Sports & Recreation plays hard with the Softbelles.
 

For belles and boys

Founded by alumni of the UP Varsity Softball Team, Softbelles was created to promote the sport of softball in the Philippines.

Don’t be fooled by the name (or the witty tagline: ‘Because the diamond is a girl’s best friend’). The monthly recreational games are open to anyone who wants to learn the sport, or relive the good old days. (Many of the regulars are alumni of their college softball teams.)

Games are held at the Rosario Baseball Field in Marikina, or at the Meralco Baseball Field in the Meralco Complex, once a month (depending on the weather) from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Yes, it’s early, but that’s the only time you can play without suffering from heatstroke.

For the newbies, the first hour is when the coaches teach you the basics (a tutorial session is just around 100 bucks). For the veterans, the first hour is allotted for warm-up exercises like playing catch, batting, fielding, and good-natured trash talking.  

The rest of the time, the group is broken into two teams, and plays seven innings (which is one whole game for softball), or until everyone complains that they’re out of shape and getting old.  

Slo-pitch

For those intimidated by the 65mph speed of pitch used in softball competitions, no need to worry. The kind of softball played here is ‘slo-pitch’, which literally uses a slow pitch. The pitcher throws the ball high up in the air with a slow arc, and it lands right on the plate, as if it just fell from the sky. Sluggers love this pitch, too, because they can smash the ball easily for a double, a triple, or even a home run. All in all, the game is just for fun, without the pressure found in most competitions or tournaments.  

Gearing up

Though the organizers usually bring equipment, I recommend you get some personal gear. For attire, wear light-colored sports clothes that are not too thick, since you’ll be out in the sun. Grab jerseys, shorts, or jogging pants at Toby’s Sports, Chris Sports, Nike, or Adidas. Remember to bring a cap or visor.

If I were to recommend one piece of gear to buy, it would be the mitt. For mitts, favorite brands are Mizuno, Rawlings, and Louisiana Slugger. You can get these at any sports store or Mizuno branch. Make sure you get leather.

A mitt is a very personal thing. When playing, it’s the extension of your hand. You must know the geography of your mitt—where the pocket is, and what amount of pressure to apply, for it to snap shut at the exact moment. The length, weight, and shape of your mitt will be different from others. That’s why, when players borrow a mitt from others, we say “nakakapanibago,” and blame our errors and fumbles on the alien mitt. It’s like asking someone if you can borrow their shoes. Even if they’re the same size, it will still feel different.  

Speaking of shoes, for footwear, baseball and softball players use cleats, which give good traction when running. Make sure you get the ones for baseball, and not soccer or football cleats. You can get shoes at Toby’s, Olympic Gold, or Mizuno.  

Batting gloves are good investments for long-term playing. They help you get a good grip on the bat, for more precision and power. Also, they’ll prevent friction burns or calluses on your hands. Find these at any sports store.

Bats, helmets, plates, balls, and other equipment are provided by the group.

Don’t forget to grab a tube of sunscreen at Watsons, HBC, or any grocery! Try to get sunscreen specialized for sportswear, as this is the best for active wear.

Other Softbelles programs

Lia Roque, the Softbelles program director, has more than just the monthly game on her roster. Softbelles also conducts summer camp for girls and, just recently, began to co-organize corporate inter-department co-ed slo-pitch games, for team-building modules or mini-company tournaments.   

The Softbelles are also tapped as coaches and trainers. Lia, for example, coached varsity teams of exclusive schools, and was the strength and conditioning coach for the Philippine Men’s Softball Team, who competed last July at the world championships in Canada.

Though softball is not exactly our country’s favorite past time, after a few games with the Softbelles, you might discover that it could easily be one of your personal favorites.

(Mo Francisco is an ex-copywriter who quit her job so that she could travel more, backpacking (so far) around Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the U.S., and the most remote parts of the Philippines.)