Cut From the Same Sage Cloth

Finally heard from our son’s Little League coach for Fall Ball 2006. He called at 9:21 PM on the first Tuesday night of the new school year, the early morning rise had not quite kicked in for our kids, yet. I had been waiting for the call since Sunday, when our former coach Richard called to tell us about his kid’s Minor Division Fall Ball assignment. As our son is almost 10, since we hadn’t heard back yet, I had thought his wish to jump up to the Majors for Fall Ball, at least, were being honored.

Majors Coach Chris had the most optimistic and friendly voice on the other end of the phone. He introduced himself, to me, wanting also to talk to our son.

Our son was just saying good night to me when I handed the phone to him. They had the customary brief and slightly awkward intro talk, one that we have had 11 times in the past six years. But I think our son was as excited about this call as he seemed when he received the call from his first coach, Farm Coach Glenn.

Our son is a dedicated Baseball player, seemingly more so than other kids in the league. I’m not so sure where he gets it from since neither of his parents are currently athletic. But, since his sister is very athletic, competitive and a Baseball player, these may have something to do with it.

Majors Coach Chris and I lapsed into the expected validation period of the call: “what coaching experience do you have; where have you coached; what level(s) have you coached,” etc… When I discovered he had assisted on the Sunset Playground and Rec Center team this last Spring, everything changed…

He not only knew who our daughter was but acknowledged her participation in the city-wide All-Star game representing one the two most distinguished teams in the city, West Sunset Red – the other being West Sunset Blue.

“Your daughter is quite a talented Baseball player.”

Sunset had the distinction of having three girls on their roster, though one had to bow out to play Tournament Basketball (seemingly, now, an all-year affair.) But the three girls that were officially on the roster are some of the most dedicated girl players in San Francisco.
The girl that bowed out of Sunset was actually trained at West Sunset since she was 5 years-young, coming up behind her older brother – himself, now, a producer on one of the city’s top Private school Baseball teams.

Coach Chris and I were also on the same page about the other two girls who actually played on Sunset.

When coaching Minors Baseball last Spring he picked the only girl signed up for the division. Coincidentally: I had picked her a year earlier along with two other girls, including our daughter, when we were the Rookie champion Red Sox.

Each girl was instrumental in achieving that proud goal, Spring 2004, as we beat the Rangers 1-0 – unheard of in Rookie Ball San Francisco Little League. I will never forget a wonderful ground ball fielding by the least experienced, the least practiced, but highly focused girl – when she tossed it to First Base for the easy out.

I can only wonder if having given each girl the chance to give pitching a try it helped build their confidence in whatever activity they choose to do.

Stepping in as Head Coach for the Day

There we were at our LL Pizza Party at the end of the season. The team mom, parent of the girl on our team (I think she is the only girl playing at the Minor level this Spring), coordinated it. We ended up with 50% participation but with a lot of warmth and joy in getting together at our local pizza place at a convenient intersection for a number of boroughs in San Francisco.

It wasn’t much of a celebration as it was a chance for the kids to hang out once last time before the Summer kicks in; before shelving the official season – maybe the last time they even spend time with one another. Although a potential reality, you wouldn’t know it as they were running around on the sidewalks having a great time with one another.

The girl, no younger than my daughter, and I talked, as usual. During the season we would discuss Baseball; what was new; how was school, what kind of iPod do you have these days; when the two of us were hanging out in the dug out. In our last conversation of the season, after the Head Coach had relieved her of her duty in Center Field, she told me, with a slight laugh, that she was probably not going to continue playing Baseball, due primarily to the Boys.

Back at the game while we were talking, I was doing what I could to not be distressed that she had been evicted from the field by the Head Coach for failing to stop a ball that had not been stopped by either boy Second Base-person and Shortstop; so she hesitated before throwing it in: she was looking to see WHERE to throw it in (give her a break, man…)

Before the game started, I was conducting Batting practice. Throughout the season, our coach had it in his head that one particular facet of batting – hitting down on the ball to “guarantee” or hedge one’s bet – was more important than the big picture.

In the previous Fall season, one parent-coach, beginning that season chose to not coach, wanted his child to have the opportunity to experience being coached by another person with good intentions. When he discovered his child’s coach was evoking “chop wood,” albeit with good intentions, rather than engaging the batters with the state-of-the-art Batting technology, this parent could barely contain his frustration. Actually: he couldn’t contain it, insisting that his son NOT listen to the coach, speaking loud enough for all of the players around to hear. I guess he thought it was ok to invalidate his kid’s coach since, as coach in the prior Spring season, the anonymous dad had opened up everyone on the team with all of the advantages of full motion; opening the hips; “squashing the bug.”

As the Unofficial Official Assistant Coach I was not certain what else I could do throughout the season but work with our coach on why focusing exclusively on the goal of getting the ball down for a grounder may not acheive that goal – while I filled in the gaps that our batters were missing out on.

