Softball in the Montelores area is alive and well.

"We have only undergone a name change," Southwest Softball Association president Regina Schaak said. "We are here and the organization (formerly Montelores Babe Ruth Softball Association) is very much active and we are looking forward to this season."

With the name change, the group also affiliated with the Amateur Softball Association which features a more competitive style of fast-pitch ball.

"Right now we have a lot of younger girls signing up for baseball, which is okay, but we would like to see them playing softball so we can build a strong organization here. Girls in the Dolores area are signing up for baseball but we have teams put together here now."

The early sign-up period is over but they can still sign up for the regular period through this Friday, April 14, for $50 per girl.

Because of some dissension in the softball community a year ago, several groups of teams suddenly sprang up. But now everything is back under one roof, according to Schaak. There are U-10 and U-14 recreational and U-14 and U-16 competitive teams. The tryouts and draft are coming up and teams will be put together and getting the season started (middle of May).

With the older girls (U-16), the Cortez team will play in the new Four Corners Softball, a splinter group being formed in the Farmington, N.M., area. This group is not playing in the Farmington Municipal League.

"Games will played against basically high school teams from Aztec, Bloomfield, Kirtland, Piedra Vista (Farmington), and Durango. We would like to see the competitive U-14 team eventually play in a local league," she commented.

Several clinics are being planned, according to Schaak. Some of the older girls want to come and work with the younger ones. Several former college softball players are also wanting to come in and conduct pitching and catch clinics.

"We are going to work really hard and get the younger ones started with the basics and get them going in pitching and catching through clinics. We want to develop a strong summer softball program around here and we are not going to let this thing die," she added.

"Basically, we want people to know we have not disbanded. We have only had a name change and that’s it. We have gone ASA, which is good. By affiliating with ASA we can now go to tournaments during the regular season. I’m excited and we’re looking forward to a great summer of softball," she said.