Despite restrictions to Memorial, softball remains successful

Elizabeth MebaneStaff WriterDue to the construction of the new combined Science and Technology building, the Innovation Building, the softball team’s field disappeared in 2011 leaving the team to practice at Memorial Park. Without a personal field, the Vikings have made the city park home base.According to Sofia Gutierrez (’14), not having a field at Samo requires the players to make haste and report to the off-campus base directly after fifth period.“Right when the dismissal bell rings from fifth period, you have to hurry to the Michigan gate before all the other students or teams crowd the gate and head on over to Memorial Park,” Gutierrez said. “We only have 30 minutes from the minute bell to get to the park, change and start warming up.”According to coach Debbie Skaggs, because they are using a public park, timing is key.“[The lack of a personal field] is really a negative and being at a park is a negative,” Skaggs said. “It’s not good for the program because we have to be off the field by a certain time so we get there, start practice at 3 o’clock and have to be off at 5 o’clock. There’s no wasting time.”Compared to Samo’s old softball field, the Memorial Park field is a larger space crammed with two softball diamonds on opposite diagonal corners, instead of a smaller space that comfortably fits one softball diamond. Frankie Golick (’14) says since there is no outside fence surrounding each diamond like on the old field, outfielders have difficulties with long distance hits.“Our field on campus had a fence, and playing in an open field without fences changes the game,” Golick said. “Outfielders now play differently, farther back and can’t work on the skill of finding the fence. Fenceless fields cause more extra base hits and home-runs.”In addition to the comfort of being on familiar territory, the Vikings also miss the luxury of the batting cages Samo’s former field provided.“We don’t really have a facility to hit at and we don’t have a batting cage,” Skaggs said. “We have to basically extend four extension cords to get our [pitching] machine to work, so it’s not a good situation.”Gutierrez agrees with Skaggs that not having a batting cage limits the team’s practicing.“We do have a [pitching] machine, but we all have to pick up the balls all over the field after each batter, which is very time consuming. We are getting a batting cage at the park soon, but until that’s finished, we’re all shagging balls,” Gutierrez said.According to Gutierrez, not only do the teams struggle with space, the Santa Monica boys’ Little League teams practice there as well.“Since we have both junior varsity and varsity practicing in the same area, it does get tricky on space sometimes,” Gutierrez said. “Now that the Little League teams also practice there, it makes it 10 times harder for us and for them. Although they do respect the fact that it is our home field and it’s the only place we get to practice on, sometimes they take over our field since their outfield overlaps ours.”Gutierrez notes how the baseball team is lucky to not have been affected by any construction and to not have been required to alter their practice schedule.“The baseball team is very fortunate to have a field and endless batting practice time,” Gutierrez said. “It affects us not having our own field like they do, but they are willing to lend us the cages which is awesome. They get to practice there on weekends and weekdays without any time restrictions, which is a problem for us at Memorial.”According to Sara Garcia (’14), even though the baseball team was not hindered by any construction to their fields or practicing, the girls try to not let it get to them.“It sucks knowing that baseball has their field and we don’t but we choose not to let it bother us too much,” Garcia said. “There’s nothing we can do about it now and we just see it as ‘it is what it is.’ As long as we play, that’s all that matters.”Gutierrez also laments softball’s loss of home field spectators.“Cheering usually gets the home team a lot more pumped, which helps the players at times. At the same time, people end up purchasing snacks and fan gear which helps them fundraise money for the program. It is hard for us to fundraise like that for ourselves since many people don’t even watch softball at all and even more now that people aren’t able to go to our games as much anymore.”Despite all the negatives of not having a true home field, Golick tries to focus on the positives. The Lady Vikings have not used these negatives as an excuse, the team is 13-10 overall and 8-0 in the Ocean League.“Although it is inconvenient, someone had to take on the burden for the new building; it’s just unfortunate that it had to be softball,” Golick said. “It’s frustrating how things worked out, but when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter where you play, all that counts is how you play.”emebane@thesamohi.com