An interview with Southcoast player/manager Sal Sardina
Sal Sardina
Why do you like the game of softball?
I think softball is a great sport with great players, every year especially when I started back in the 90's it was very competitive as well in the present.
Who is the best softball player you have ever seen?
I would have to say Kerry Everett, back in the day he was one of the best players..but now there are so many great softball players its hard to mention them all such as Helmer, Hall, Rusty, Johnny Mac to name a few
Where do you call home?
Born and Raised in San Diego, but reside in Glendale Arizona
What do you do for a living?
business owner of ATS Remodeling, Arizona Termite Solutions
What is your softball background as a player?
Started at the bottom worked my way to a Sponsor/Manager of my own team
How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
Well I started softball when I was 18 yrs old for my cousins team in San Diego, played tournaments with some of the guys from Ritchs Superior that lived in San Diego on a pick up team then I moved to AZ for a while played here for a couple B teams (some of the guys Prime Time Sports back then) kept moving up the ladder. I moved back to San Diego and played for Viper Sports/Reebok at the A-B level and been playing this level ever since. In 2006 I started my own Softball team ATS Softball.
Who are you managing/sponsoring in 2011?
SouthCoast Softball- Sponsors are PetSmart, ATS, BCC Consultant
What does your roster and schedule look like?
SouthCoast Softball
Charlie Case
Rafael Robledo Jr
Jay Hill
Jim Shano
Jose Nunez
Ron Payne
Mike Hrynio
Ed Lovato
Jake Valdez
Jame Devad
Steven Lopez
Ron Noyola
Brad Petersen
Sal Sardina
Schedule:
Vegas- Major
Arizona-Major
Nashville-Major
Dudley- Major
Kent WA- Major
Aurora- Major
A-Worlds
B-Worlds
What is your teams goal for 2011?
Win A and B Worlds thats the goal
Where do you look for talent?
Experience in knowing players, help from teamates
What is more important, talent or attitude?
Both but Chemistry wins ball games
How do you evaluate players?
By there honesty, trust, ability to try hard
What is your favorite sports team?
San Diego Chargers/Padres
What is your favorite sport other than softball?
Football & Baseball
Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
not really
What is your most memorable softball moment?
2007-2008 B Worlds made it to Sunday and took 4th Place back to back yrs, Also Winning 35 and Over Worlds
Is slowpitch softball a sport or a game?
Sport
What is the best improvement upper level softball could make to bring in more sponsors?
Well as a Sponsor we need to bring back the older days in Softball, back in the 90's players were honored to be apart of a great softball team. There were no BS talking about the bats or which player was playing on each team. Honesty of a player is not there anymore, because you have C players getting paid to play this game now I think its ridiculous. I believe if your a Major Player then yes you should be paid at that level and only that level. If Sponsors would change that then this sport would be even better. You will have more teams in every event and more sponsors wanting to have teams play at a LEVEL Playing Field in each Division.
Put the A and Major together make it Pro Level and have a structured amount to be paid to these guys let them compete against there level only. Bring back the NIT for all the other divisions B and below if this happens you will see a change in every tournament goes from 4 teams to 30 in each event in there state. Sponsors are stepping down because of the lack of teams or they have to travel all the time to play. Bring back the Berth award to go to the Worlds that was awesome you had to get a berth to go to Worlds. This will bring back old and new sponsors to this sport. Also have the Worlds Every Year in a Different State not just Florida all the time, this is another reason Sponsors don't want to have teams anymore because Worlds is always in Florida… Change is good
What is your favorite non-World tournament?
Dudley
What can be done to improve the Conference Championships?
I would Delete the Conference Championship and make that tournament a Semi Final or a National madatory for all teams and move it to Labor Day each team in there division play Double Elimination
Is the game better or worse with homerun limits and why?
I think A-Major should be the same 12 HRs, the lowers are good the way they are it allows teams to have a few Power hitters in there lineup, so I think its better over all
Who was the best team in softball history?
Ritchs Superior / LightHouse Worth
What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
When Carl Rose got Rung Up at the Major that Umpire didn't like what Carl had to say he was shakin in his boots
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