For the third consecutive summer, the Upper Perk Girls Softball League hosted a clinic for new and returning players. This week, the league's Sandlot Program
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Upper Perk Girls Softball League President Daniel Louis in-
structs girls new to the sport, during the penultimate season of
its Sandlot Program on July 24 at Camelot Park.
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completed a five-week run.
Approximately 85 players between the ages of six and 15 participate in the league that competes in the North Penn League. The summer Sandlot program attracted about half that number. "It's the best way to build a good program," league President Daniel Louis said.
On five consecutive Wednesday evenings, beginning June 26, the players converged on Camelot Park in Upper Hanover. For two hours each night, coaches focused on helping the girls learn the basics: hitting, throwing/catching and running the bases.
According to league Secretary Ericka Judd, the program allows players to get on the field as a unit and learn together. The Pennsburg resident wrote in a text message that the ultimate goal is to provide another opportunity for the girls to play and have fun doing it.
"It's important work," Judd wrote in a text message. "This league is being rebuilt from the ground up and each year we gain more interest. We have been working tirelessly to build this league up and expand as much as we can."
Each week during the program, the players moved around multiple stations at the park. The event catered to players of all skill levels and provided an opportunity to sharpen skills before the fall season that starts this month.
On July 24, the fourth of five sessions, Louis broke the girls into three groups. He sent aspiring pitchers to a lower field and experienced players to take batting practice at a cage between the two fields.
The remaining group, who identified as new to the sport, stayed at Field No. 1 with Louis. Standing near the pitching rubber – surrounded by the 10 novice players – he directed the aspiring players to identify the locations of first, second and third base.
They moved to home plate, where Louis pointed out the batters' boxes. He directed the girls to take an imaginary swing and sprint to first base. As each girl stepped on the orange safety base – attached to the white base – positioned in foul territory, slowed and peeled right by following a series of curved cones positioned in the grass.
At second base, Louis offered a base running lesson. He had each girl run to third. A base coach either stopped them or waved them home.
"When I had daughters, I became a softball coach," said Louis, an Upper Hanover resident who played catcher and pitcher at the Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken, N.J., nearly 20 years ago.
For two new players, the sport appears to be an ideal fit. Lindsay Lutz, who also lives in the township, claims her daughter Harper, 6, swung the bat very well during the Sandlot program. "She killed it," Lindsay Lutz said.
According to Lindsay, Harper recently asked to try softball after playing wiffle ball with her older brother. The girl, a rising second grader at Hereford Elementary, previously participated in gymnastics cheerleading and dance.
"We couldn't find her niche," Lindsay said. "She loves the game. The day after the first session, we went out and bought her all new equipment."
Harper Lutz appears to be following a path her father has already blazed. Zach Lutz played parts of 2012 and 2013 with the New York Mets.
The 2004 Governor Mifflin graduate, who played at Alvernia University for his father Yogi Lutz, spent 12 seasons in professional baseball. He competed in Japan and Korea.
Skyler Fogel, 8, participated in her initial Sandlot program after completing her first season with the league this past spring. Ashley Fogel described the sport as the perfect fit for her daughter, who also participated in soccer, dance and Taekwondo.
"Skyler felt included and welcomed," said Ashley, who lives in Red Hill. "The sportsmanship was good, and we liked her coach."
Judd registered her daughter, Norah Travaglini, 9, in the Sandlot program for a multitude of reasons, including repetition. She wrote in a text message that "you can never practice enough."
"There's just not enough time in the day to give them all the skills they need throughout the season," wrote Judd, who also serves as a coach. "So this is a really imperative time of year."