New City Little League Softball Prepares Players for Success as Things Gear Up For Playoffs

It's playoff time for New City Little League softball, an exciting time of the year for parents, coaches and players.

This week's playoff commencement marked the beginning of a more competitive part of the season.  In weeks prior, players moved around a lot on the field to learn different positions and generally gain a better understanding of the game through working on the fundamentals. Now is the time for them to apply what they have learned to get the win and hold that first place trophy proudly in their hands.

While all but two teams have been eliminated from the running, each team, whether they win it all or not, can leave the season with many happy memories and a sense of pride over what they were able to accomplish this season.  For the White Sox and the Yankees, everyone looks forward to an exciting final game at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday.

To prepare the girls for the start of the playoffs, the NCLL held a softball clinic recently.  The afternoon began with a session for the younger girls, and ended with a session for the older girls.

The clinic was the third and final in a series of clinics which focused on teaching the girls such fundamental skills as throwing, fielding, base running, sliding, hitting and bunting.  While these skills provide the overt focus for the clinics, the major underlying benefit for the girls is how these sessions serve to build up their self-confidence. 

Much of the self-confidence comes from the extra amount of playing time, and thus familiarity with the sport, that these clinics provide for the girls.  In building their familiarity, the instructors make sure that the players not only learn the aforementioned skills, but that they also increase their softball IQ when it comes to rules and how to react at a given moment.  This improves their ability to judge just what to do in any number of difficult situations that may come up during the course of a game, whether they are batting, running the bases, or fielding the ball.

Not to be overlooked in building their self-confidence is the excellent group of individuals who come together to bring them this experience.  Coaches Scott Rockower and Frank Borelli are instrumental in running the clinics and encouraging the girls as they work to improve their technique.

"Scott does a lot of work for this" says Frank Borelli, "these clinics are really a great opportunity for the coaches as well, they can come here and improve their own understanding of the game so that they are better able to help out the girls during practice."

None of this would be possible without the expert instruction from Meredith Polansky, a social studies teacher at Clarkstown North and coach in her third season for the junior varsity softball team.  A product of the Congers Little League, she went on to play softball for Ramapo College.  Not only does she provide the girls with a chance to learn from someone with a vast and in-depth knowledge of the game, but she provides that instruction in a patient and supportive manner so important for building that self-confidence. 

For Polansky, the important focus for her is that girls are not just athletes, but student athletes.

 "There are certain things that they learn here that they can bring to real life" says Polansky, "I teach them to have class." 

As an accomplished female athlete, she serves as an important role model for the girls.  Furthermore, as product of the Congers Little League, she stands as an example for the girls of what they are capable of accomplishing.

Accompanying Polansky were Taylor Rockower and Jordyn Kaye from her JV softball team.  As many as four volunteers normally accompany her to the clinics, though with the school year winding down and things consequently getting busier and busier, she was not able to bring as many this time.  These girls help instruct the players and serve as role models as well.  This really helps build the confidence of the girls, who in practicing with exemplary student athletes such as Taylor and Jordyn, can see what they can accomplish by high school if they work hard and stick with it.

This part of the season leads up to the All Star games, where players are drafted to teams to play against other town's little leagues.  The All Star games are the most competitive part of the season, as the most talented and dedicated players come together to match up against such players from other towns.  To aid them in preparing for the competitive games, the league will be providing more clinics as the All Star games come closer.