Wednesday March 27th, 2024
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Lee Trotter

 

Lee Trotter

 

USSSA Playing History

   Major Watch List

2011 Interview

Why do you like the game of softball?
It brings a high level of competition with great athletes competing to win.  I think the A level is evening out and will be the team that plays the best on the hottest weekend of the year in Disney.

 Who is the best softball player you have ever seen?
 Very Hard to name just one…  Bruce Meade (would kill a ball) & Hank Garris (Power & Base Hitting)  Jason Kendrick (Heart the will to win), Andy Purcell (1 guy who can control a game) …  And theres 50 others right there.

Where do you call home?
Lakewood Ranch, FL

What do you do for a living?
Own a Financial Services Company with Allstate Financial & Allstate Workplace Division working with Business Owners.

Also own Suncoast Reebok, LLC – Team Sales Super Dealer for Reebok and we specialize in Team sales for High School, Colleges & Associations we can offer Reebok contracts with better pricing for your sports teams.

What is your softball background as a player?
I started right after college with a knee injury, with our church team and have been playing softball every since. I've played with Dudley, TPS, Nike, Mizuno, Easton & Reebok teams.

How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
I started in Church League and then went to play right in the A division of the local leagues.  Started with Terry's Plumbing and we won a couple of C&D World tournaments, then played with Mike's Marine in the off-season.  We had Bruce Meade, Hank Garris, Phil Jobe, Albert Davis, Phil White, Ricky Huggins, Jose Santiago, Jeff Vargo, Brett Melton, etc.  and pretty much won every game that we played.

Who are you managing/sponsoring in 2011?
Suncoast Reebok

What does your roster look like?

Adam Rockoff
Brian Justice
Dan Bean
Dustin Roberts
Dan Dillingham
Hank Garris
Jamie Nelson
Lee Trotter
Losson White
Luis Reyna
Marty Malloy
Ryan Robbins
Travis Lane

Hector Pagan – Coach

And hopefully Nate Holcomb, he's progressing and thankful for all the prayers for him.

What is your teams goal for 2011?
To win the USSSA A World tournament.

Where do you look for talent?
We look at the A-C level and really look at players at the Conference level.

What is more important, talent or attitude?
The attitude to do the right thing for the team to win is the most important aspect.  There is a lot of talent out there probably enough for 20+ A teams, but the attitude of to do whatever it takes for the team to win is what Championship teams are built on.

How do you evaluate players?
The first thing you notice is the talent, seeing the hustle, hitting (power & base hitting), defense.  The ability to play above average at his position and the ability to make the right decisions are vital parts in evaluating a player.  Also look at there track record, how they will fit in with your team and being POSITIVE players and leaders that will not quit and strive to win.

What is your favorite sports team?
I support the local teams, Tampa Bay Rays & Buccaneers

What is your favorite sport other than softball?
Baseball

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
Not really, always feel better if I have a Monster energy drink to start the day!

What is your most memorable softball moment?
Beating Team Combat in the opening round of the Men's Major World Series and scoring the winning run.

Is slowpitch softball a sport or a game?
Its really both, because its a sport you have to work really hard to be at the top level.  But, you have to balance it with work & family because to them its a game.  Sacrifices are made to be able to compete at this level, working out, hitting, running, etc.  To balance it you need good communication & scheduling are real key to be able to succeed in softball.

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make to bring in more sponsors?
Limit the Major Players on each team and bring some more exposure to the game thru internet, TV & newspapers.  Need more festival style tournaments, have a baseball tournament or other sports event going on to draw more crowds so upper level can get more corporate sponsors.  The corporate sponsors want to see there names attached to events that a lot of people can identify with.  Especially with this economy and marketing budgets cut in half.

What is your favorite non-World tournament?
The Dudley & Smoky, because of the Festival atmosphere, crowds and the best teams in the country play here.

What can be done to improve the Conference Championships?
Combine it with a regional/world tournament going on the other fields, so we can get some crowds watching the games. Have a Major Division & A/B (12 team division, double-elimination)  I think teams are more into games that matter than playing a lot of games.  Add a Manufacturers HR Derby Friday Night with 2 guys representing each Bat Company, or have an All-Star game on Friday Night.

Is the game better or worse with homerun limits and why?
I think its better, because it brought out better defense & base hitting.  Probably could raise the A Hr limit to 10 or 12 per game.

Who was the best team in softball history?
I like Ritch's Superior in the 90's & Resmondo in the present.  Very similar teams, with power, defense, great pitching and want to win every game.

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
Hank Garris catching a ball behind his back in Left field.  It happened against the guy who has a video that says he hit the longest HR and former Suncoast player Ric Lucas.  Ric, a very big, strong guy would always grunt and swung a very heavy bat.  Hank got a med high pop-up and and caught it behind his back, and snapped it up and said "Ddaaaahh".  Same thing Ric said every time he hit the ball, and if you knew Hank back then, he really didn't say a lot and let his bat do the talking.  We'll that night he let his glove do the talking and we were all laughing, and I think every guy was crying because they laughed so hard.  Sorry Ric, but that was some funny "stuff" (keeping it clean)

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