Fallbrook Avos meet first-season goal

The purpose of the Fallbrook Avos baseball club is to develop the baseball skills of young Fallbrook players. This development is expected to benefit the high school baseball team in the future but is primarily aimed at providing the players with the skills and knowledge to play at high school and higher levels. Based on those criteria, Fallbrook Avos director Mark DiBenedetti considers the club's first season a success.

œIt was a great first season. The way those kids have matured and grown has just been awesome, and they're really learning, DiBenedetti said.

The Fallbrook Avos played in two local tournaments. The organization hosted a tournament at Fallbrook High School in early May; the under-12 Fallbrook Avos finished second and the under-14 Avos team placed third. During the San Marcos Youth Baseball Memorial Day Tournament the under-12 team won its division while the under-14 squad took second place.

DiBenedetti felt that the development of the players was an even more favorable result than the tournament successes. œWe're really working on the refinements and really understanding baseball, he said. œIt is about developing these kids with higher-level baseball skills.

DiBenedetti is also Fallbrook High School's varsity head coach and thus will benefit in that capacity from the increased fundamental, technique, and conditioning skills of former Fallbrook Avos players. œIt's all about developing and creating a feeder program to help the high school, too, he said.

The lack of players of high school age ensured that the Fallbrook Avos would not violate any CIF regulations against club participation during the CIF season or against Sunday games or practices. The Fallbrook Avos are now in an Amateur Athletic Union league whose season began Sept. 10, and the under-14 players are playing in an under-17 league to provide them with experience against high school players. œWe really stepped them up, DiBenedetti said.

The under-12 tournament team is participating as an under-13 team in the AAU league. The Fallbrook Avos organization also has an instructional program for participants ages 8 through 10.

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