Lake Elsinore VooDoo Headed To Fastpitch Nationals

The Lake Elsinore VooDoo is going places: to the American Fastpitch Association Western Nationals at Hemet’s Diamond Valley Sports Complex beginning July 18.

The all-girl fastpitch travel softball team will take on the High Desert Storm at 10 a.m. July 20, followed by Team Easton at 2 p.m. that same day.

Late Thursday afternoon, the VooDoo was practicing its stuff at Rosetta Canyon Park, readying for next week’s games, and team manager Roger Nguyen said his 15 players are ready.

“They have the potential,” he said. “All the girls really challenge themselves. It’s for them to step up and want it.”

In between batting practice and off-field chatter, the girls – ages 11 and 12 – talked about next week’s games.

Bibiana Villeda, 12, of Lake Elsinore is a pitcher and an outfielder for the VooDoo. Thursday she was getting pointers from pitching coach Kristi Devries, 29, who played softball for the Dutch Olympic team and made it to the Beijing Games in 2008.

“Keep your shoulder back. Move that front foot back,” Devries instructed Bibiana.

Bibiana said she’s looking forward to pitching and working the outfield next week, but the batter’s box is what’s on her mind.

“I want to get my first hit,” she said.

Brittney Revolorio, 12, also works on the mound for the VooDoo. But even with a 40 mph pitch, the butterflies are still swarming looking ahead to next week.

“It’s exciting but I’m a little nervous,” she admitted.

Nguyen explained that Brittney lives in Anaheim, but stays in Lake Elsinore with her grandmother during the summer months just so she can play with the team.

Brittney’s not the team’s only out-of-towner.

Banning resident Ivano Torres commutes to Lake Elsinore for team practices so his daughter Chelsea, 11, can play with the VooDoo.

“We don’t have a local fastpitch travel team,” he explained.

Lack of teams is why Nguyen said he started VooDoo last year in Lake Elsinore. He explained that his now 11-year-old daughter, Paris, expressed interest in competitive softball, but local teams were practically non-existent. He said recreational teams were in place, but year-round travel ball is challenging and results-driven.

“Expectations are high among parents and kids,” he explained, noting that travel ball costs can range from $300-$400 just to get a child started in a program. Monthly fees range from $60 to $120, he said.

VooDoo fees are $265 to get started and $60 a month during the summer.

Star VooDoo shortstop Keyona Villanueva, 12, of Temecula, is an example of a results-driven player. Nguyen said she has the talent to go all the way.

For now, however, Keyona’s mind is on Hemet.

“I just hope we do good,” she said. “But really though, I’m in it to win.”