Softball girls of summer

OLIVE PARK — For years, the Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Department Ponytail Softball leagues have been the premier place for the area’s young players to hone their playing skills.

Following a season of intense rivalries and games, athletes got a chance to take it easy and partake in some friendly competition.

Saturday at Olive Park, the players celebrated the ending of another successful season with the annual Ponytail Softball Jamboree, sponsored by the Foothill Civitan Club.

Like their male counterparts a week earlier, the softball players invaded the park for their traditional skills competition, food, refreshments and a lot of awards.

The day began a parade from the Burroughs High parking lot that wound its way to the park.

In the skills competition, players took part in four events — hitting for distance; throwing for accuracy; baserunning and throwing for distance — and won awards for their accomplishments.

The Ponytail league is the largest softball organization in the city.