three years ago with my '95 DD was transitioning from baseball to fastpitch, we looked around for a 2nd year 10U team to possibly join in Southbay, Santa Monica, or West LA. Nothing in those areas at all... closest team with any rep was the Downey Nemesis which was 1:20 to get to practice, :50 minutes to get home. She did not make the team anyway, and the evaluation was "she can hold her own with my outfielders, great attitude, lot of heart, but too late in the season at this point". She also would have been the smallest player on the team, which is always an obstacle to deal with.
Here are my thoughts on the Southbay's (Including Santa Monica and WLA) paucity of National Level teams:
First, the population of the South Bay cities is low compared to other areas of similar geographic size.
Second, the price of homes, especially in the northern part of Southbay, is so high that families with children have difficulty buying in the area. I'll bet if somebody looks up the latest census for the demographics of the area, the % of households with children in the 10-14 age bracket is pretty low compared to any other area we're talking about.
Third, there are no fields! the Southbay has not seen new neighborhood development in 60 years. The southbay was built rapidfire between 1945 and 1955, long before the country decided youth sports (softball, soccer) deserved community planning help with fields. There are so few softball fields that in many of these cities softball teams practice on baseball diamonds, and even during the Spring Rec season, fight for one night per week against the Adult League Slow Pitch teams who have hogged up all dirt fields for 30+ years.
Lastly, there is little hitting/pitching coaching: Speaking only for the Santa Monica league (and I think PV, Redondo, Torrance, Manhattan, Hermosa, all the beach cities would be the same) -- there are no league owned batting cages. Want to hit? Go pay at professinal cages. There is one pitching instructor spread across 8u - 14U . Combine these two factors and what kind of feeder can the Rec leagues be? Little pitching instruction combined with little batting practice holds back both disciplines.
So these kids either travel down to the OC, or simply decide playing rec and then high school ball is fine.
- DunninLA
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 8:12 pm
Why no love for Mizuno Pride from Torrance/South Bay? Though not always playing at the elite tournaments/showcases (14U & 16U) they seem to compete pretty well... Werent they a spawn of the So Cal Pride (the logo of the Lion) from the early and mid-2000's (not Westside Pride) out of Santa Monica? Just guessing off of memory.
- jefe
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:28 pm
pops of 4. How did this post turn into what orgs. are to whoms likings, this was about who has the hottest talent, if youre going to dis an org. because you dont like them doesnt make that org. a bad one because up to now the San Diego Renegades have sent more girls to College than any org. in San diego, This to me is pretty impressive and hopefully more orgs. in san diego can keep this trend going. Its about the girls not our egos and even I have a hard time with that one. 
- True Student
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:11 pm
True Student wrote:pops of 4. How did this post turn into what orgs. are to whoms likings, this was about who has the hottest talent, if youre going to dis an org. because you dont like them doesnt make that org. a bad one because up to now the San Diego Renegades have sent more girls to College than any org. in San diego, This to me is pretty impressive and hopefully more orgs. in san diego can keep this trend going. Its about the girls not our egos and even I have a hard time with that one.
No disrespect to the Renegades. My response was to one referring to if the player was good they will be found etc.... Read a few post prior to mine you'll find it.
- Popsof4
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:51 pm
KekambuS wrote:Love Oc but the way I see it in the 12u division San Diego has the bragging rights(Power Surge). So us OC teams need to step it up this season.
"And as I watch you disappear into the ground
My one mistake was that I never let you down"
My one mistake was that I never let you down"
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Gone in 2.6 - Posts: 1099
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
watcher wrote:If you go by population, Ventura County kicks the a$$ of all others
Hell yeah, we're a rec ball monster!
"And as I watch you disappear into the ground
My one mistake was that I never let you down"
My one mistake was that I never let you down"
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Gone in 2.6 - Posts: 1099
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Jefe --
Mizuno Pride indeed turned out a great team this past 14U Nationals, finishing 7th. They weren't doing anything close to that in 2006 or 2007 or even 2008 when we were looking around, and the fact that we can think of only one team in the whole area over several years is the exception that proves the rule.
I also suspect that the Pride's strong showing has more to do with an individual coach's determination than either the area feeding the team, or the strength of the organization (not aware that any other age groups of the Pride went to Nationals this or any other year).
Mizuno Pride indeed turned out a great team this past 14U Nationals, finishing 7th. They weren't doing anything close to that in 2006 or 2007 or even 2008 when we were looking around, and the fact that we can think of only one team in the whole area over several years is the exception that proves the rule.
I also suspect that the Pride's strong showing has more to do with an individual coach's determination than either the area feeding the team, or the strength of the organization (not aware that any other age groups of the Pride went to Nationals this or any other year).
- DunninLA
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 8:12 pm
ask these girls if they have a competitive program (not just one coach) at Mizuno Pride. How many of these girls drove from OC to play here? My bet is most of them are from around that area. These is talent there but no one is driving to play there.
http://www.eteamz.com/MizunoPrideGold/news/
This is the Pride I was thinking of..... not from west la but from around Pasadena...
http://www.eteamz.com/SouthernCaliforniaPride/
http://www.eteamz.com/MizunoPrideGold/news/
This is the Pride I was thinking of..... not from west la but from around Pasadena...
http://www.eteamz.com/SouthernCaliforniaPride/
- jefe
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:28 pm
jefe wrote:ask these girls if they have a competitive program (not just one coach) at Mizuno Pride. How many of these girls drove from OC to play here? My bet is most of them are from around that area. These is talent there but no one is driving to play there.
http://www.eteamz.com/MizunoPrideGold/news/
This is the Pride I was thinking of..... not from west la but from around Pasadena...
http://www.eteamz.com/SouthernCaliforniaPride/
Yes that Pride is/was based out of Sierra Madre/Arcadia. They have not been at the younger ages in quite awhile (My dd played for them in 12U back in 2003). Believe most of the players are now sophomores in college.
"And as I watch you disappear into the ground
My one mistake was that I never let you down"
My one mistake was that I never let you down"
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Gone in 2.6 - Posts: 1099
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
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