The girl in question is truly a gifted batter and committed, aggressive player on the field. This season any player should be give some slack as we experienced over 100 days of almost continuous rain that interrupted the season – it was difficult to bring the team back together after a month of attention drawn elsewhere, to other indoor activities (attempts were made to have batting practice, pizza outings, but in reality we were unsuccessful in bringing the entire team together during the break.)

The opportunity to work on batting with her, and others on the team, prior to the last game of the season provided the change for one last chance at slugging the ball (even if it meant to heck with the coach’s ideas.) But none of it was working for the girl – or many others on the team.

Three batters were expressing the same frustration with the “Chop Wood” method, interfering with any success at the plate. When I acknowledged the difference in technique each was familiar with, they felt redeemed, sharing just how much they were frustrated.”

Just listen to their advice; demonstrate what they tell you to do; say ‘Thank you,’ then: do what is comfortable for you,” was my advice for this last game of the regular season (and usually when an adult wants to tell you what to do and how to do it.)

Although I would probably have to probably answer for it, I proceeded to offer my own guidance, based on much success I observed in my own children; in the students of the coach mentioned above (the one who told his son to not listen to his coach); as observed in practice in our city’s sister Youth Baseball program’s most successful players.

When I deconstructed each batter’s motion and reassembled it, each found it to be consistent with all they too had previously learned; felt natural; the motion flowed: they could now challenge the pitcher at the plate.

To see these three batters in particular, all affected in the same way by the incompleteness of the Chop Wood methodology, uncoil on the ball was simply awesome! Each of them have long arms and can extend as needed, while maintaining terrific contracted elbows; each needed to work more on the pivot, but: each was coming up on their hind-toe, flattening out the swing, ending in a complete follow through over the shoulder.

Each made contact early enough to scare the life out of the over-confident pitchers.

The girl’s at bat, each of the opposing team coaches jaws dropped as she unleashed on their fast ball hurler – each viewing the girl as a sleeper in the league.

But what the girl acheived that day may keep her wondering what may happen if she were to trust herself – or get a second opinion – when considering if something is right for her.

Video – “Women’s Baseball League Gives Bay Area Girls Hardball Skills” KPIX CBS 5 San Francisco

May 15, 2006, 5:05 PT – San Francisco Youth Baseball League – All-girls Division highlight and local interest story by Mindi Bach featuring Rocky Henley, Commissioner, and players of the California Women’s Baseball League, Alex Sickinger and Giavanna Hampton of the San Francisco Fillies.

Girl’s At Bat Called on Account of Rain…

OK: I’m still not in touch with my emotions on this: my daughter, at her second at bat during yesterday, during the Spring 2006 San Francisco Youth Baseball League (SFYBL) Coed Baseball All-Star game (the only girl selected by her team mates city-wide), the plate umpire called a conference with the other umpires to decide on the new torrent of rain coming down.

It is fitting that the All-Star game should be rained out, considering the unbelievable amount of continuous rain we had this Spring – over 100 days of hard, constant rain – cloud formations never before visible in our skies this time of year.

The game did start about 40 minutes late – the Visiting Team designated coach didn’t show up in time, so, after a significant delay, the coach from the team tied for second winningest in the league stepped up and coached the team.

No one should fault the coach who didn’t show up (though s/he could have called – maybe they did…): the city was hosting both a music festival in Golden Gate Park and our annual Bay to Breakers cross-city 7 mile race was still going strong – both, just down the street from our game – when the All-Stars and coaches and families were gathering at West Sunset Playground Field #3: getting through or around the closed off roads – crossing the backed up traffic due to the man-made conditions – made it a challenge to even the most seasoned San Francisco driver (- they even closed off the Pacific Ocean passage, known ad the Great Highway where the race officially ends.)

I am clearly digressing – but it is to say that were it not for the delay in game what happened in the last at bat might not have happened at all…

The only girl selected by her team (let’s just qualify this for the same of fairness: the only one who was selected; who was available to play as scheduled; didn’t run into the same logistical constraints or who/’s family decided showed up: we will never know. But, since there seems to be only a hand-full of girls playing in the Coed division – in contrast to the 40+ girls playing in the All Girls division), and we have seen all of them in action, it is probably that at least one of the other girls simply didn’t make it…) was respectfully representative of her gender; her City’s openness; her leagues 1st place team; her team mate – all boys: and, simply, a Baseball Player…

Her first at bat was as distinguished as possible. The West Sunset Playground, where our main character plays, houses two “distinct” teams: Red and Blue are the designations. Historically, Blue has meant Established, Strong, Instinctual; Red has meant Newly-formed; Developmental and Formative. This season, the Red team is holding its own.

As it turns out, the first pitcher she faced was clearly the best pitcher in the entire SFYBL from the same West Sunset division of the SFYBL, but from the Blue Team – as described above. He had control, power; balance and creativity as his pitches went exactly where he intended them to go. It was fitting that the only girl on the All-Star team (realize that it is the team mates who pick the players for this esteemed event), who is also a pitcher, who also pitched and pitched well, during the All-Star game was facing him.

