Saturday, July 9, 2005

Isleta brings baseball back to the pueblo

Minor division team ushers in new era

T.S. Last News-Bulletin Sports Editor; tlast@news-bulletin.com

Isleta Dormant for a quarter of a century, baseball is back on Isleta Pueblo.

And helping to usher in the new era are 10 boys, 9 and 10 years of age, who make up Isleta Little League's lone entry in the District 9 baseball tournament.

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"It's exciting for us. It's good to see Isleta having representation in All-Stars," said Charlene Lucero, president of Isleta Little League.

Lucero spoke following the team's dubious debut in the District 9 All-Star tournament, part of which is being played at the Enchantment Little League fields in Los Lunas. Isleta suffered a 23-4 loss to South Valley on Thursday.

Despite the loss, there was much to be celebrated. These 10 boys represent the rebirth of baseball on the pueblo.

Baseball in Isleta has a history dating back more than 100 years. People on the pueblo still remember the Isleta Reds, Dodgers and Toros — various incarnations of men's teams that represented the pueblo in summer Sunday afternoon contests against other community teams from the area.

But around 1980, the community teams died out, and what little youth baseball was played on the pueblo faded away as well. Until Isleta Little League became chartered this year, there hasn't been organized baseball of any kind on the pueblo for about 25 years.

The newly formed league joined a brand new district. District 9 — consisting of Valencia County's Belen, Enchantment and Yucca Little Leagues, along with Westgate South Valley, Socorro and Thoreau — splintered off from heavily populated District 5.

Lucero said that in previous years, boys in Isleta who wanted to play baseball had to leave the pueblo and join Albuquerque's South Valley, Los Lunas' Enchantment or Bosque Farms' Yucca Little Leagues.

Recognizing a growing interest, a league was formed that would allow aspiring young ballplayers to play ball on the pueblo.

"We weren't trying to take away from other leagues, but to open doors for kids who didn't have the opportunity before," Lucero said. "We drew a large volume of kids who haven't played before, and that's the good thing."

Good, but the large turnout led to a little bit of trouble. There is just one Little League diamond on the pueblo.

"We have a nice new field, but we definitely need more fields," Lucero said. "That was one of the problems. We had 13 teams this year from T-ball up to junior league, and we didn't have the space or the facilities."

Despite the problems a startup league experiences, Isleta Little League's first season was a rousing success. Lucero said she expects the league to grow next year, now that it's made it through its first season.

"I think some people may have been a little leery because they weren't sure we'd be able to make it this year," Lucero said. "But we did."

Doug Jojola is manager of the Isleta 9-10 (minor) division team. He said there proved to be a lot of interest for Little League baseball on the pueblo.

"It was kind of a last-minute deal, but we got a pretty good turnout. We've got a lot of kids," he said.

Jojola said Isleta Little League was able to field one minor division team of 16 players to compete in District 9. The All-Star roster was trimmed to 10.

Only two of the 10 players have previous Little League experience. Most are rookies who have never played organized baseball before.

Their inexperience showed in their opener against South Valley. But learning is part of the growing process.

"They're really trying hard, and we're really proud of them," Jojola said. "This is the first year for almost the whole team, and they've really improved since the beginning of the year. They enjoy it, and we enjoy coaching them."

Jojola said that Little League gives the kids a summer activity that keeps them busy and out of trouble.

"It's good for the kids because it gives them something to do. Otherwise, a lot of them might be doing stuff that wouldn't be good for them," he said.

Simon Ochoa pitches and plays second base for Isleta. He said he's learned more than baseball from playing Little League.

"It's about sportsmanship and having fun and stuff like that," he said.

Isleta boys aren't the only ones who have benefited. Lucero said there was a large turnout of girls for softball as well. In addition to the baseball team, Isleta also has a minor and major division softball team in the district's All-Star tournament.

"Our softball's pretty strong," she said. "Our minors played well (and won on Wednesday). Hopefully, we'll have the opportunity to go to state."

To be represented at state would be a big boost for the Isleta Little League program. And it could be help Little League grow to other pueblos in New Mexico.

"We're one of the first pueblos to have a chartered Little League," Lucero said. "We're kind of like the pilot program and, hopefully, others will join next year."

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