WAIMEA – The teams have come from near and far and proven one thing for sure: Good softball does not belong to one part of the country or another. Through two days of pool play at the 3rd Annual Garden
WAIMEA – The teams have come from near and far and proven one thing for sure: Good softball does not belong to one part of the country or another.
Through two days of pool play at the 3rd Annual Garden Island Classic, squads from as far away as New Jersey and as close as Honolulu have stamped out their dominance.
“We’re seeing really good, even competition,” said Albert Soto, one of the tournament’s directors. “It’s good for a softball junkie like me.”
In the largest division – 18-and-under – teams from New Jersey and Iowa have been strong. They have rivaled a team from Honolulu and one from California for the title of most likely to win. There is also a 16- and 14-and-under division.
The team from Honolulu, Hui Pa’ina, is the two-time defending champion of the Classic and was 4-0 in pool play. A team from California, Island Dragons, has also proven tough. They gave up just four runs in three games.
“A lot of the Dragons are transplants from Hawai’i,” Soto said.
Further proof that the state’s softball contingent can compete on the national level.
As for the particulars of tourney games: they are being played at Waimea Canyon Park and Kekaha Ball Park on an 80-minute time limit.
“That’s usually time for five or six innings,” Soto said.
The pool play records are being used to seed teams for a single-elimination tournament beginning Saturday at 8 a.m. It will last all day, with the 18-and-under championship scheduled for 7 p.m. under the lights at Waimea Canyon.
And though neither of the Kaua’i teams may make it that far, local kids were the motivating factor behind the concept of the Classic.
“They are main reason we wanted to start this tournament,” Soto said. “We wanted to give our kids the chance to play against the best.
“I think they’ve hung in there so far.”
Kaua’i had three teams in the tournament. Two – Native Girls (Kapa’a) and Na Wahine (Waimea) – in the 18-and-under division, and Koloa in the 14-and-under group. Through Friday afternoon, each of the 18-and-under representatives had picked up a win.
Soto said he was surprised and a bit dismayed that more Kaua’i teams were not entered in the tourney.
“I think they were afraid of losing,” Soto said. “But, I don’t think that’s possible here. Even if you don’t win your games, you’re still gaining experience you can’t get anywhere else.
“But if the kids aren’t out here then they can’t benefit. And you have to make the kids believe they can play with anyone.”
Even if the number of local teams entered has not increased, the overall numbers have.
“I’ve heard nothing but positive things the last couple of days,” Soto said. “We’ve got a lot of repeat teams and then so many more based on word of mouth.”
Soto said he and his organizational partner, Pat Baniaga, would like to see the tournament expand again next year.
