Softball: All-CIF Southern Section teams released

...Lets just hope the Coach of the Year gave credit where credit was due: his 2 prior ALL AREA FIRST TEAM Seniors that led the team. Let's see how that team does next season? I would have given it to the departing Harper.

Ferri: Player of the Year... deserved.

The PSN will miss the boat on one (maybe two) girls but that's a coaching (and goofy stats)issue. I'm sure there will be 1 or 2 girls on the 2nd team that should have been first teamers and vise versa but that's life.

TWO Words: Amy VergeldeDios!

Dear Anonymous/MS:

Hold your horses... I just posted as to WHAT you are not WHO! Don't panic.

Rest assured that he will return later today when the All Area Teams are announced. You'll want to bring a raincoat and an umbrella to protect yourself from all the nasty poison that he will spew.

WOW - THAT SURE SILENCED AREA FAN!

"area fan" resurfaces as "area fan".

area fan, point out where you specifically disagree with my "opinion" and why your "opinion" should be considered. My guess is you won't take the time to present any valid opinions backed by examples or statements of fact. As has been the case in the past, when you are pointed out and shown to being the hack you are, you'll disappear again. Bottom line, in the past you proved yourself to be even an embarrassment to your own school and their entire community. You are no "area fan" ... what you are is an "area hater."

Your "oh ya, your mother wears army boots" comebacks pose no valid alternative considerations.

Also, so, you think you have me identified and what school I primarily support ... you couldn't be more wrong! You've done this before with others in the past and it was very obvious you were wrong then too.

Not really important one way or the other, it is just irresponsible for you to make incorrect accusations thinking you know who you are talking to. Again, the person you think I am, I'm not!

At least you stopped your previous slamming of other kids who turned out to be legitimate superstars. Your petty jealousy use to really shine through.

"area fan" resurfaces as "area fan".

area fan, point out where you specifically disagree with my "opinion" and why your "opinion" should be considered. My guess is you won't take the time to present any valid opinions backed by examples or statements of fact. As has been the case in the past, when you are pointed out and shown to being the hack you are, you'll disappear again. Bottom line, in the past you proved yourself to be even an embarrassment to your own school and their entire community. You are no "area fan" ... what you are is an "area hater."

Your "oh ya, your mother wears army boots" comebacks pose no valid alternative considerations.

Also, so, you think you have me identified and what school I primarily support ... you couldn't be more wrong! You've done this before with others in the past and it was very obvious you were wrong then too.

Not really important one way or the other, it is just irresponsible for you to make incorrect accusations thinking you know who you are talking to. Again, the person you think I am, I'm not!

At least you stopped your previous slamming of other kids who turned out to be legitimate superstars. Your petty jealousy use to really shine through.

gramer is bery impotaint,.!

I'll admit to being Never Gonna Happen in an attempt to tone it down a little with one small exception.

That would be to correct you, chky:

You're dumb - not your dumb.

Anonymous,

your dumb.

SIS,

You should probably refer to this comment that I made:

6/8 11:08 2009 - "I will try and follow up with a list of other travel players' teams. If you know of any players from the area also playing on 18 Gold classified teams, try and list them. 16U and 18A teams are very competitive divisions as well and people should list them."

18 Gold is a natural progression for top players in ASA travel ball that want to play in college, there is nothing wrong, in my opinion of putting them on top of the food chain, they have worked hard for it. 16U can be the next most competitive level, but there is a wider range of talent, because it doesn't have the same set standards that 18 Gold has. (Especially now since the teams have had to classify in a tournament.) And there are a lot of recruiting opportunities if you get on the right 16U team.

Never Gonna Happen,

I guess that is your real name, right? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Hardly. My daughter plays in the Montview League and is on a 16U travel team. I am just tired of all of he crowing about 18U Gold as the only "real" travel ball. I never said you tear them down.

Ah..don't you just love softball.
"Are you gonna take me home tonight
Ah down beside that red firelight
Are you gonna let it all hang out
Fat bottomed girls
You make the rockin world go round"
-Queen-

Where in the world do I tear down girls? I do nothing but promote the sport.

