Baseball
Insider Info
The tension rises as the pitcher and batter stare each other down. The
pitcher winds up and the ball races towards the batter. He swings and the
ball goes flying to the outfield.
Sound exciting? Not much can compare to the satisfaction of playing baseball.
And those involved say that pretty much anyone can play.
Sure, you won't start out playing with the pros. But that's what recreational
baseball leagues are for.
So what is the difference between professional and recreational baseball?
Well, according to Melanie Laspina, commissioner of a women's baseball league
in California, quite a lot.
"There's a huge difference," she says. "There is no pro women's baseball
right now. But in the highest level we have, USA Baseball, those players throw
85 miles an hour. In a recreational league, they're probably only throwing
65, 70."
Which can be a good thing for those who enjoy the game but don't want to
feel intimidated. Laspina also notes that while it helps to be in good shape,
as long as you're in decent shape, you can come on down and join in the fun.
"You have to be a good athlete to play baseball, and I think anybody that
is decent enough as an athlete should come out," she says. "But even if you're
not, you should at least get out there and get the experience."
Susan Kerschbaumer agrees. And she should know -- she played recreational
baseball for about ten years.
"It's fun," she says. "It's not highly competitive. And it's a good way
to meet people and to build athletic skills."
Stepping out onto the baseball diamond can be little intimidating at first.
But that's all part of the game. One thing that will help is finding a league
that matches your abilities and goals as a player.
For example, Laspina's league does have a process where they draft players
to get in -- but this varies from league to league.
"With my league, we have tryouts; you have to be drafted," she says. "There's
no way you can get on a team without being good enough. There are liability
issues -- people can get hurt out there. So you do have to be careful with
who you have out there, who can actually really play or who's gonna get hurt."
However, some other leagues are far less rigid about who they bring in.
"In our very casual league, physical limitations weren't a huge issue,
although being able to run is obviously a plus," says Kerschbaumer.
As Laspina mentions, there isn't currently a professional women's baseball
league. Does this mean women can't play baseball? Absolutely not.
Laspina's league is all female. She says that although there are more female
leagues popping up, the world of baseball is still unfortunately male-dominated.
"It is not equal opportunity right now, not at all," she says. "I see these
stories of these young little girls that want to play baseball, and they're
forced to go play softball. But if you want to have an option to be able to
play baseball, you should. Men play tennis, women play tennis; men play soccer,
women play soccer. Why can't women play baseball? Just because people back
in the '50s decided women can't?"
Kerschbaumer's experience suggests there may be more opportunities for
women in the less competitive leagues. When asked if there is equal opportunity
in recreational baseball today for women and men players alike, her answer
is simple.
"Definitely," she says. "Most leagues are always looking for more female
players."
Chris James is the director baseball league. James says that while at
higher levels of baseball the amount of competitiveness might increase, there
is something else to bear in mind. With baseball, unlike a sport like soccer,
one needs to have a slight grasp of certain motor skills to play.
"Baseball is a game that tends to be late developing," he says. "Meaning
it doesn't become as much fun for the athletes until they're between the ages
of eight to 11 years old. There's just a lot of fundamentals, a lot of developments
that have to happen, motor skills and stuff. That's one of the reasons people
might say it's intimidating at times. But when those skills start to develop,
it becomes a lot of fun."
James' enthusiasm for the sport is obvious, and he encourages youth to
try it out. "One of the things about baseball is when it's done in the right
environment it's one of the most fun things to do," he says. "There's so much
going on. Everybody does it, whether you're good, bad, whatever. Everybody
has fun, it's social and it's fit for life. It's a life activity."
Getting Started
While it doesn't hurt to have your own bat and glove, you can often begin
playing by just showing up ready to play. Laspina advises players to be sure
to dress appropriately. Which means long pants, not shorts - no matter how
hot the weather! A
nd check into getting protective gear as well. "You need to have your
protective gear, just like in any sport. Do you need to have your own bat
and all that? Not necessarily. But a lot of these girls, when they get into
it, it's just like any sport, they want the best stuff. But mainly, just wear
pants," she says.
"You're playing baseball; you're not playing in shorts. And that's about
it."
James agrees, adding that "It's very cost-effective to play."
Of course, baseball is a physical sport, so if you have any recurring injuries
or disabilities, it would be best to look around for a league suited to your
needs. And while it's definitely a bonus to be in shape, you don't need to
be a gym hero to get in to the recreational leagues.
That's it -- play ball!
Links
Junior Baseball
The website for "America's youth baseball magazine"
California Women's Baseball League
A great example of how women can be involved in baseball
Yahoo! Kids on baseball
Lots of fun links here, relating to pro and recreational baseball
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