By Laiya Pamela Restivo
I’ve been involved in youth sports (coaching my fifth kid now) for many years through several sports and the 2023 Scotts Valley Trouble had what is hands-down the most successful comp season in terms of wins.
The team is comprised of 7-, 8- and 9 year old girls, many who had never played softball with a catcher before. Some girls couldn’t even catch well or throw properly at the start of practices for the season. They worked so hard practicing with the team 2, often 3 times a week in addition to whatever practicing they do on their own.
We played friendly scrimmages against teams from Watsonville to Los Gatos — Pajaro Tremblers, Cabrillo Crushers, SLV Mountain Dream, Los Gatos Magic, and Branham Hill Thunder with a record of 6 wins, 2 ties, and no losses.
We played in five USA Softball-sanctioned tournaments and placed in all of them.
In chronological order:
We earned:
- 2nd at Jan Macpherson in San Carlos
- 3rd at Battle of the Bay in Millbrae
- 2nd at Blast by the Bay in Soquel
- Champions at Eric Padgett in Sonoma
- Champions at the Strawberry Jam in Pajaro/Watsonville
Highlight from the latest championship berth:
Harper Swartz and LaVinnia Restivo had a combined 15 strikeouts over six innings, Swartz with 8 and Restivo with 7, each pitched three innings (extra innings using international tiebreaker rule) for a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sparks — where video footage was reviewed by the lead umpire in a call challenged by the opposing coach-video replay revealed a proper call by the on-field umpire), propelling SV Trouble to the championship game where the two phenom pitchers, Swartz ,a righthander, and Restivo, a southpaw, each pitched another two innings each to secure the tournament win over the Cabrillo Crushers.
“Trouble, you know, 212!”
•••
Head Coach (Manager): Laiya Pamela Restivo • Assistant Coaches: Jim Conner and Brett Swartz
Players: Olivia Simmons • Emma Lee • Jocelyn Conner • Alex Shippee • Mya Rapolla • Taylor Mace • Rylan Rossignol • Vivian Sklar • Ella Blasius • Allie Pao • Harper Swartz • Vinnie Restivo • Penelope Castillo
Developmental players who came to practices and scrimmages but were not tournament participants: Randie Byrd • Lucy Steele • Kate Steele • Ava Adams