Preparation and poise.  Approach and response.  Know what you want to do; know how to do it; know how to react to whatever results. Hitters heed: how you go about your business and how you react to what happens to you both are, theoretically within the boundaries of your control.  What happens to you (results), are not.

Learn the difference – and learn how to manage what you are allowed to manage.  The famous poem by Rudyard Kipling says in part, “If you can keep your head, when all about you are losing theirs…” The poem ends saying, “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and – which is more – you’ll be a man, my son!”

Read the entire article on our new blog, "Dugout Chattuh" by clicking here.

Thank you for your patience for the start of Ninja Practice on Wednesday Nights.  We decided that it was important to give a couple of our older teams the access to a field during the week in preparation for the qualifier season being that getting full participation practices during HS season is virtually impossible even on weekends. We will start Ninja Practice on Wednesday, June 5th from 7-9pm at Heritage Park. It is no longer necessary for you to book your spot in advance. Walk ups only (until we have reached capacity). $20/class for Ohana athletes; $25/class otherwise.

Congratulations to Ohana Tigers Holloway/Contreras for earning a Premier Girls Fastpitch (PGF) Premier Berth this past weekend! The girls played hard and went 5-0 undefeated to grab a berth to the biggest stage in softball! Well-deserved win ladies!

Our 12u team from NorCal, Ohana Tigers Hansen, is on a hot streak, winning another Championship this past weekend at the California Pride All Stars Tournament in Nor Cal's South Bay! Congrats girls and keep playing your hearts out!

Team: Ohana Tigers 18U Herrera
Position: C / 1B
High School: La Reina HS, Thousand Oaks, CA
Grade: Senior, Class of 2019
Other sports/school activities: Lit Team, Retreat Leader, National Honor Society
Years in Ohana: 2 years
Signed to: YALE University
Favorite Subject: Math
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Band: Gavin DeGraw 
Favorite Athlete: Mike Trout
Favorite Store: Bath & Body Works
Hobbies: Hiking, puzzles, going to the beach

What courses/major do you plan to explore in college? Neurology, Physical Science, Psychology

Most important qualities in a person: integrity, optimism, kindness, trustworthiness

Biggest turn-off or pet peeve: loud chewing, taking food without asking, clicking/tapping pens

Favorite quote to live by: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the Glory of God."

If I could do one thing to change the world: End Third World hunger and poverty

1. Learn the umpire’s strike zone as early in the game as possible.  The lowest strike, the highest strike, outside limit and inside limit.  Know what he will give you and what he won’t give you.  Most of the time, they will be consistent with their calls.
2. Get ahead of your “pitch count”.  Most often, first pitch strike is important, unless you consciously pitch outside the strike zone (pitch out, “fish” pitch, learning umpires strike zone).
3. Make every effort to get the first out in each inning.  Opposing teams have fewer scoring options with one out and no runner on base.
4. Pitch with efficiency by limiting the number of three ball counts.  In a 7 inning game, your pitch count goal should be about 80-85 pitches, (an average of 12 pitches per inning).  A pitchers strike to ball ratio should be approximately 2:1 (two strikes pitched for every ball). 
5. Pitchers must work at being good fielders.  Good fielding pitchers help their efficiency.
6. Know yourself!  On any given day, know which of your pitches is working most effectively during warm ups. Which of your pitches is not working well during warm ups.  Every pitcher should have 1 or 2 go to “OUT” pitches.  Following your pre-game warm up, it is IMPORTANT to share this information with your catcher and the coach calling pitches.
7. The most effective pitcher, is not necessarily the pitcher who can overpower a hitter.  The most effective pitchers are pitchers who keep hitters off balance (disrupt the hitter’s timing) by changing speeds and pitch location.  Learn to do this well.  You MUST have a “change up” that you can spot locate with consistency.
8. Good pitchers don’t get beat by the bottom half of the opposing team’s line-up.  Don’t give free bases (walks, hit batters, errors, etc.) to the bottom half (7, 8, and 9 hitters) of the opposing team’s line-up , however don’t take them for granite.
9. Good pitchers are able to get a strike out (K) when they need it. Good pitchers don’t give up a lot of home runs because of bad pitches, or POOR PITCH LOCATION.  Minimize the need to make a bad pitch (middle of the plate) by staying ahead of the count.  By being ahead of the count, pitchers can “work” the edges of the strike zone.
10. Be smart!  Think like a pitcher, not a thrower.

Position: 3B, Catcher, Util
High School: Gahr HS, Cerritos, CA
Grade: Junior, Class of 2020
Years in Ohana: 4 years
Signed to: San Jose State
Favorite Subject: Engineering
Hobbies: Watching Youtube
Favorite Food: Cheeseburgers
Favorite Snack: Acai bowls
Favorite TV Show: Riverdale
Favorite Movie: Benchwarmers

I play softball because: it is where I can forget about school and just have fun with my friends.

My most recent embarassing moment: I tripped over a bench in front of random people at school during lunch and I got so red and my knees were bleeding!!

Biggest role model and why: My brother because he has been through alot and has perservered.

What I still work on to improve / tip to younger players: Speed. #speedkills