I think a better name is Drunk in Seattle.

Assume you're right - WHO provides a better service to these girls, YOU, who tears them down or the one that works with them?

Redirect, needs to read as, "Rather hide under behind an anonymous name than provide their shameless atacks under a REAL NAME".

It's not going to happen. All three, MS, area fan, and Chky need to hide behind acronyms and false identities. There is a complete and utter agreement to stay anonymous and attack anyone that they wish. They would rather hide behind an anonymous name than provide their shameless atacks under anonymity. Gutless souls.

Yet another non-answer. Either identify yourself of stop your high handed holiness.

you better have your kryptonite ready

area fan,

Since you believe that you've unmasked MS, why not unmask yourself and chky? Why the venom?

Hold On areafan,

MS is cool, you seem to know who he is, and you don't seem to like him, but let me say this, low to mid-level travel ball is high school softball's best friend. Not everyone can play or should play gold. Without the other levels we would have a bunch of rec-ballers without any travel experience at all. I am not sure if MS is what you say he is but if he is God bless him.

OK 9 players on the field,

Pitcher - Jessica Ferri
catcher - Katie Tripoli
Middle infielders & 3rd base - Veronica Grant, Shelby Gogreve, Anna Edwards (put them where you like)
First Base - Jessica Loiacano
Outfielders - Morgan Barchan, Marnie Hillier, Annie Sommers (I know she is an infielder but I would want her on the field)

Dear Chckyslf:

You seem to have seen a lot of local HS softball this year... Based on what you SAW (not heard)...Give me a starting 9. Position by position...

MS: FYI.. There was only one Homer in last years "Derby" and only about 2 the year before when we had a bunch of Div 1 seniors swinging at Arcadia with the fences in. Why do you have to be such a Buzz kill? If you are so bored by the Home run derby why come watch?

Dear ms:

You sure are full of yourself. Correct me if I'm wrong... Your daughter made it to HS and you are now associated with a newer travel ball team and low and behold you now consider yourself an expert. (Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if you are footing the bill...) All the while you continue to try and sell your girls by throwing them in with discussions of real travel ballers. There is a world of difference between a real 18U Gold team vs putting together a bunch of rec/little leaguers, buying some cute uniforms and going out and getting pounded at a real ASA tourny. Sorry to pop your bubble! OH I'm sure you'll have a cute and tart reply but that doesn't change the cold harsh reality of this post!

At least Chckyslf has some REAL Travel ball experience to back his comments.

Go ahead whine back!

sftblfn we have no D1 teams in our area

How is it that on the Division 1 team a player was placed on the team when she did not even play half the season and made some very costly errors and had ineffective at bats during playoffs? Just because you made it the previous season should not automatically place you on the 1st team. There were many others who deserved to be on that team but were not.

MS,

You are right about Gogreve and Watanabe, I had a hard time deciding between Edwards and Gogreve. But, I gave the edge to Edwards on power, even though Gogreve had more HR's. Although pretty technically solid, she is more of a " whatever it takes" type of hitter. I also think that Annie Sommers is an excellent slapper and the fact that she is so young puts her in that catagory as well. Even though I have some issues with the way her team kept stats, it is a fact that the kid has speed and talent with the bat.

By the way who are D1 infielders on the CIF list in D5 and where are they going?

I would also say that there are a few more players that are coming up the ranks as well, who have potentially elite skills.

I would still like people to list which travel teams kids are playing on.

I assume you are talking about All-CIF for CIF Division 5? I agree, Gogreve and Grant are very good. However, the kids that were selected are also very good, and they will be playing Division 1 in college too. Generally speaking, the competition for All-CIF starts getting stiff in CIF Division 5 and gets stiffer and stiffer as you move up to CIF Division 1 because more and more of the kids are NCAA Division 1 bound.

It probably didn't help their cause for All-CIF consideration either because their teams were eliminated from CIF playoffs relatively early.

Also, you don't know if the All-CIF nomination paperwork was sent in for a player to CIF. If it concerns them, they should follow-up with their respective coaches to find out.

