Members of the Norwalk Girls All-Stars 10U Team
By Justin Cooley
Despite a long journey down a road of success that led to qualifying for the Western Nationals this year, the Norwalk Girls 10u Softball team still faces a much bigger challenge; one that doesn’t include bats and gloves. If the team cannot raise enough money to send their girls to the national championship, they won’t be able to go.
The Norwalk Girls 10u Softball team found themselves placing in six tournaments throughout the season, coming in second within the district and qualifying with another local team, La Mirada, for nationals at the state competition in Lancaster.
Even with an incredibly impressive season, the team’s time to celebrate was ultimately cut short. Despite qualifying for the competition, the team will be unable to go if they can’t raise the funds for the girls within the next two weeks. The team needs to raise over $10,000 in order for the entire team to go.
The cost isn’t cheap. Sending off each girl and a parent is going to be over $660. The money will include food, lodging, and entrance into the competition. This will be the first time the 10u Norwalk Girls Softball team will ever be attending the national competition. The National Championship will be held in Peoria, Arizona from July 31st to August 4th.
The Norwalk League has come a long way from its standing just a few years ago. After coaching for six year, Coach Mike Ritcharoen, has been able to transform the entire Norwalk Girls Softball league by building its reputation up from scratch. Over his six years of coaching, he’s been able to bring up the league from playing in the C to B division and has helped create new leadership throughout the league through incentives and working together.
One thing that the coach has really put focus on within his team is unity. He believes that sticking and working together as a team is the main factor in becoming a successful team. At the beginning of each season, he brings together the parents and players alike through a simple ideal.
“To be successful as a team, we must keep a unity within. For this team to grow and win, we must be all on the same page. Not one girl is more important than the other; we are a team. Every girl on this team plays an important roll and purpose. Do not single out your daughter and do not single out other on the team. Let’s keep a certain moral within this team, this is and what will make us successful. We walk on thin waters with this team. “Unity” is and what will make this team… or break this team…”
For more information or if you would like to donate to help send the Norwalk Girls 10u Softball team to make it to the competition visit http://gofundme.com/3jzb74 or contact the team’s coach, Mike Ritcharoen, at (562) 900-3438.
