Collegiate league on deck

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Moanalua High graduate Jim Strombach is looking forward to spending the summer at home, thanks to a newly formed summer baseball league.

"At least I get to go back to Hawai'i and play in a quality summer league, instead of staying up here (on the Mainland) and not getting to go back home at all," said Strombach, who leads his team in hitting at .319. "Last year, it was hard because I was in the Northwoods League in Minnesota and I had little time to see my family."

The collegiate league will consist of four teams: Waikiki Surfers, Oahu Paddlers, Hawaii Aliis and Kamuela Paniolos. They will play a 43-game schedule from June 11 to July 23rd with doubleheaders at Aloha Stadium.

The collegiate developmental league was started by Al Kam, an assistant baseball coach at Kamehameha, who also helped run American Legion the past two years. It is a subsidiary of the Hawaii Youth Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization that will provide youths sports activities, such as a newly formed AAU prep league that also will run during the summer. Kam said the two leagues will be cross-promoted. With college coaches traveling here to check the progress of their players, they also can scout high school players. Also, pro scouts are expected to attend games on both levels. Kam said he started the venture to give players on both levels exposure.

"I saw a need for Hawai'i kids to play (in college)," Kam said. "There are a lot of kids in major Division I programs who don't have a place to play during the summer."

Kam said Rawlings will provide uniforms, baseballs, equipment and wooden bats. The Mainland players will be housed at Pearl Harbor, he said.

Some of the Division I programs providing players include defending national champion Cal State Fullerton, Southern California, Stanford and California.

Hawai'i's two Division I coaches say they like the new league.

"We'll have to wait and see, but it sounds like a good opportunity," UH-Manoa coach Mike Trapasso said.

The Rainbows have yet to commit any players because they were placed in other leagues during the fall, Trapasso said.

"Any time you have an opportunity to compete against college players, especially from some of the teams they're representing, I think it's a good thing for our kids," UH-Hilo coach Joey Estrella said.

Estrella said he will meet with returning players in coming weeks before determining who might be able to play in the new league.

Rainbows volunteer coach Keith Komeiji is one of the coaches for the Surfers. No UH player is allowed to play for Komeiji's team, as per NCAA rules.

Also in conjunction with the league is a baseball academy for youths. It will be conducted by the college players, Kam said.

Kam is looking at applying for NCAA and Major League Baseball sanctioning after two years. With sanctioning, the league can qualify for funding from both organizations, he said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.