Chance to dream / Girls savor learning from role models
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By Justin Johnson
Standard-Examiner Staff
jjohnson@standard.net
KAYSVILLE -- There are few things more influential to budding sports stars than role models.
Last weekend, 150 youngsters got a chance to learn directly from a few of them.
Just days after finishing with the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, USA Softball stars Cat Osterman, Crystl Bustos, Laura Berg and Jenny Topping headlined a three-day Rocky Mountain Softball Clinic, held over Labor Day weekend at Kaysville City's Barnes Park and the SportsPlex.
"It was a really exciting, amazing experience," said Ally Mcafee, who will be trying out for Woods Cross' softball team as a freshman in the spring. "It was so much fun to be around them and learn from them. I want to work hard and someday be able to play at that level."
The clinic began on Saturday and concluded Monday, with Sunday being designated as "Play the Olympian" day, when smiling clinic-goers had the opportunity to pitch to Bustos, the world's most dominant softball hitter, and bat versus Osterman, arguably the best softball pitcher in the world.
"It was great to get to know them and spend some time around them," said Syracuse resident Taylor Tann. "The best part is they aren't just great athletes but great people. They are the kind of people you want to be like."
Tann's father, Gary, along with former Viewmont High School coach Cydnee Bennett and Cory Olsen came up with the idea of the clinic as an opportunity to put on a high-level experience for young girls around the state and region.
Originally limiting participation to 120, the clinic ended up with 150 participants.
"We just didn't feel like we could turn the girls away," Gary Tann said. "Our goal was to get an event like this in Utah. We want to help (increase) the level of girls sports in the state."
The three-day clinic, which also featured a number of college coaches from around the state, focused on giving the younger players an in-depth learning experience on all aspects of softball.
"You look at the level of players when I played in high school and then you look at it now," Osterman said. "There are so many more chances. The level of the players keeps getting better; there are more scholarships being given out. Softball is really growing."
That growth can be attributed, in a large part, to the success of the USA Softball Olympic team, which has dominated the sport since it was added at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
"We worship (Team USA)," said Kaysville resident Autumn Woodfall. "They are very inspiring to watch. I love watching Crystl Bustos, she is such an amazing player."
Added Kaysville resident C.J. Olsen, "I really learned a lot from them. They try really hard to make sure you understand what they are teaching you."
Osterman said the key to teaching younger players is to have fun with them.
"You have to have fun, it gets them relaxed and they absorb what you are trying to teach them easier," Osterman said. "I try to get them to open their minds and believe in themselves."
"(Softball) players have done a complete 360 since I started playing," Bustos said. "The pitching, the hitting is just a complete 360. You have players now that can hit the ball 210-220 yards that are 15-16 years old, which has never been the case before. I think one of the biggest things is now you are getting coaches who played the game at a very high level. They are now turning around and giving back that knowledge."
Tann said this year's clinic was just what they hoped it would be and is hoping to make it an annual event with the same foursome back next year.
"One of the things we wanted to show the younger players is that these (Olympic) players are real people too," said Bennett.
Boston's Gourmet Pizza in Layton, one of the clinic's sponsors, held a "Meet and Greet" for the Olympic players in its lounge on Saturday. It was attended by 50 or so younger fans and their parents. The players chatted with their fans for almost 45 minutes, signing autographs and posing for pictures.
"I do think we are role models for the younger players," Osterman said. "They see us and what we do and they try to work hard and go out and do the same things."
All of the clinic-goers interviewed said they watched USA Softball's Olympic games last month, where the team piled up runs and accolades before falling just short of its fourth consecutive gold medal.
Berg, while signing autographs and giving interviews to Utah television stations, displayed all four Olympic medals she has won with the U.S. team.
"One of the things I learned is the (Olympic) players are really tough and confident," said Olsen. "I definitely hope someday I can become like them."
Olympic softball was removed from the schedule for the 2012 London Games, but team officials around the world are intensly lobbying to get the sport back in 2016. In one of the final acts in Beijing by the medal winning teams (USA, Japan and Austrailia), members of the teams spelled the numbers 2016 on the field in softballs.
Bustos, who graduated from college in 1998, says opportunities for girls and women are much more numerous now.
"There are a lot more opportunities for women to have role models," Bustos said. "You have Team USA, you have professional soccer, you have the WNBA. Team USA is one of the most accessible teams in the world. We want to give girls someone to look up to.
"It's not just in sports; you look at what Hillary Clinton accomplished. Girls everywhere have someone to look up to and something to strive for. I think we (Team USA) are a part of that and hopefully will inspire the younger girls to reach for that next level."
Reader Comments
what a great thing for the olympians to share there knowledge with these girls. im sure all of the attendees are very inspired by them
A great story for local girls. Way to go Team USA
My daughter attended. She got to pitch to Laura Berg and Jenny Topping. She also got a ball signed by all the Olympians that were there. The lesson was school first...then softball! The story didn't mention that coaches from the U, BYU, Utah State and SLCC also helped with the camp. This was a once in a life-time opportunity that she will carry with her forever.