LOS ALAMITOS : 8-Week Class Is a Hit With Mothers

It’s not exactly a “League of Their Own,” but no one is complaining.

For about two dozen mothers participating in a slow-pitch softball class at Laurel Park, their exploits may not merit a movie.

The idea is not to emulate Madonna or other stars of the movie about female professional baseball players. It’s simply to have a good time.

“It’s very relaxed,” said Denise Landon, 37, a Los Alamitos homemaker. “You don’t worry about embarrassing yourself or messing up.”

During a game this week, Landon was lugging her 2-year-old son, Craig, in one arm while fielding balls at right field. During one play, Craig cried in terror as Landon went after a fly ball that dropped a foot away from her outstretched glove.

“The kid is cheering his mom’s play,” said Nancy Patrick, the class instructor, as the other women roared with laughter.

There was one lesson learned: You don’t play softball while carrying a child.

The eight-week class is part of the year-round sports program sponsored by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation for women. Soccer is offered in the fall, basketball in winter and volleyball in the spring.

During the class, which is conducted every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 11, participants learn to throw and catch a softball, pitch, hit, run the bases and study the basic strategy to win games, according to Patrick, who has been teaching the class for the past nine years.

“It’s good exercise,” she said. “Some women go to aerobics classes. We play softball.”

Patrick, 39, a mother of three boys, said that with the class, mothers learn the game, making them better spectators at their children’s baseball or softball games.

“This is role reversal,” said Landon, who used to take her two older boys, Matt, 9, and Kyle, 7, to Little League games. “I cheer them at their games, they cheer at mine.”

Among the participants are a 51-year-old grandmother, Barbara O’Dowd, who is also a kindergarten teacher in Cypress; and Kelley Mahaffey, 29, who drives from Whittier to attend the class.

O’Dowd said she joined for the “fun and exercise.” Mahaffey said she wants to hone her skills so she can join a women’s softball league.

Patrick said that some of the women have played softball in their younger days. Others have not played before.

“One of my students asked me one day, ‘Am I holding the right end of the bat?’ ” Patrick said.

She said, however, the class stresses fun rather than skill and competition.

“No one strikes out,” she said. “Everyone stays at the plate until she hits the ball.”

Charlene Olivares, 38, of Stanton said she played in her church’s softball league in Norwalk for nine years. She has not played in more than five years, but during this week’s class she hit twice into deep center field.

“It’s amazing how you keep your skills,” Olivares said.

Earlier, as Olivares was stepping up to the plate, her 1-year-old daughter, Cheyenne, ran onto the field.

Olivares scooped up the child, hugged her for a moment, and said: “Mommy has to bat, sweetie. We’ll play with you later.”