In South Philly, H.S. Softball Players Hoping To Get Noticed By College Coaches
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Dozens of high school softball players from across the region are involved in a four-day tournament at FDR Park in South Philadelphia. And it's a tournament which may result in more than just a trophy.
The Softball Carpenter Cup Classic, sponsored by the Phillies, features 16 teams of high school sophomores and juniors on the field, and college coaches measuring players' readiness to move to the next level.
"You have to come in, you have to learn a whole new set of systems and rules, and you get these kids as all-stars and they're playing for coaches they haven't played for, so they have to learn on the fly," notes Brittany Stroop, a coach at Eastern University in Wayne, Pa.
Pitcher McKenzie Purr of Conwell-Egan High School, in Fairless Hills, Pa., was warming up nearby.
"I get to meet new catchers, get to work with different pitches, see how they like them, too," she said. "I get info from other people."
Catcher Erica DiAngelo of Archbishop Carroll High indicated she was keeping the big picture in mind.
"I'm not nervous. I'm just here to do the best of my ability, and I've contacted some coaches and we'll see if they like what they see," she said.