48 SEPTEMBER 2017 Arc A d A News By Elaina Verhoff Softball hasn’t always been a big deal around the neighborhood. In fact, from 2010- 2014, Arcadia Little League (ARLL) fielded no all-star softball teams. This year was a very different story. With 230 girls on the roster, the ARLL softball program was stronger than ever, sending three teams to the state tournament. The ages 10/11/12 and 8/9/10 all-star teams both took fourth place in the state tournaments this summer. So what happened during the past three years to turn things around? Keely Verstegen, ARLL board member, longtime team manager and one of the coaches of this year’s 9/10 all-star team, says the answer is simple. “Two words: Jennifer Steen,” she said. Steen has served as vice president of ARLL for softball since September 2014 and will step down at the end of this September. “Jennifer had a vision and tenacity of how to rebuild the softball program and she accomplished it during her tenure as VP,” Verstegen said. “She recruited amazing volunteers to help fulfill that dream She was instrumental in putting Arcadia Little League on the map.” During Steen’s tenure, the league improved softball fields and increased interest by the growing number of teams Verstagen says. “She improved the quality of play for all ages by holding clinics, Softball Sundays, (organized outings to) ASU events, interleague play, etc. Girls are excited to play softball and want to continue to play and get better.” Steen was driven into action by witnessing the disparity between her daughter’s and son’s ball games. When her now 13-year old daughter Elsa was playing in the 9-to- 11-year-old softball division, she was dismayed that the quality of play seemed comparable or maybe even worse than her 7-year-old son William’s baseball team. “When they were younger, the girls’ spazziness on the field was kind of cute,” Steen said. “At nine, not so much. So this really drove me in two ways. First, I didn’t want to watch any more bad softball. Second, I was outraged by the obvious disparity between the boys and girls. Sport should be empowering and uplifting for little girls, and if they realized that they were playing at the level of much younger boys, softball could actually have the opposite effect. That was intolerable to me.” Steen says there were a couple of small groups of families who enjoyed doing Little League together and were motivated by different reasons to try to improve the ARLL program. A few parents stepped up as leaders, and the others were tireless helpers, devoting countless hours to the league’s efforts to promote and develop softball in Arcadia. “Their enthusiasm was contagious and we attracted a larger group of engaged families around the core,” Steen said. “Honestly, the key was making it fun.” Steen could see her efforts and those of the motivated parents paying off. Retention improved because girls wanted to keep playing. Arcadia Little League didn’t have softball for 12-year-olds in 2013 because there weren’t enough signed up to field teams. This year, 21 neighborhood 12-year- olds played. Knowing that the core group’s girls were going to eventually age out of the league (most did this spring) the parents and Stein have worked to engage the parents of the younger girls. With Steen’s September retirement from her post, it’s up to that next generation to keep it going. Judging from the enthusiasm of the girls and the dedication of the families, the passion and performance of the ARLL softball teams will carry on. The girls of summer: Little League softball program shines Arcadia Little League’s Jennifer Steen super-charged the program during her tenure as vice president for softball, increasing participation, retention, excitement and competitiveness. (Right) This year’s ages 10/11/12 Arcadia Little League All-Star softball team took home a fourth-place finish at the state tournament, which is quite an accomplishment considering from 2010-2014, ARLL fielded no all-star teams. Information Social Arcadia Neighborhood Monday, September 18, 2017  7:00-8:30 p.m. 4636 N. Dromedary Rd., Phoenix Eighth grade boys and their parents are invited to an informational meeting about Brophy and the admissions process. Director of Admissions Mike Ward will give a presentation with time for questions afterwards, and applicants will have a chance to talk with current Brophy students. This event is held outside so please dress appropriately. Please check in by 6:55 p.m. To register, visit brophyprep.org/admissions Annual Open House November 12  12:30-3:00 p.m. Eighth grade boys and their parents are invited to an informational meeting about Brophy and the admissions process. Director of Admissions Mike Ward will give a presentation with time for questions afterwards, and applicants will have a chance to talk with current Brophy students. This event is held outside so please dress appropriately. Please check in by 6:55 p.m. To register, visit brophyprep.org/admissions Annual Open House November 12  12:30-3:00 p.m. Admissions Office  (602) 264-5291, ext. 6233  admissions@brophyprep.org  www.brophyprep.org Admissions Office  (602) 264-5291, ext. 6233  admissions@brophyprep.org  www.brophyprep.org