Lizzy Gatto, a returning player for the Balers softball team, worked on her swing technique during a recent practice. The defending section champion Balers season starts on March 1.
music in the park, psychedelic furs

Few players turn up for softball tryouts
The good news is that San Benito High varsity softball coach
Scott Smith has so much talent on his team that it is expected to
be the favorite to win the Central Coast Section title again this
year.
The bad news is that the abundance of talent and lack of space
on the starting varsity roster has discouraged many athletes from
even trying out for the 2007 squad.
Few players turn up for softball tryouts

The good news is that San Benito High varsity softball coach Scott Smith has so much talent on his team that it is expected to be the favorite to win the Central Coast Section title again this year.

The bad news is that the abundance of talent and lack of space on the starting varsity roster has discouraged many athletes from even trying out for the 2007 squad.

“Our numbers are way down this year, but the talent is up,” Smith said. “We had 32 kids come out at the start of tryouts. We’re just getting the basketball and soccer kids but this year was the fewest I’ve ever had in the seven years that I’ve been here.”

Normally this time of year Smith can expect upwards of 70 student athletes to come out and try out for the softball team.

From there, he typically has to make two or three cuts before assembling a freshman, junior varsity and varsity team from those players.

“This year I’m hoping to have enough kids to be able to make three teams,” Smith said.

As of early last week Smith had only 26 kids participating in the program. Ideally, he needs 42 players.

Part of the problem is that the varsity squad only lost three seniors last year to graduation and it is made up of so many underclassmen that a number of kids got discouraged from trying out because roster spots are few and far between and they believe that they won’t be able to make the varsity squad before they graduate, Smith said.

“I think it could be discouraging because we have so much talent. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think we’d have that situation,” Smith said. “The kids don’t see any holes in the lineup and that’s why they may not come out. It’s too bad because there are probably three or four kids, who I would have love to have seen come out that probably could have made varsity but they never came out.”

Two of those players that Smith singled out are junior Bri Romero and sophomore Mary Hernandez.

Hernandez, the sister of 2005 All-League graduate Dani Hernandez, was brought up for the playoffs last season but never showed up for tryouts this season.

“That was a big blow. She would have helped varsity out for sure this year,” Smith said.

Romero broke into the varsity lineup two years ago as a freshman and appeared to have a promising future in the sport.

“It’s really been tough for me as a coach,” Smith said. “It makes me ask myself if it’s me that’s doing something wrong?”

Smith’s talent-rich dilemma may be an enviable one, but it also heats up the debate for the city’s need for a new high school.

“From a coach’s standpoint, I wouldn’t mind seeing another high school built that was divided up to be an all girls and an all boys high school so that the talent pool wouldn’t be separated,” Smith said. “But from a parent’s perspective another high school would allow all of these kids to play.”

Although a new high school that would be located on the south end of the city has been talked about for years, there are still no concrete plans to build one.

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A staff member wrote, edited or posted this article, which may include information provided by one or more third parties.

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