There are a few All-CIF selections from our area as follows:

1st Team - CIF Division 3
Jessica Ferri, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy - Pitcher

1st Team - CIF Division 5
Abby Ulf, La Cañada - Outfield

1st Team - CIF Division 5
Katherine Clancy, Mayfield - Pitcher
Lauren O'Leary, La Cañada - Pitcher

1st Team - CIF Division 6
Allie Forillo, La Salle - Pitcher
Kimmie Sommers, Maranatha - Pitcher
Katie Tripoli, La Salle - Catcher
Annie Sommers, Maranatha - Infield

2nd Team - CIF Division 6
Maddie Herlache, La Salle - Infield
Marnie Hillier, Maranatha - Outfield

Wow! I agree with Fred. There were a lot of talented players that were over looked and some questionable choices made instead. VERY disappointed with the division 5 selections especially. Gogreve and Grant are 2 of the best middle infielders around and neither one got a nod. Not even for 2nd team!! Both are playing D1. How does that happen!?

Chky,

I knew it ... you are my evil twin that was separated at birth!!!

All I actually have is 4 great hitters swings in our area that I truly believe are elite and a clear-cut tier above everyone else:

Ferri is a no brainer, I think she has a shot to be the greatest softball player ever out our area. The consummate "5 tool" player and when she’s on field she manages the game like a player/coach ... she is a tremendous threat defensively as a pitcher, and offensively as a hitter. She has a beautiful swing that generates unbelievable power. Can't wait to see what she does in college.

Edwards has a beautiful swing too. The only thing she lacks is experience, which makes her a little inconsistent, but she’s very young. My prediction, as she grows with maturity and confidence, she'll be the very best in our area in 2011, and she'll be one of the best in our area in 2010. She is sure to be Division 1 bound.

Barchan, unfortunately I haven't seen her play that much but the few times I've seen her I'm WOW'ed! She's a true athlete and a great softball player. I love her understated demeanor too. She's actually the one I was thinking of when I wrote earlier that there was one kid playing in the PSN Senior All-star game with technically developed hitting skill (and she wasn’t a power hitter). No doubt she can muster power with her great swing at times. However, her strength is getting on base with her great swing and then lighting up the base paths with her speed.

But chky, you know who the 4th hitter in this elite group too. Gogreve has a beautiful swing and is a great hitter. She generates tremendous power from that beautiful swing too. Also, she provides tremendous leadership for her teammates and you have to love her fire too. Like Ferri and Barchan, it’s no surprise that Gogreve is Division 1 bound too.

One other kid that I’ve only seen three times, but she’s one to keep an eye on. Wantanabe is kind of like Barchan, her strength is getting on base with her great swing and then lighting up the base paths with her speed. However, she has a great swing which can generate some real power too. She was only a freshman this past year and was undoubtedly the one standout on the San Marino team. I don’t think she is playing 18 Gold yet and I wouldn’t put her on this list of 4 elite players yet, but she’s definitely a tween’er (i.e., between elite and everyone else).

Now isn’t this a better discussion than blaming a parent/coach for why in the 2nd lowest CIF Division one kid made only 2nd team All-CIF, and questioning why her teammate made 1st team All-CIF?

MS,

As far as technically advanced hitters go, I would have to lean to the kids who are playing 18 Gold, because you can't play on that level without being able to hit the ball. Some kids, however, are just athletes. And that is not to discard the 16U and 18A players. I have a hard time naming names, but I will try: 3 really? There are about 12 to mention in that catagory, but these are the three. I am not saying that they are three best players in the area but they are in the discussion. (I am going to try and put the name of the Travel teams that these kids are playing with - correct and fill in please,) Actually it would be nice if people could follow up with which teams kids are playing with over the summer, maybe we can keep up some of the discussion throughout. I would say that Valley Breeze is the only team from the area that has a great shot at being at 18 Gold Nationals. Teamsmith has a fighting chance as well and CA Rage Gold is in the fight as well. Anyway here are the three: (seriously, 3?)

Jessica Ferri - Valley Breeze Gold
Morgan Barchan - Pride (ASA Women's Fastpitch League / college players)
Anna Edwards - Valley Breeze Gold

I will try and follow up with a list of other travel players' teams. If you know of any players from the area also playing on 18 Gold classified teams, try and list them. 16U and 18A teams are very competitive divisions as well and people should list them.

