Prep talk: Will next season's state championships in baseball, softball produce few opt outs?

High school baseball and softball teams in Southern California are increasingly choosing not to participate in regional playoffs scheduled for next week. CIF associate executive director Brian Seymour expects fewer opt outs next season, when state championships occur, but softball may take longer to align. City Section Open Division baseball champion Birmingham and runner-up El Camino Real declined regional playoffs. Several Division 1 semifinalists in baseball also opted out. In softball, Division 1 finalists JSerra and La Mirada ended their seasons on Friday, and additional teams across Southern California have already opted out of state playoffs. Travel ball beginning in June is a major obstacle, and next season’s state championships would fall the first weekend of June, overlapping with regional finals dates.

"“I would think so,” said Brian Seymour, associate executive director of the CIF. The City Section Open Division baseball champion, Birmingham, and runner-up, El Camino Real, both passed on the regional playoffs. Three of the four Division 1 semifinalists - Norco, Harvard-Westlake and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame - also opted out. In Southern Section softball, the two Division 1 finalists, JSerra and La Mirada, are ending their seasons on Friday."

"Travel ball begins in June, and that's the big roadblock for softball, with many coaches and players participating. Next season, the state championships would be held the first weekend of June, the same dates as this year's regional finals, so solving the softball dilemma remains uncertain."

"“We've heard the comment from a number of different coaches [that] once we go to a state tournament, they were more inclined to make it work,” Seymour said. “Softball may take a little longer to come around. The power of representing your community and school is a little bit more than playing for your fifth travel team.”"

"But players invest thousands of dollars in club softball and coaches make good summer money in travel ball."

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