Pin trading becoming the highlight of opening ceremonies

By Loren Kopff

LANCASTER-They come in droves every July in their mini vans, pickup trucks or RV’s, lining up to get a prime parking spot with lettering on their vehicles promoting who they are representing, either by team or player. Destination: the Big 8 Sports Complex in this Antelope Valley oasis.
• They have already played their first games of the 2010 Southern California Amateur Softball Association ‘B’ State Championship, and in some cases, two games. But while focusing on becoming one of the 12 teams that will qualify for the Western Nationals, it’s hard not to revel in the jamboree that awaits the players during the two-hour opening ceremonies the Friday night of the tournament.
• The Cerritos Legacy 12-Under All-Stars became the latest bevy from the Cerritos Girls Softball Association to experience the celebration from all of the hard work of the previous two months or so. And just like the previous summers, the format was just the same for the 1,800 young ladies from all over Southern California.
• As it relates to the Legacy, last weekend’s experience wasn’t the first for Rachel Barajas, Kylee Brown, Megan Darling and Deidra Genera. The last three were here last July while Barajas was a member of the 10-Under Gold All-Stars that walked on the Qualcomm Stadium grass as part of the California State Games in 2008. Last year, Darling played for the 12-Under Silver All-Stars but was asked to join the 14-Under team as part of late replacement.
• “The first time I was with the 14-Unders, so that was a good pleasure,” Darling recalled of last summer. “But coming here [again] with a very good team is just the same. It’s life changing.”
• The players from each team are lined up district by district, then age group by age group. They are all decked out in their own attire that ranges from simply their uniform to matching plaid cowboy shirts and cowboy boots. Some have beads to throw out, thinking this is the Mardi Gras of the desert while others have small, harmless plastic or rubber balls to throw in the crowd. There was even a beach ball sighting that was being batted around from player to player.
• After the umpires are introduced first, the players make their way from right field and traverse down the first base line, receiving a stuffed teddy bear from the umpires before walking around home plate, up the third base line and back to the outfield.
• Once the teams have been introduced, and after a few words from Kristi Allen, the Junior Olympic Commissioner for Recreation, the players are released to chase down different players from various teams to trade team pins. Each Legacy player was previously given 20 CGSA pins and for Darling, among others, the activity wasn’t old. All of the Legacy players received pins from teams such as Chino Hills, Claremont, Colton, Downey, Mira Mesa, Moorpark, Navajo, PYL (Placentia/Yorba Linda) and Rancho Trabuco, among others. Some Legacy players collected as many as 22 pins.
• “My favorite part, personally, is the pin trading because I like meeting new people and getting the pins,” Darling said. “I remember getting one or two of the same from last year.”