Point taken and dare I say I agree with "chky" again.

I would sooner have my teeth pulled without Novocain then sit through another one of those hitter-less home run derbys. The format was bad, but the hitting displays were worse. Next time limit it to no more than the 10 top hitters (5 from each team), and there should be a regular season home run ante to get in. Live pitching or machine pitching shouldn't matter, either way.

I just ponder with wonderment over the pundit commentary over this season about the awesome displays of power of certain kids. Then you see these kids live and you wonder what they based their opinion on. Put most of those kids against a decent pitcher, they don’t hit the ball (let alone hit a home run) unless they get lucky.

Sure, any big strong athletic girl will occasionally get a hold of one but as far as a kid with technically developed hitting skill there was only one I saw hitting at the PSN Senior All-star game (and she wasn’t a power hitter). All of the kids at this game had horrible swings except for only a very few. That was the biggest reasson there were only 2 home runs in the game, the machine and old balls were not the biggest reasons.

chky, give me your 3 kids in our area (not just seniors) with the most technically developed swings, and I’ll give you mine. I bet we agree on at least a couple of them.

MS,

I should also say that I saw the home run contest and it was run very poorly. There should have been live pitching from a coach from around thirty feet, like in baseball, with newer balls, like baseball, without the crazy spin of a pitching machine that isn't designed for real (mushy) balls. Some kids and a lot of batting coaches do not even use pitching machines. Maddie Herlache had a nice home run cut during the game on a new ball from live pitching and was all over the warning track during the derby.

I do not think there were a ton of home run hitters out there, but the process did not help the ones that were.

What matters,

Thanks for answering the question. I have a scenario for you.

One example: I have in mind a player that brings up an interesting scenario of rating players and how fielding info effects her. LaCanada has a short stop that is a flat out stud in terms of athletic ability and she hit over .400 this year. She is an 18 Gold short stop for a very good team, and from what I understand starts. Although she hit the ball real well from a clean up position, she didn't have a great year fielding, I am sure she would say the same. In terms of recognition she will probably be recognized by CIF in upcoming years when she puts together the type of HS season both fielding and hitting that she is capable of. Now the reason I bring up the stat aspect, one would argue that if her fielding stats weren't put up and the coach pushed for her, and the CIF people saw her in a game where things were perfect, they might just say wow this kid is great, she is in, and there would be no stats to support or negate that. That, to me, wouldn't reflect what really took place across the course of the season. And this situation applies specifically to the short stop/middle infield positions where typically batting average is not the only barometer, and that rings true in all levels of ball. Now being a stat junkie you can look through our area and see that some teams actually do a pretty good job with stats, where everything sort of balances out and makes sense and other teams where they do not. Those places make me concerned because the numbers are so huge that it is hard to believe some of the players never reached on error and apparently never made errors. I unfortunately am beginning to learn over time that if you commit to that approach in stats, if anything it doesn't hurt you and in some cases it will be believed and applied get you or you team members recognition.

I hope my example gave you a sense of what I am saying. Essentially that there are a lot of kids who's teams try and get stats right and the numbers are realistic so that hurts them, and other teams unabashedly pump up their stats and it helps the player, whether people want to believe that or not. This comment doesn't reflect on peoples talent, because as I said in my example there are very talented kids who have imperfect years but are extremely talented. I als hate to say this but, when you play in very low divisions it can be very easy to say that an error is a hit or visa versa because they are happening all of the time.

MS,

do not underestimate some of our areas short stops. We had some pretty good ones. Especially on the defensive side. At least two D1 players and the one above who will eventually be D1. Those three did not get recognized. And I have to say when rating middle infielders, fielding should take a back seat to nothing.

Dear "What Matters,"

You state the glaring statistical anomalies. It’s not unusual that what a coach fills out on the All-CIF form is what is on MaxPreps. Either way, there are many much more subtle indiscretions in presented stats too. The best check and balance to presented stats is live observation. With the peer CIF approach that observation happens. Looks like those divided few at Maranatha have stopped their public rant.

