COMPTON, CA - Imagine a girl’s softball team with no uniforms, no bats, no balls, no bases, not even a home plate, yet still they show up and still they play. Chattering away, the girls keep their spirits up, although they have only scored two runs, while giving up 175 this season. Not to mention the lack of school officials required to attend all high school sporting events, as stated by the High School Sports Federation rulebook. There is no equipment, no support, no fans, yet these girls are tough and determined to stay out there and play.

Even the Los Angeles Times reported on this story on May 7th, 2004. Emphasizing the special attention divvied out to the championship basketball teams, the Times claimed Compton High School held a huge celebration that included music, lunch and helicopter rides for the players. At the same time, the girl’s softball team was playing in white t-shirts, with numbers scrawled in permanent marker, using a glove for home plate, and breaking one of their two ancient bats. The girls do not have a dugout and they use the bleachers, where they are taunted, not only by their opponents, but by their fellow students as well. There are no fences on the field, and cars driving towards the boy’s field cut across the outfield, making it a dangerous situation. It appears nothing is working out for these poor kids.

Sean Corrigan, a history teacher with little softball coaching experience, volunteered to take over the girl’s team because no one else would do it. The Times quoted him as saying, "You know what I really respect most about our girls? Knowing what they must go through every day, just to play. I greatly respect them for showing up." Corrigan has had to start at the beginning, teaching the girls the difference between a ball and a strike, a force out and a tag play.

Attitude is everything, and these girls sure have attitude. Chanting away, they show-up; they play; they lose; then come back the next day and do it all over again.

No one quit the team, no matter how tough it got, they all stayed. While the season has ended for the girls at Compton High School, the attention is focused on the inequities and lack of fairness that still haunts girl’s sports in certain high schools.

Here’s to the proud few who kept showing up and chatting away during the toughest of times.