Leagues focus on fundamentals
During spring weekends, a drive by Veteran’s Memorial Park in
Hollister reveals a parking lot that is packed with cars. A look
beyond explains why
– many of the playing fields are taken up with baseball and
softball players.
Leagues focus on fundamentals
During spring weekends, a drive by Veteran’s Memorial Park in Hollister reveals a parking lot that is packed with cars. A look beyond explains why – many of the playing fields are taken up with baseball and softball players.
With Little League being so important to kids and parents, the sport can get intensely competitive. Some parents might not feel their kids are ready for that intensity level, however. That is where the Hollister Recreation Department comes in with a lower-key alternative.
The rec department offers leagues that are much less competitive than Little League. They focus more on teaching the fundamentals of the game and letting the kids have fun rather then pushing them to win.
The code of conduct for the youth softball league emphasizes that philosophy. It stresses that the kids must play to have fun and they must respect opposing teams, teammates, coaches, umpires, and fans.
Neyva Martinez is a 10-year-old girl who is playing her first year of softball, and she plays for the Fireballz. She is just learning how to play the game and enjoys playing.
She hopes someday soon to be good enough to play at the Hollister Heat softball league level. For right now, she just enjoys being taught how to love the game.
“I like softball a lot and I like it because all of the kids I play with are learning just like me,” Martinez said.
When asked if she was intimidated about playing with boys and girls that are older than her, she said she wasn’t.
“They are all playing for the first time just like me,” Martinez said.
Martinez’s coach is Tom Castillo. Castillo is a fun coach to have, according to Martinez.
“I think it is cool that he paints the helmets for us,” Martinez said, with a smile.
A hobby for Castillo is to customize his team’s helmets each year. This year Castillo’s team color is red. The kids chose their name to be the Fireballz, so Castillo took the helmets and had them painted red with a ball and flames on the front.
“The kids identify with their helmets and when people start talking about their helmets, their confidence level grows and the kids play better,” Castillo said.
In addition to making the game fun, he also provides the kids with lessons on how to play the game.
“With the first couple of practices I start out teaching them the basics. Like how to throw and field. Then when they get the concepts down, I start putting them in on-field situations,” Castillo said.
Without the fundamentals of the game, the kids cannot learn how to have fun, and having fun is the key in Rec. sports.
The recreational softball league was developed three years ago to teach the kids the general concepts of how to play and how to enjoy the game.
There is no specific winner at the end of the season, even though most of the kids know who wins or loses. Each player from every team gets a medal at the completion of the season, showing them that they are all winners.
“The level of play is a lot different,” Castillo said. “It is for kids that never got the chance to play little league and we are here to make it fun for the kids. The coaches know that is what the recreational league is about and the kids respond to that.”
While most of the kids Castillo coaches are just out there to have fun, some actually use the league to get better and eventually move on to Little League or Hollister Heat.
“From last year’s team, two kids now play Hollister Little League and three girls are playing Hollister Heat,” Castillo said. “And they are all adapting very well to the competition level.”
Castillo also commented on how much the kids grow through playing recreational softball.
“It is neat to watch them grow and progress throughout the season,” Castillo said. “And to see how much more they learned about the game.”
