Softball: The Northwest Voice

Shockwaves Are Being Felt Across California

The Shockwave girls fast pitch softball teams are really making a name for themselves this summer. A total of 23 girls from throughout Bakersfield, and beyond, make up the two teams of hardworking players.

The 14U “A” team is coached by Bill Senecal, Denis Lepine, and Ron Holt. In addition to playing extremely well at numerous tournaments, the team has qualified to represent California at the ASA\USA girls fastpitch National Championship in Midland, Texas. The 14U team members are: Liz Aguilar - Liberty High School, Bree Bailey - Stockdale High School, Jamie Duran - Kern Valley High School, Hannah Harris - Dos Pueblos High School, Victoria Johnson - Ridgeview High School, Jessica Meninga - Bakersfield Christian High School, Ryanna Morua - RidgeviewHigh School, Colleen Reed - StockdaleHigh School, Destiny Ruiz - Delano High School, Sarah Smith - Bakersfield High School, Maddy Wilen - Ridgeview High School, and Tori Zimmermann - Rosedale Middle School.

The 16U “A” team is also having a fantastic season. The team has qualified to represent California at the ASA/USA girls Fastpitch Nationals in Owensboro, Kentucky. The team also went undefeated in the USSSA NORCAL State Championship. The players on the team this year are: Danielle Ayler – Foothill High School, Jazmine Irvin – Stockdale High School, Annissa Carender – Wasco High School, Julie Estep – Golden Valley High School, Brianna Gonzalez – Ridgeview High School, Megan McCormick – Bakersfield Christian High School, Ashley Mills – Frontier High School, Brittney Roberts – Centennial High School, Smantha Saldana – Wasco High School, Nikki Sawyer – Centennial High School, and Megan Sweet – Frontier High School. The Shockwave 16U team is coached by Mike Sweet, Kent Roberts, and John Sawyer.

The families and friends couldn’t be more proud of the girls and wish them luck in their upcoming tournaments.

High School All-Star game Scholarship

Cassaundra St. John, V.P.of Coffee Exchange Of The Americas, Inc. presents to Aly Rosales the Supreme Bean Coffee - Kern County Senior All-Star Softball Game $200 Scholarship for 2008. Every year any profits from the Senior All-star game go towards giving a scholarship to one of the players.

Bakersfield All Stars win Championship at the Madera Qualifier

Congratulations to the 12U Bakersfield Bobby Sox All Stars softball team on their Championship finish in the 2008 Bobby Sox Nationals Qualifier held June 21st and June 22nd in Madera, California. The Bakersfield Bobby Sox softball team will compete in the National Tournament of Champions in Waikiki on July 26 - July 30th.

Game 1: Bakersfield vs Milipitas 13-1

Game 2: Bakersfield vs Fairfield 17-1

Game 3: Bakersfield vs Madera 9-5

Championship Game: Bakersfield vs Vacaville 10-0.

Champion Players include Cheyenne Rodriguez (catcher), Ashlee Rex (pitcher), Lauren Cowden (pitcher), Cassie Handel (3rd base), Maddie Arambula (catcher / 1st base), Jessica Quinones (Outfield), Desiray Rubio (2nd base), Andrea Negrete (Outfield / Shortstop), Sierra Maldonado (Shortstop / Outfield), Hunter Fitz-Patrick (Outfield), Trini Lee (3rd base / Outfield) and Bryn Watters (1st base).

Coaches: John Fitz-Patrick, Arnold Rodriguez

Managers: Audie Hull, Serena Rodriguez

Bakersfield Rebels

Bakersfield Rebels 10 and Under A Class Girls Fast pitch Softball team is looking for a few girls to complete our roster. If you are interested please contact Marlece Hornbuckle @ 661-665-0229 or e-mail @ marlece@sbcglobal.net. Rebels 10U currently have two national berths. One in Park City Utah the other in Reno Nevada. We are in the process of earning a berth for nationals in Fresno, Ca. Check out our web site. www.eteamz.com/BakersfieldRebels/index.cfm?

