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NAS Whidbey Island Hosts All Navy Women’s Softball Team
Story Number: NNS070922-04
9/22/2007

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tucker M. Yates, Fleet Public Affairs Center Det. Northwest

OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) -- The All Navy Women’s Softball team held tryouts and practices, prior to going to Hill Air Force Base, Utah for the 2007 All-Armed Forces Women’s Softball tournament, at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island softball fields, Aug. 26 to Sept. 16.

This is the third year NAS Whidbey Island has hosted the team.

“We normally try to keep the host base close to where the Armed Forces Championships are being held,” said head coach Senior Chief Electronics Technician (SW) Kirk Myers.

Myers has been involved in All Navy Softball for eight years, first as a player and assistant coach for the men’s team, now coaching the women’s team.

“Whidbey Island is relatively close to Utah so it’s just a short flight for us," said Myers.

This year’s team includes five returnees, two of which made the All Forces team last year.

The 15-member team is comprised of service members from U.S. Navy bases throughout the world, ranging from Sigonella and La Maddelena to Hawaii; it even includes two local Sailors from NAS Whidbey Island and a Coast Guard seaman.

“We look for pure and simple talent in our players,” said Myers. “This is the highest level of competition for slow-pitch women’s softball there is in the U.S., the All-Star team selected from the tournament gets to go play in the Amateur Softball Association Women’s Open Nationals in Oklahoma City.”

The tryouts were followed by two weeks of practice. The practices were up to six hours a day in three sessions. Practice included scrimmages between three teams of five rotating hitting to always keep ten players in the field.

The team members feel their hard work and effort will pay off according to Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Jenea Marjama, USS Nimitz (CVN 68). This is Marjama's second year with the team.

“We have a lot of potential this year out of the teams I’ve seen in the past four years,” said Marjama. “As long as we come together as a team we’ll get the gold, no doubt.”

“We’re doing drills that allow us to come together and play in any position,” said Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Renata Pearson, Naval Recruiting District Miami, also a returning player. "That way we have an abundance of everything for outfielders, infielders, pitchers, catchers; we can do it all.”

Assistant coach, Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AW) Dustin Edsel feels definite progress has been made from the start of the camp.

“The first day out here you could see a couple of [playeres] that were pretty rusty because they probably don’t get to practice much,” said Edsel. “Now the team that we have is definitely a contender and is going to do well.”

For more news from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, visit www.news.navy.mil/local/naswhidbey/.