Pearls Play In 100-degree Heat

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When the Hawaii Pearls 18-and-under softball team traveled to Colorado recently,they encountered a lot more than just stiff Mainland competition. They also battled the elements.

“It was a test of their will,” said Pearls coach Tony Saffery,who is also Kapolei High School’s coach. “We played in 100-degree weather, and we played game after game after game with no breaks in between. I was just really proud of how the girls handles themselves. It’s exciting to see kids playing at their best.”

The Pearls, who featured several players from Kapolei and Campbell, was one of 125 teams to take part in the Colorado Fireworks Tournament, which is among the largest softball events in the country. The tournament has long since been a boost to recruiting for both college coaches and prospective players.

“The biggest benefit of going there is that there were 308 scouts on hand to watch our girls perform,” said Saffery, who was quick to credit Pearls Club manager Dickie Titcomb as having figured big in the teams success this month. “And we had eight or nine schools show interest in our girls. If they can use the sport as a vehicle to get an education,that’s what it’s all about.”

In the area of mental toughness, prospective recruiters could only have liked what they saw of the group, according to Saffery. The Pearls, who played 11 games in all on the trip,were in jeopardy of being eliminated from the double-elimination tournament on Friday, June 29, before rallying to advance and play another day in the consolation bracket. On Saturday, June 30, the Pearls began their first game at 7:30 in the morning and didn’t finish their last encounter until nearly 8 in the evening.

“Saturday turned into a marathon,” said Saffery, whose team finished 17th overall. “We reached a point where we were in survival mode. Hopefully, the experience taught them about being able to stick together. For some of them, it was their first time away from home, and you’re playing against some of the best kids in the country, so hopefully, they look at it (Colorado Fireworks) as an honor and a privilege.”

Kapolei had four members of its softball team - Ka’ili Smith, Tehani Kaaihue, Alyssa Dumlao and Alysha Holt - join the Pearls’ roster, while Breanne Patton, Anuhea Yamaguchi, Kai Clark and Loreen Egdamin represented Campbell.

Players from Kamehameha, Moanalua and Leilehua filled out the rest of the Pearls’ roster.