KERN COUNTY ASA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAME

Once again the Kern County Amateur Softball Association and the Kern River Girls Softball are planning on holding the Kern County ASA Senior All-Star Softball Game. Again, we will be needing some sponsors so that we don't have to charge the players for anything. We have to pay for the player insurance, umpires, the awards, the T-shirts, field use, lights and other expenses! We will again charge admission to help with raising some of the money needed. If we can turn a profit, the money will go to a scholarship to one of the deserving players in the game. If you can help out, or know someone who can, please do!

Tentative plans:
First, we will have one 8 inning game. Eight innings so that coaches can get all the girls playing time.
Second, the game will be played on a Wednesday evening (June 11) so that all the travel league players can take part in this years game.

Third, each High School can nominate two (2) players (If you feel you have more on your team that deserve consideration contact me). I try to follow every Kern County high school that fields a softball team in Kern County. There are over 30 High schools in Kern County this year and we can't pick every player nominated from every school! We would like to have as many High Schools taking part as possible! We would like to keep the teams at around 14-18 players each?

Fourth, the awards for this year will be as follows: A scholarship to a deserving player that hasn’t received one from any College or University, MVP of the game (usually a pitcher), Outstanding player (usually a hitter or defensive player), Coaches awards, Outstanding Kern County Woman of Softball. (If you want to nominate someone for this honor, please feel free to do so!)

If you have any ideas, please let us hear from you. This game is for our local girls to show off one last time to the Bakersfield fans and to be seen by some college couches. Last year we had 7 college coach’s in attendance. We are looking for more this year.

By the way, last years Kern County ASA Woman of Softball, Kristine Karr-Jacobson was inducted into the Central California Amateur Softball Association (CCASA) Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore.

Please try to find a sponsor to help us out this year. We need your help!

Thank you,

Joe Cox
Kern County ASA Junior Olympic Commisssioner
KernCountyASAJO@aol.com
661-565-1808

Summer softball tryouts for 16u and 14u

The central Cal. Missfittz will be holding open tryouts for the summer travel teams. if interested, please call 703-8815 for info.

Youth Athlete of the Month - Winner

We would like to nominate Tasha Temple from the Liberty High School girls softball team. She is one of the dedicated players who helped this team win the SEYL Championship this season with her great pitching skills! For her abilities and performance, Tasha earned the team’s MVP award, along with her teammate Samy Hall, who also is a pitcher.
In addition to the many hours of softball practice, Tasha enjoys cheering for the other teams with Liberty’s cheerleading team and likes to encourage others to play their best.

Nominated by Deborah Connors

Bakersfield Stars softball team takes 2nd in Santa Maria!

Congratulations to the 12U Bakersfield Stars softball team on their second place finish in the 2007 USSSA Fall Ball Bash in Santa Maria. The Bakersfield Bobby Sox softball team has now qualified for the 2008 USSSA "B" World Series because of their 2nd place finish in the tournament.

The girls played strong on Saturday finishing pool play in 2nd place. This included a "come-from-behind" victory in the final inning of Game 3 on Saturday. On Sunday, they won their first game 2-1 against the Eliminators which put them in the Championship where they fell to the So Cal Stingers. They fought hard and played tough! We are very proud of the girls and what an awesome job they did at the tournament. Way to go girls!

Coaches: Robert Morales, Bryan Watters

Players: Lauren Cowden, Heather Handy, Kristin Lockridge, Samantha Mackay, Bryanna Morales, Andrea Negrete, Cheyenne Rodriguez, Bryn Watters, Jessica Quinones, Tori Martinez

Why play softball with the Amateur Softball Association?

Softball is a way of life for thousands of people each year, and their choice for softball is the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), the national governing body of softball in the United States.

Not every team can come home with a national championship, but the ASA softball program gives people an opportunity to have clean, competitive fun playing slow pitch, fast pitch or modified pitch, at levels ranging from district to national championship.

Since its founding in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association has given the sport direction and strived to have the best program possible for the millions of people who play amateur softball each summer. Many of them started playing in the ASA's Junior Olympic program before moving up to the adult divisions of play.

ASA has kept its hand on the pulse of the softball community in America and, when needed, has added divisions of championship play to meet the interests of those involved in the ASA program.

Today, ASA has more than 90 national championships, ranging from 10-under fast pitch to 75-over slow pitch. Annually more than 40,000 players participate in ASA National Championship Finals and they are assured of playing some of the best teams in America.