Case in point, although the PSN Senior All-star game is always a great event. There are always .500+ hitters, 1.00- ERA’ers, and 90%+ fielding %’ers in this game where frankly you really wonder … see them play and there is no doubt their stats are largely contrived. How about that 2+ hour Home Run Derby with only 2 home runs in the entire derby ... please don’t make the dead ball excuse … there wasn’t a kid in the entire derby with a true home run swing in the whole group who could consistently hit decent fly balls, let alone hit home runs.

Also, consider there are the teams with so-called all 90%+ fielders who also have the benefit of a true “Ace” pitcher. And vice versa, teams with a so-called 1.00- ERA Ace pitcher who also have the benefit of true 90%+ fielders.

Also, although fielding % is important stat, it will always take a back seat to defensive pitching stats and offensive batting stats, at least in softball. There are no Brooks Robinson or Ozzie Smith types of Hall of Famers or All-stars in softball.

Chky:

To answer your question I would offer a couple of facts. The committee is made up of coaches that represent a wide range of school's and they vote weekly on the CIF top 10's. I say this because by the time the year is over the committee has a good idea of the stand out players and the stand out teams. With softball the stand out teams typically have a high quality pitcher and usually a couple of other pieces to complement her. Everyone knows that stats can be manipulated to say what the individual preparing the stats wants them to say. Coaches who manipulate stats are usually known to the committee. A team who nominates 4 players that hit .400 and won 5 games typically indicate a red flag and this is why the further a team goes the more recognition they typically receive. The committee does not go off of on-line stats. Rather they go off of the nominating forms that do not have a line (at least when I did it) for fielding %. Batting average, hits, runs, rbi's, sb, and obp are the categories. Wins, losses, ERA, saves, K's and BB's for pitchers. These categories are off of memory so if I forgot one please forgive me, but I do know that fielding % was never on a form (before MaxPreps it was impossible to require this). If you have coached and you look at the stats you can usually read between the lines. If a pitcher is 1-10 and has a .98 ERA with 50 K's and 60 BB's it's pretty easy to decipher the facts. If a kid is hitting .400 with an OBP of .700 , 20 SB, and only scored 10 runs with 8 rbi's again it's pretty easy.

chky,

You know that the posted stats by most high school teams are more examples of "creative writing" than "factual representation". That's why ultimate All-CIF selections are decided entirely by a CIF committee of coaching peers in that specific CIF division. Stats certainly play a role in All-CIF selections, but I think these CIF peer coaches primarily base their decisions on personal observation. Sure, some kids get missed and that is unfortunate, but that's life. I'd love to meet the idiot parent who gets worked up over why a kid was a 2nd team selection rather than a 1st team selection, in CIF Division 6 no less. What a joke! Anyway, I think CIF gets it right most of the time.

Also, it wasn't my intent to slam many of the well meaning parent high school coaches. However, I've never seen a situation where it was a good thing, in particular for head coaches. Just look at the public anonymous attacks from Maranatha parents on the Maranatha coach (and from my previous criticisms, you know I am not a Maranatha fan). Those attacks just aren't fair. Parent coaches appear to work in some instances, but it is never a good thing. Listen to the parent commentary in the stands at a game with parent coaches.

To me, the budget issue certainly real, but it is always used as a convenient excuse for lazy school administrators (not just with respect to coaching hires).

chky,

You know that the posted stats by most high school teams are more examples of "creative writing" than "factual representation". That's why ultimate All-CIF selections are decided entirely by a CIF committee of coaching peers in that specific CIF division. Stats certainly play a role in All-CIF selections, but I think these CIF peer coaches primarily base their decisions on personal observation. Sure, some kids get missed and that is unfortunate, but that's life. I'd love to meet the idiot parent who gets worked up over why a kid was a 2nd team selection rather than a 1st team selection, in CIF Division 6 no less. What a joke! Anyway, I think CIF gets it right most of the time.

