Girls begin new softball season

Fallbrook Girls Softball League (FGSL) kicked off their third season with a Pancake Breakfast and Opening Day Ceremonies on February 10 at Ingold Sports Park. The breakfast was hosted and sponsored by the league. Volunteers, including parents, coaches and even a sibling or two, cooked and served breakfast to over 200 players and their families.

Parents and players patiently waited in line for custom helmet painting by Art Attacks Ink while listening to music provided by a local DJ. T-shirts, along with tickets for the gift basket raffle, were sold. Proceeds from the shirt sales and basket raffle are put in a general fund to assist with costs such as softball equipment, team uniforms, helmets and park fees and to keep the registration cost down.

The gift basket raffle is FGSL’s biggest fundraiser of the season. “Last year over $2,000 was raised in the raffle,” says Darcy Kuran, who heads the fundraiser. Baskets were designed around a specific theme by each of the league’s teams. Some baskets featured were a money tree basket, a casino getaway basket, a BBQ basket and a beach basket. Local businesses donated items for the gift baskets, some of which included a BBQ from Hank’s Hardware of Temecula, Pala Casino and Major Market.

“We want to recognize and thank all of our sponsors and local businesses in the community for their donations,” says Darcy. “Because of your help the gift basket raffle is such a huge success.”

Players’ parents say league co-founders President Shannon Koran and Vice President Patti Drew are the forces behind the league. As one volunteer coach put it, “They do almost all the work; they truly put their heart and soul into Fallbrook Girls Softball League.”

“The Fallbrook Girls Softball League consists of 16 board members, 19 teams and over 200 girls,” says Je’Anna Barrett, Director of Publicity. “All board members and coaches are voluntary positions.”

The FGSL consists of girls from Fallbrook and the surrounding communities of Rainbow, Bonsall and Pala. Placement on a team is determined by age, the youngest being 5 years to the oldest at 14.

Opening Ceremonies concluded the breakfast with an introduction of teams and coaches and league player Tess Sutton singing the National Anthem.