51 youth teams

CLOSE PLAY-Summer Hall of Moorpark Gold gets to first safely as Oceanside Gold first baseman Monika Martinez couldn't catch the throw. The girls were participating in the 3rd annual Amanda McPherson Memorial All-Star Tournament held at Rancho Simi fields. in action last

weekend

This past weekend, Simi Valley hosted the 3rd annual Amanda McPherson Memorial All-Star Tournament, which included 51 teams, chants that rivaled those of World Cup fans and enough spirits shining to help light up the Hollywood Bowl.

The tournament honors McPherson, who three years ago passed away from the disease of Viral Myocarditis.

The annual tournament helps spread awareness of the disease, and is also a way to remember what a great person Amanda was.

"She had a really strong spirit and this is a way we can do something great in her name," her father Phil McPherson said.

One way in which Amanda was recognized was by the awards given out called the Spirit Awards, which were to be given after each game to a player from the opposing team's coach.

FAST PITCH-Makenna Kawana follows through on her pitch at the 3rd annual Amanda McPherson Memorial All-Star Tournament. Awards were handed out to the players that tried the hardest and cheered the most, not necessarily the most valuable player on the team.

"My greatest moment of satisfaction for the tournament came when Mary McPherson told me about a team that gave the spirit award to a girl that never even played in the game," tournament director Lisa Jajko said. "She was in the dugout, but she cheered her teammates on anyway. I thought that was wonderful that someone recognized that and rewarded her."

The tournament included teams from Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark, as well as teams traveling from as far away as Oceanside.

The players seemed to think this was a perfect way to start their summer.

"It's been great and I really liked the spirit awards and the snow cones," 11-year-old Oceanside player Amanda Wright said. "I also liked to go swimming back at the hotel and going shopping while being here."

"It's fun because you just want to win trophies and spirit awards," 12-year-old Simi teammates Emme Soles and Katie Krilley said. "It's just awesome as school just ended, so it's even easier to be happy."

The tournament ended on Father's Day, which was just perfect in the eyes of some of the players' dads.

"It's been great, an absolutely perfect way to spend Father's Day," Burt Wright said. "The atmosphere has been great and I would do it every year if we could."

"We came up on Friday, relaxed, played two games but didn't do too well," Dennis Harman said. "It was a good time to get away and the team (Oceanside) got along and bonded well at the hotel. Plus any time I'm at the ball field, it's a great way to spend Father's Day."

According to Gina Gooding, who worked the registration table at the Santa Susana field for three days, the tournament ran as smooth as possible.

"It's been phenomenal," Gooding said. "I've had four or five people doing grounds crew work before every game. The umpires and the park and recreation people have been great as well. We had one umpire whose mother passed away and the other umpires just stepped up and took his place perfectly."

"It was never a tough job, because I knew I had a great team of volunteers that wanted to see it all come together," Jajko said.“I even had a few volunteers that came and helped out,even though they didn't have any daughters playing this weekend. I was thrilled to see it all come together the way it did."

One of the volunteers for the tournament was the Kiwanis Club, which sold hamburgers and hot dogs.

The money the organization received goes toward scholarships and different charities and organizations. Kiwanis Club member Ray Dempsey said it made him happy when he saw how the tournament was affecting how the kids and parents were acting.

"I have been surprised to see how polite these kids and adults have been," Dempsey said. "Everyone has been very appreciative and that makes you feel like what you are doing is important. I have been here for three days and have not seen one unhappy person. Not one."

For Phil McPherson, the tournament came at just the right time with Father's Day and Amanda's birthday both during the weekend. "It's hard, but for us to be do

ing something like this tournament in her name makes it a lot easier as opposed to sitting around doing nothing," McPherson said.

With all the spirit awards, softball games, and how smoothly the tournament ran, it is safe to say that Amanda McPherson is still smiling along with everyone else.

For more info on Amanda McPherson, visit the website www.theamandamcphersonfoundation.com.