Also, it wasn't my intent to slam many of the well meaning parent high school coaches. However, I've never seen a situation where it was a good thing, in particular for head coaches. Just look at the public anonymous attacks from Maranatha parents on the Maranatha coach (and from my previous criticisms, you know I am not a Maranatha fan). Those attacks just aren't fair. Parent coaches appear to work in some instances, but it is never a good thing. Listen to the parent commentary in the stands at a game with parent coaches.

To me, the budget issue certainly real, but it is always used as a convenient excuse for lazy school administrators (not just with respect to coaching hires).

Miguel, are you going to do the all-league teams, the Tribune is posting them????

MS,

Without proper budgets it is a lot easier for AD's to hire parents as coaches, especially if the parents know more about the game than the english teacher. I agree that it is a problem, but I don't see it changing, at least in softball.

"irresponsibility" is also trying to arrange information in a certain way in order to manipulate a certain outcome. I do not have enough information to say that this is the case at any school in particular. I think several schools do to it some extent, but as much as I buried my head in stats this year, I have seen several schools trying to arranging and omitting stats for a purpose only known to them. And common sense tells you that they wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

What matters - I asked you a question earlier, do you think you can answer it?

I really have no opinion on the quality of the job done by the Maranatha coaches, one way or the other.

They could be the greatest coaches in the world, and my bet is that their intensions are very pure. However, I have never seen it as a good idea to have parent coaches beyond local rec. ball. There are too many opportunities for conflict of interest and the appearance of impropriety.

As previously pointed out, for All-CIF recognition coaches nominate their players who they think are worthy by filling out a simple form which anyone can find on the CIF website. The form is due to be in the CIF office before CIF playoffs start. Then there is a committee of their coaching peers in their CIF division (appointed by CIF) who considers the nominations. The only role of the coach is to nominate their players who are worthy of All-CIF consideration in their opinion. The determination of whether a nominated player is awarded All-CIF recognition or not, rests entirely with the CIF committee of coaching peers in that specific CIF division. As mentioned previously, if a particular high school team has worthy players and no All-CIF winners, chances are the coach never sent in the nomination form. If worthy players were missed because of the irresponsibility of the coach, that coach should be fired. One point, “irresponsibility” is not the same thing as a difference-of-opinion. “Irresponsibility” is not remembering to send in the form for worthy nominees by the due date.

My point is not to question the quality or integrity of the any high school coach. In fact, some of the insinuations in this thread about the Maranatha coach are more than unfair, they are irresponsible. If you feel that your high school coach has acted irresponsibly, take your argument off-line and deal with it internally. Anonymous accusations impugning someone’s character on a public blog is classless. Your school deserves to be better represented rather than by the few typical idiots who always love to attack others – now they’ve turned to eating their own – CLASSY!!!.

Ask any high school coach, “what is the biggest challenge of their job as high school coaches.” They will all tell you that their biggest challenge in high school coaching is dealing with overzealous and opinionated parents on how to coach (especially, how to coach their daughter). It is an impossible task to appease all of the opinions and it is not an appropriate position for a parent to be in as a coach. It is certainly the responsibility of a school’s AD to hire qualified coaches. Some parents may be qualified but schools are better served by hiring qualified non-parent coaches. Also, parents need to let their kids learn how to work effectively with non-parent coaches. Parent coaches are not doing their kids any favors by being their coach. Actually they are hurting them developmentally, and socially.

These are the reasons why you never see parent coaches in the elite levels of travel ball. Also, in true travel ball, parent coached so-called travel teams are not taken seriously and nor are their parent coaches.

what matters - it seems like you are very close to maranantha and have a lot of conections with cif and the area softball scene. so tell me, it has sort of been my beef all year with a few different teams, do you think it is important to record fielding stats and roe's and did you take in to consideration those things when you voted on awards? i assume you didnt get to see all of the players play.

Area Fan:

I do know a lot about the process, I've nominated and been on the committee when I coached. Most coaches nominate 4 and very few get all 4 unless they won or played in a CIF championship game. It doesn't look bad coming from the Head Coach either. Everyone can nominate the same amount of players and Maranatha at the very least nominated 3, probably 4. Eye in the Sky's issue is with coaches who are dads and particularly with Maranatha's coach. I think it's weak and cowardly when you call a coach out on a public blog who is a great man with solid character. It's even weaker when you pull in a kid who obviously earned her honors. Eye in the Sky will hopefully let it rest because as I said it's weak and cowardly to make these accusations, especially on a public blog.