The tournaments they participate in are run by well-qualified tournament staffs who care about the players participating in their national tournament and want them to enjoy playing in an ASA adult national championship.

Jess Maxey of Yukon, OK, had this to say a few years ago after his team played in an ASA national championship.

"We played in a lot of tournaments and won most of them, even so-called world tournaments, but it wasn't until we got to the ASA nationals that we realized we had distinguished ourselves by earning a spot among the best. It was exciting to compete against some of the legendary teams in the sport and realize that they had also earned the right to be there. There is nothing like an ASA national. It's a tournament that means something and it creates memories that will stay with you for a lifetime."

It's the substance behind ASA national championships that make them the best of the rest and teams realize they have accomplished something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

Besides well-run national championships, the participants are assured of nothing but the best in umpiring. Each year more than 40,000 umpires register with one of the more than 84 ASA local associations. The ASA annually hosts local, state and national umpire clinics, which cover the nation and bring together the best instruction available in the sport to all 15 regions of the ASA. The ASA strives to make its umpires the best they can be, and ASA umpires are known for their professionalism and expertise.

Besides playing in national championships, the ASA program offers players, if they are selected to one of the USA National Teams, an opportunity to compete in the Olympics, Pan American Games and ISF World Championships, as well as other national and international events.

As the NGB of softball, the ASA is the only softball organization that can offer players the opportunity to play in these prestigious events, which are often held throughout the world. The 2004 Olympics, for example, will be held in Greece, and USA Softball is responsible for selecting and training the USA Olympic Team for the 2008 Games. In the past three Olympics, 1996, 2000, and 2004 the USA National Team has won the gold medal.

To help players improve their skills for not only these prestigious events but for national championships as well, the ASA offers clinics, camps, publications and videos, all designed to help people become better playing America's summer pastime - softball.

To learn more about the ASA program in your local area contact the appropriate ASA commissioner and learn why ASA has it all for softball.

Bakersfield Blasts 12U are going to Nationals!

Congratulations to the Bakersfield Blasts 12U! The team competed in the Metro Championship this past weekend in Santa Maria, CA. The girls outscored their opponents 55-7 to take the 1st place title. They faced the Santa Maria All-Stars in the championship game and took the title with a 16-2 victory. The girls have qualified for the National Tournament in Las Cruces, New Mexico on August 1 to 5.

Team Roster: Liz Aguilar, Bailey Boren, Kayleena Burleson, Jessica Castaneda, Mikaela Davis, Kendall Joseph, Michelle Macias, Alesia Martinez, Nisa Ontiveros, Nicole Sztorc, Maddie Wilen, and Tori Zimmerman. Head Coach: Bill Senecal.

Bakersfield Blast 12U Softball Team Working to Qualify for ASA National Tournament

Congratulations to the Bakersfield Blast 12 and younger softball team for winning the Clovis ASA A Sizzle Tournament, outscoring its opponents 43-14; finishing second at the Thousand Oaks Memorial Day Weekend Tournament, falling to Northridge 8-5 in the Championship game and finishing with an impressive second place in the 14 and younger division 6-5 to the Riverdale Blaze at the Michelle Cano Memorial Tournament.

Members of the team include Liz Aguilar, Baylee Boren, Kaylena Burleson, Jessica Castaneda, Mikaela Davis, Kendel Joseph, Michelle Macias, Alesia Martinez, NIsa Ontiveros, Nicole Sztorc, Maddy Wilen, and Tori Zimmermann. Coached by Rachel Aguilar, Denis Lepine and Bill Senecal.

10U Fastpitch Tryouts Rescheduled

The 10U Girls Fastpitch travel team tryouts scheduled for Aug. 12, have been rescheduled to Aug. 19. We are looking for girls with '96 and '97 birthdates to form a team that will play tournaments this fall. If you are interested call David Arents for more information at 588-0249.

10U girls fastpitch travel softball tryouts

We are looking to put together a competitive team of girls with '95 and '96 birth dates to compete in tournaments this fall. We are looking to fill all positions.

If your daughter is a team player, loves the sport of softball and is willing to work hard to accomplish her goals, we WANT her. Please join us, Saturday, Aug. 12, at 10 a.m. for an open tryout.

Tryouts are tentatively scheduled to be held at the fields located on Jewetta Avenue, just south of Hageman Road in Northwest Bakersfield. For details, contact Dave Arents at 588-0249.

