India Pearman
Staff Writer
Batting and fielding their way to college, seven girls from the Costa softball team traveled to St. Louis, Missouri with their club team, OC United, for a three day showcase of their skills to a wide range of college coaches and scouts.
The team, OC United, is coached by Jayson Nester, who has been coaching softball in Orange County for 15 years. At the showcase, the team won four games and lost two in the 18 and under age division. The girls are Katie Gould, Emily Eudy, Lily Saliba, Serena Ponciano, Elliott Estes, Grace Herron, and Jamie Hoffman.
“Even though you always want to win the game, the showcases are there to put the girls in a position to be exposed to college coaches,” Nester said. “The goal is to try and get the girls the opportunity to get a scholarship.”
The purpose of a showcase is to give club players the opportunity to get in contact with college coaches and scouts. Nester said that success at showcases is due to extra work the players put in outside of practice by emailing the coaches of the colleges they are interested in. Coaches then come to scout players that fit the positions that they need to fill on their college rosters.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to get exposure to the college programs and coaches if they are looking to get recruited and play in college,” Costa softball coach, Britney Gardner said. “It is another way to give students access to a higher education and a better school.”
Learn about the showcase here.
33 coaches came to watch the girls play throughout the weekend, and according to Nester, the Costa players were one of the main focuses of the college coaches’ and scouts’ attention. There were 157 teams at the showcase from all over the country. Most of the coaches recruiting were from colleges in the midwest to the east coast. OC United was the only team from California, making them a big attraction according to Nester.
“All of the girls across the board played well,” Nester said. “If coaches are interested, then that coach will usually stick around and watch those girls hit and field and if they like what they see, then they will certainly stay after the game and speak with girls about school and what they have to offer.”
Learn more about OC United here.
Besides winning the majority of their games and getting in contact with many colleges, the team had the opportunity to bond and grow closer as a team according to Nester. This showcase was the team’s first overnight trip, and from long flights, to rooming together, to a team dinner night, the team had the opportunity get to know each other better according to Costa player Grace Herron.
“I think we definitely got closer because we were always together,” junior and softball player at Costa Katie Gould said. “Before the trip there was a separation on the team between the Costa kids and non-Costa kids, but after our trip I feel like we all got to know each other better. Traveling together really makes you closer and that will make us play better on the field too.”
Although these seven Costa athletes are committing to two teams, they are able to balance this and take advantage of all of the possible opportunities. Due to the strict rules about not playing in club games during the school season from February 25th to mid-May depending on California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the two teams’ practices and games hardly interfere. According to Nester the more opportunities that the girls get to play, the better prepared they will be, as long as they maintain their health and do not overwork themselves. According to Britney, the club team brings more opportunities to get involved with colleges and their coaches.
“I like playing on both teams,” Gould said. “The club team is way more competitive and you are always at the top of your game. It is way more competitive than high school because the level of play can sometimes be low which is sometimes not as fun.”
Like!! I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest.