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Community Corner

Aliso Viejo Girls Softball Preps for Western Nationals Tournament

Strong relationships and charity tournament lead to league's most successful season.

For the first time in the history of the Aliso Viejo Girls Softball League (AVGS), one of the teams has qualified to attend the Western Nationals Tournament. The 14U Wolfpack All-Star team will be playing in this year’s tournament in Spokane Washington, Aug. 1-7.

After five years as President of the Board for AVGS, Louis Mazzarini is completing his term at the end of the league’s most successful season. 

“I thought I was a part of our greatest accomplishment as a league two years ago when all four teams placed first or second,” Mazzarini said.

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Mazzarini is referring to the victories in the 2009 District Tournament that enabled the league to “move up from the ‘C’ league to the more competitive ‘B’ league.” 

Those wins were extra special for Mazzarini because it was Father’s Day weekend and his younger daughter, Jennifer, was on one of the winning teams.

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Mazzarini first got involved with AVGS eight years ago when his older daughter, Stephanie, joined the league.  He had never coached before, but he wanted to volunteer.

“My mom and dad always volunteered…when you’re raised like that, you feel the same way,” he said.

Three years later, Mazzarini was asked to become the President of the AVGS Board. 

“Aside from the development of the girls and the satisfaction of the parents,” Mazzarini’s proudest achievements are the relationships he has established with the Aliso Viejo Community Association, the City of Aliso Viejo and other sports leagues.

Mazzarini said there were benefits to these relationships, including:

“Aliso Viejo Little League and AVGS have shared equipment and the Pinewood fields.  AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) and AVGS have worked out arrangements for shared field use during the fall seasons.

AVCA has put in outfield fences, bull pens and batting cages.  The city provides AVGS with a grant that is applied to registration fees for families who can’t cover the full cost of registration.  

AVCA and the City of Aliso Viejo are always a part of Opening Day, with representatives of each throwing out the ceremonial first pitch each year.”

For Mazzarini, the most rewarding part of volunteering is “seeing the success of the girls…the smile on the girl who gets her first hit.”

Mazzarini smiled as he recalled the pink uniforms and pink sweat bands the girls wore for Aliso Viejo’s Batting for a Cure Tournament.  Drivers on the toll road that day told Mazzarini how “eye-catching” it was to see so much pink at Aliso Viejo Community Park.

The Batting for the Cure Tournament raised just over $5,000 for Breast Cancer Solutions, a local non-profit organization that provides breast cancer patients with assistance and support.

The 14U Wolfpack team placed first in the Batting for a Cure Tournament and second in the Irvine Girls’ Softball Tournament.  By placing second at the Central District Tournament, the team gained a berth to SoCal ASA’s State Tournament.  Winning their first two games at the State Tournament qualified them to attend the Western Nationals Tournament.

Mazzarini said the Wolfpack team “has been through so much adversity” this season.  When they went to the District Tournament, their starting pitcher and another player were in Washington, D.C. on a school trip.  Later, a player broke her leg sliding into a base. 

“There is a special chemistry and bond that they have between them,” he said.  “There is a great amount of versatility with these players.”

Mazzarini said he is proud of the girls. 

“The team has been able to move players into different positions because of the missed games, and the team continues with its success—an amazing, special group of girls.”

***

The Wolfpack team will have a fundraising booth during Sunday's concert in Grand Park from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.  If you are unable to attend, and would like to help with the costs associated with attending the Western Nationals Tournament, please send your tax-deductible donation to: Aliso Viejo Girls Softball, 26895 Aliso Creek Rd, Ste B, #446, Aliso Viejo CA  92656.  Please specify that your donation is for the 14U Wolfpack team.  The tax-exemption i.d. number for AVGS is 33-0778412.

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