Bakersfield Babes up to bat for national competition

Most of the summer, a girls' softball team called, “Bakersfield Babes 16-and-Under,” has been playing in central and southern California and practicing at Garces High School.

Team members are 16-and-under and played a “friendly” tournament on June 10 at the Garces High School softball field that included the Ventura Eagles, Santa Maria Streeks and Bakersfield Mustangs.

The “Babes” are an A Division travel team and have been playing to prepare for nationals. The team will be attending ASA 16-and-under Class “A” Western Nationals Aug. 1-6 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In addition, the Babes 18-and-under team qualified for the 18-and-under Class “A” nationals, to be held over the same week in Owensboro, Kentucky.

When they were younger and just starting out, most of the girls played recreational softball with the Bakersfield Amateur Softball Association located in Northwest Bakersfield.

Tim Hernandez coaches the 16-and-under A Division travel team and is assisted by Jesse Garza and parents help out as necessary.

Hernandez has a daughter (Gabby) on the team and Garza is the JV Coach at Garces High.

John Grace, whose daughter Meghan, plays for the Babes, is the official scorekeeper.

Moms were “manning” the concession stand on June 10, including Northwest residents Randi McCormick, mother of Megan McCormick; Colleen Grace, Meghan Grace’s mother; and Liz Lindsey, Sami Lindsey’s mom.

After each game, dads pitch in by raking and cleaning up the fields in preparation for the next game. It takes a lot of parent involvement and to name them all would take more space than we have. Suffice to say, parents are recognized and appreciated for their frequent major contributions of time, effort and money to the success of this girls’ softball team.

Funds raised from this tournament will be used to purchase equipment for the team. The Babes will also operate a fireworks booth at the Airport Drive-in (800 Norris Road) from July 1-4.

The Bakersfield Babes organization also fields teams in the 18-and-under, 14-and-under, and 12-and-under age groups. Teams play during both fall and spring/summer seasons.

Tryouts are held before each session. Upcoming tryout information will be posted on the club’s website: eteamz.active.com/BAKERSFIELDBABES/

Northwest residents who are members of the team include: Meghan Grace, Megan McCormick, Joni Lagerstrom, Shelby Alsup, Amanda Roberts, Callie McRoberts, Roxanne Barron, and Sami Lindsey. Other team members are Gabby Hernandez, Ellen Krausse, Kaila Williams, and Miranda Sawyer from Bakersfield; Chiannel Flores from Visalia; and Jesse Saaty from Ridgecrest.

The team plays from spring through the first week of August.

They are working hard to make a good showing at Nationals during the first week of August.

Good luck, girls!

Shockwave’s latest win propels team to top tournament

The Bakersfield Shockwave, an ASA affiliated 12 and under girls’ fastpitch softball team, was established in Bakersfield in January of 2005 to give girls the opportunity to participate in softball at a higher level of competition than that afforded by recreational leagues.

It is the goal through travel team competition to develop the skills and abilities of all the players, thereby accelerating their intellectual and physical competencies.
With a competitive spirit, the hope is to represent their community by promoting friendship, cooperation and respect by facing and accepting those challenges before them.

The players are coached to be part of a team, encouraging other players with a positive attitude that promotes good sportsmanship and most of all, fun!
The Shockwave Girls 12U Travel 'A' Team has had a wonderful season this year.
They’ve qualified for a berth to the Western National Softball Association World Series to be held in Seattle, Wash.

They have also qualified for berths to the AFA (American Fastpitch Association) Nationals to be held in Broken Arrow, Okla., and The Triple Crown Sports World Series to be held in Park City, Utah.

Finally, this past weekend, they placed first in the 2006 Central California ASA Girls’ Fast Pitch Championship Tournament. This win qualifies the girls to represent Central California in the “crown jewel of national tournaments,” the Junior Olympic-sponsored ASA Nationals, to be held in Bloomington, Ind.

The Shockwave girls look forward to representing Bakersfield and California.
Your encouragement and support are greatly appreciated.

If you are interested in helping the Shockwave girls in representing Bakersfield in nationally sanctioned tournaments, contact their coach, Mike Sweet at 588-3314.
Jim Munden is the Shockwave manager.