Area Fan,
By putting Annie on the nomination the coach didn't intend to prevent marnie from making it. both girls stats are worthy of 1st team honors. and i don't think the coach "hid" the fact annie made errors it's that he's promoting his top 4 players so that they can all get all-CIF honors(not one over the other) and i don't think mentioning the amount of errors would have impacted annie when she hit as well as she did this year.

Area Fan,
By putting Annie on the nomination the coach didn't intend to prevent marnie from making it. both girls stats are worthy of 1st team honors. and i don't think the coach "hid" the fact annie made errors it's that he's promoting his top 4 players so that they can all get all-CIF honors(not one over the other) and i don't think mentioning the amount of errors would have impacted annie when she hit as well as she did this year.

Dear: What matters and Area "kid".

You both know a lot about the process? You must admit it just looks bad when the nominees come from the HEAD coach who appears to have hidden the fact that his daughter had a LOT of errors...too many errors to be an All CIF first teamer and at the expense of a FIRST TEAM worthy kid on his own team. I do know Marnie's Dad and would love to know what he thinks!

Eye in the sky:

First off Area Kid is correct. Each coach can nominate 4 players and then it's left to the committee to decide. You can find the committee on CIF's website if you are interested. Secondly, Marnie's dad is on the coaching staff at Maranatha and has been for a number of years so there goes that argument (unless somehow you are connected). Thirdly, why can't we just be happy for the kids who earned these honors, including Marnie. And finally, people need to understand that your high school coach does not "pick" your child to earn post season awards. Rather the athletes earn their honors by their body of work and others perception of their performances. People will always be left out and overlooked. GREAT ATHLETES are those who overcome adversities and prove the people who missed them wrong by their future efforts.

Its part of the problem with maxpreps. When a team doesn't put up fielding stats, people can come to there own conclusions.

Taking a look at the Division VI All-CIF teams, I wonder how it is that a kid from Rosemead-who finished tied for LAST place in the MVL-was awarded 2nd team All-CIF, but NO ONE from Gabrielino or Arroyo made either 1st or 2nd team? Arroyo did reach the quarterfinals, and Gabrielino finished in 2nd in the league, it just doesn't make much sense.

eye in the sky,
yes the coaches do nominate 4 players from their teams as all CIF-players, but in the end they do not have a say for whether their nomination is 1st or 2nd team. i agree with you that hillier definitely deserved a spot on the team, however annie sommers did lead the team in both batting avg.(.500) and on base percentage(.571) so she too definitely deserved a spot.

Does anyone here pick up the PSN to read about what the Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, etc. did yesterday? Unless you are totally unconnected you already have watched the game on TV, watched the highlights on the news or ESPN or read about it on the internet long before the paper is even published.

If the PSN wants readers it needs to cover stories that are not readily available from other sources - in this case that means local sports, particularly High School Football, Baseball, Softball, etc. There are no good on-line sources for the stories that these events generate, and so people pick up the PSN and other local newspapers to read about local sports and local issues.

The more the PSN sacrifices the quality of local coverage to cover bigger (non-local) stories the less people will pick up the PSN.

How does Maranantha's MVP MARNIE HILLIER (and RBI leader) not make Division VI first team? She is clearly one of the best 9 players in the area let alone D6? Their SS (Head Coach's daughter) made the first team and I hear she had over 25 ERRORS! It sounds like Marnie may have been left off the first team in favor of a Coach's kid? IF so, that is TERRIBLY SHAMEFUL!

Is it the head coach that nominates the girls? Please enlighten me.

goteamgo,

I know who Warren Buffet is, I just like Jimmy Buffet better.

Let me just say this, quality in the midst of high standards and accuracy will never go out of business. It will find a way, whether it is softball, business, on the internet or on parchment. When you open your doors to unedited criticism you better make your best attempt at getting it right.

