It would be naive to think that each summer the best girls in
Gilroy Little League’s softball programs come together and find a
magical spark of chemistry and camaraderie that allows them to
suddenly excel in All-Star tournaments.
Sure, many of the girls, as young as nine and 10 in the Minors
division and as old as 11 and 12 at the Majors level, are the best
on their particular teams during the Little League season. But most
have already played hundreds of games alongside one another on
travel softball teams, such as the Gilroy Chaos and Gilroy
Glory.
GILROY – It would be naive to think that each summer the best girls in Gilroy Little League’s softball programs come together and find a magical spark of chemistry and camaraderie that allows them to suddenly excel in All-Star tournaments.
Sure, many of the girls, as young as nine and 10 in the Minors division and as old as 11 and 12 at the Majors level, are the best on their particular teams during the Little League season. But most have already played hundreds of games alongside one another on travel softball teams, such as the Gilroy Chaos and Gilroy Glory.
“Nothing against Little League, but a lot of the girls … they’re playing Little League for All-Stars. That’s the big payoff at the end,” said George Sandoval, who works with Chaos and coaches the GLL Minors team, which began play in the Northern California Division II tournament in Eureka Thursday.
While Division II represents the end of the road for the Minors, Gilroy’s Majors All-Stars are currently trying to become the fourth team in five years to win the Western Regionals tournament and qualify for the Little League Softball World Series in August.
Doing well at the Minors level is just a stepping-stone to what awaits in the Majors.
“It trickles down to the younger girls,” said Gene Carlisle, who is active with the Glory programs and has served as a Player Agent for all levels of GLL softball the past two years. “They see the success of the older girls and they want to do it also.”
This season’s Majors, coached by Al Orosco, are currently playing in Suisun City for a spot in the Western Regionals. Last season, Gilroy’s Majors just missed out on a fourth straight trip to the LLSWS after winning its first two games of regionals.
But even the trip to a tiny town called Alpenrose, Ore. – the equivalent of Williamsport, Pa. for the boys’ Little League World Series – is a precursor to bigger and better things.
“At this early age, they’re looking at colleges already. They’re thinking about it,” Sandoval said. “Those are the kinds of things that really get them thinking about the bigger picture. It keeps them off the streets and, in my case, away from the boys and the gangs.”
The 2005 Majors All-Stars were the first from Gilroy to make a World Series appearance, and the continued progression of those players has been noticeable. Gilroy High’s softball program is coming off back-to-back appearances in the Central Coast Section championship, with several players from that 2005 squad making vital contributions this past season. Whether those girls spend their time playing travel ball with Glory or Chaos, which aren’t always seeing eye to eye, isn’t important. The desired end result is always the same, Carlisle said.
“Sometimes it’s a little bit rough between Glory and Chaos – there’s a competitive edge back and fourth – but everyone is focusing on trying to do what’s best for the girls,” he said.
Former GLL President Cathy Martinez said the time and energy put in by those who run both travel ball programs is invaluable.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the coaches who also venture into travel ball,” she said. “It has built the girls more experience.”
Note: Gilroy’s Girls Minors All Stars won the Section 5 finals over Evergreen last weekend by a combined score of 39-5 in two games.
Saturday’s win was 18-1 while Sunday featured an equally lopsided victory, 21-4.
Anna Gamboa had nine strikeouts in four innings of work, while Maria Sandoval pitched the second game and tallied eight strikeouts. Key hitters included: Julia Chizanshos (5-for-8), Alexis Conlon (2-5), Maddie Cox (4-4), Michaela Decker (3-4), Cynthia Del Real (3-6), Gamboa (7-9), Camille Garcia (3-5), Rebeca Reimal (5-5), Anjelica Reyes (1-5), Sandoval (5-7), Raegan Silveira (1-3), Pati Soria (8-9) and Nicole Villanueva (4-4).
