August 10, 2007

Australian baseball team visits Placentia
The youth group gets a close look at the American pastime and takes in the sights of Southern California.
By LOU PONSI
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

PLACENTIA Disneyland, Universal Studios, SeaWorld and even Hooters.

The attractions are requisites on the itinerary of a youth baseball team from Australia, in Placentia for the California Competitive Youth Baseball World Series that offered various age divisions and involved nearly 100 teams.

Games are being played at six sites in Placentia, Yorba Linda and Villa Park.

Six Placentia families are hosting the 13 Aussie Aces players, ages 12 to 15. The Australian team will stick around and hang out into next week.

John Couch – an assistant coach for the Aces, from Adelaide, South Australia – said the group has been awed by the "overall hustle and bustle" of Southern California.

"Most people have been having a look around," Couch said. "The women have been out shopping, of course."

The team and their families attended the Red Sox-Angel game Wednesday and were guests of the Orange County Flyers professional baseball team at Cal State Fullerton's Goodwin Field on Thursday. They plan to attend a Dodgers' game.

"It was heaps good," said Aces player Cameron Bobridge, 13, of the Angel game.

Couch said his players, getting their first taste of American baseball, have been impressed by the talent of their U.S. counterparts.

"Hopefully, some of these boys will take some of the inspiration back with them," said Couch, who hopes to bring teams to the U.S. again.

Said 14-year-old Aces player Jay Sanderson: "They look disciplined and trained real well. They play …more often than we do.''

The Mayfield family hosted three Aces players.

"It's amazing how children all around the world are the same," said Christine Mayfield, mother of three, who is hosting three Aces' players. "I'm yelling at them the same, and praising and loving them the same."