Season Opens With Hit Parade
Dayton, OH (June 29, 2004) Valley View high school has begun to set a new standard for their fast-pitch softball team. It is a standard that many other area schools already set several years ago. As of this summer, Valley View now has fast-pitch leagues beginning at the age of 13.
"The first year the girls started playing fast-pitch softball was during their freshman season. It's tough on the girls and now they have the opportunity to begin fast-pitch earlier on in their lives," Clyde "Shorty" Brewer said.
"It's a very positive thing for Valley View. The girls are going to get more playing time and it will be easier for the high school coach to have girls coming in who are already familiar with the sport," the Lady Spartans coach Greg Fultz said.
"This league will start the girls off a lot younger, so it's not such a big jump from playing softball until eighth grade and then playing fast-pitch. The kids will also get the chance to meet a lot of other kids from around the area," VVbase coach Molly Countryman added.
Valley View joined with Dayton City Schools to form the Summer of the City of Dayton ASA Junior Olympic Softball (fast-pitch) league.
"We had talked about it and I thought I could pull it off. I'm familiar with the ASA and city council, so through them I thought a league could be formed," Brewer said.
"Dayton Public Schools have a struggling softball system, so I thought it would be good for them also. Dona (Layman, Valley View's head softball coach) like the idea too," Brewer noted.
There are two different age groups, 13 and under and 16 and under.
"We have the younger girl's leagues and now the returning college girls want an older league. Megan Clark took over the coaching position for the 16 and under team after varsity coach Layman introduced the idea to her.
"I came home from Ohio Dominican, where I played basketball and talked to Layman about it. They asked me if I would want to coach and I told them I was totally up for it. The girls need the experience that other schools have been getting for several years," Clark said.
The demand for summer fast pitch leagues was definitely there and the expectations the council had were beat by a mile.
"We were going for 10 teams and got 24. It's just something we needed to do because basically every place else has already done it," Brewer commented.
The leagues were formed so that girls could get a taste of fast-pitch before it was thrown in their faces as a freshman. The teams are organized to help the girls improve while they're in a race to high school.
"These are not elite leagues. They are for learning the sport," Brewer noted.
"In the future maybe we can get some elite teams started, but for now we're focusing on letting the girls have fun while learning the sport of fast-pitch," Brewer added.
Each week every team plays two games which are set up on Mondays and Wednesdays and Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"We are taking it to another level. It is different for the kids when they get the chance to begin the sport earlier and improve. They all play at one place all the time," Brewer said.
"Teams practice at Kettering field and some at Kercher park. Some of the teams even sneak some time in at the high school, or where ever they can," stated Brewer.
Each team had to pay $300 to participate in the league, but that's a small price to being able to improve their game and possibly improve enough to win additional scholarships for college.
"Fast-pitch is more expensive because the balls are more expensive and the officials cost more too," Brewer mentioned.