If you go back to the beginning of the year you will see that I was extremely positive about how Miguel was treating the position, then he went back to the same ol' same ol', and really started to blow it. He admits to it. Thats fine. I hope that he realizes that it is going to take some fresh ideas and people to make it right. My suggestion all along was to get somebody who cares about softball to cover it, there is enough passion for it. That didn't happen.I will help and I have helped and as well as others, but at this point he will not address any of the issues I have so I speak my mind.

How did outfielder Marnie Hillier (Marananth's MVP) NOT make the first team and their shortstop (Head Coach's daughter did????) Marnie is surely one of the best 9 players in the area...let alone Division VI (and a great kid too). I hear the shortstop had over 25 ERRORS and still is on the first team?

How much does a coach have a say in these awards? Who provides the girl's stats? That is a shame if he left her out in favor of his own kid!

chky -

I thought that you wanted to "create a better chance of a wider range of people getting up in the morning and buying the paper or getting a subscription,", that is, non-internet users.

Based on your comment about Warren Buffet, it is obvious you do not read the business section. Maybe the Star News could abolish the business section, and reallocate the resources?

From what I can see, we are on the internet, right? If you do build that right, they will come...maybe even Warren Buffet. Is that Jimmy Buffet's brother?

As we know, the entire newspaper industry is undergoing a seismic change; Warren Buffet has even stated that the newspaper industry is one industry he would not invest in at this time. Subscriber bases and advertising is being lost to the internet and other media. I think most of the complaints about coverage of various sports or lack thereof by the Star News is due to lack of resources.

Now a suggestion - next softball season have chky and the other active softball bloggers take an unpaid internship at the Star News to cover the season, make all-area selections, organize the public-private game, and write as reporters in order to take "a better, more objective, journalistic approach as a whole," and stop "the privileged, political, sometimes vindictive approach."

In this way the Star News can meet the high journalistic standards requested by the softball bloggers, and provide them with a greater appreciation of journalism, and the troubles facing the newspaper industry today.

A workable solution, I think.

so true, rclancy, so true.

Anonymous - Don't forget to keep checking the softball threads while you are focused on football, you may accidentally miss one of my comments.

Actually it is prime time for softball. The ASA Regional qualifier is this weekend in Winchester, CA (near Hemet) and everyone is working towards ASA Nationals in Oklahoma from August 2 - 9.

There are tournaments and games every weekend and some really good softball being played.

Thank God softball is over
Maybe chkyrslf will go away until next year and we can get to the important things in high school sports. FOOTBALL

Well said MS.

It should be noted that when the paper made such a glaring mistake in their selections for the game you refer to and were embarrassed into fixing it, there was no acknowledgement by the same group when one of the kids who was left out ended up being a standout in the game. Not even a mention.

If they really want their paper to survive, taking a better, more objective, journalistic approach as a whole, and stopping the privileged, political, sometimes vindictive approach, would help create a better chance of a wider range of people getting up in the morning and buying the paper or getting a subscription.

I sometimes feel that these reporters actually hate me so much that they try and punish the kids who they think I support in order to get to me. I may have a bloated sense of self-worth with that statement, but I do not put it past them. And frankly that is bazaar when you open up a blog for opinions and punish kids because of bloggers opinions. Unfortunately they cannot see that I am trying to help them cover things correctly and that I pull for all of the kids. They cannot see the forrest for the trees.

Kind of funny to think that the people that are complaining that Whittier Christian didn't have anyone recognized as All CIF, are the same people that were involved in missing some very worthy kids that were missed by their own newspaper's senior all-star game a week ago. Actually they weren't missed at all, they were not extended invites in favor of other political choices. Then when pressure insued, those kids left out were invited at the last minute.

The pot calling the kettle black - don't you think?

Anyway, if Whittier Christian kids were left out because of the irresponsibility of their coach, AD, or school - that is really sad. But unfortunately, par for the coarse - that happens ever year that kids pay the price for inept school officials. To me, the irresponsible person(s) should be fired.

In my opinion, between the coach, AD, or school, it is properly their responsibility to make these nominations. A new alternative syatem is not necessary.

Carly Mortensen is a freshman

Carly Mortensen is a freshman