She was called out on the last pitch as it clipped the outer front corner of the plate – simply unhitable and something no batter should chase for certain reprimand from one’s coach would ensue. One of her former coaches, father of the pitcher debatably equal to the Blue co-team member on the mound, standing in plain view of the interaction, contended that her at bat was as sound and legitimate – as logically attended to – as anyone could have had against such a strong pitching opponent.

Anyway, she did get the opportunity to pitch during the All-Star game which was awesome to watch: she shut down three out of four batters with confidence and finesse.

When our daughter was in Third Grade, she asked if we should start an all-girls Baseball league, together…

When our daughter was in Third Grade, she asked if we should start an all-girls Baseball league, together. I replied that we could but I wanted to see how far we could go with the existing Youth Baseball organizations in San Francisco. Having only one Fall Ball season under her belt, I volunteered to coach our kids in the San Francisco Little League (SFLL) and was accepted with the nominal experience as both athlete and coach.

She went on her way, designing team logos, experimenting with team names: she was raring to go. I thought offering to coach would be a great first step, figure out how a league was organized. Having at least one girl on the team would be a great way to discover how far the league was going to allow girls to achieve greatness.

When I went to my first Rookie draft night, I had the chance to pick two other girls for the team, who I picked early on in the draft. The dead silence in the room (I had already put our daughter around 7 in the draft – her brother as a pre-selected 4) seemed to indicate that I had caved, picking two girls, who, if evaluated only on the merits of their Skills Evaluation Session tests, were not right for the higher draft positions: it wasn’t that the room, all guys but for the woman Division Commissioner – and one of the team’s Co-coaches, was inherently biased towards girl Baseball players (or so I hoped at the time).

After the draft, the Commissioner, who was also the league Administrator, would not relent, asking me three times if our daughter might not want to play Softball instead (I didn’t know this at the time, but, the Softball division had grown very large, very fast, in just a few years.) “It is a lot of fun, playing with the girls,” she repeated. I respectfully declined, on our daughter’s behalf, stating over and over and over again that our daughter had no interest in playing Softball and preferred playing Baseball. Period.

For the next three years, contrasted with the apparent disparity in opportunities on the field, between the opportunities for girls and boys, we looked for other opportunities in our local area for our daughter.

In August 2005, The California Women’s Baseball League presented an opportunity to assemble a team of girls to play in an exhibition game with girls traveling from Australia. (They were on their way to Florida for the Women’s World Series.) That game, that took place in October 2005, lead to our efforts to start an all-girls Baseball league. I began to look for examples of existing, successful all-girls Baseball leagues, hoping to leverage the team assembled for the exhibition game to start the league, but, also, as the foundation for a touring Tournament team that could compete head-on with Boys Baseball teams.

What I discovered in my search for successful all-girls Baseball leagues was strong interest among families similarly affected by the dirth of opportunities for girls to play Baseball in their communities. By contrast, communities that were not supportive at all of girls playing Baseball, while throwing their weight behind Softball opportunities for girls, didn’t even let the girls know they have the option – the right – to play Youth Baseball: even, until they reach the age of 18.

This lead to our support of the recent, local efforts to launch a city-wide, Park & Recreation-supported all-girls Baseball division of the San Francisco Youth Baseball League (SFYBL).

Also, we have found a lot of support for girls who play Baseball in the Co-ed division of the SFYBL, where our daughter also receives supportive coaching and the opportunity to demonstrate her abilities: to be treated as a Player.

We found Tournament Baseball teams and training facilities in our region, but the high costs, tricky logistics, and tentative opportunities to play in games, make this a riskier proposition, whether a boy or a girl working hard to achieve greatness on the field of Baseball. The fierce competition in the Tournament realm seems to have the side effect of not encouraging kids simply to have a fun time playing Baseball.

The mandate of Little League seems different than the enticement of Tournament Baseball teams and training facilities – not to mention what we have learned from the experiences mentioned above; to quote from the Little League, Inc., web site:

“…Little League estimates the number of girls currently participating in Little League Baseball programs to be about 100,000…”

Yes, you read it right: Baseball – NOT Softball… “…in 1974…the [Little League, Inc.] baseball rules and regulations were made non-gender specific…” “…The move came amid lively debates on women’s rights. It was three years after President Nixon signed Title IX into law, giving women greater opportunities to receive scholarships and funding for college athletics. It also was three years after the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the U.S. Congress and sent to the individual states for ratification…”

The goal of Girls Play Baseball Dot Com is to make certain that girls who want to and do play Baseball are aware that they have a right to fair and equal access to the game, no matter which league, division or public association they want to try out for – either Co-ed or All-Girls; Little League or Pony League; Cal Ripken or Babe Ruth; T-Ball or Seniors; Private or Public leagues.