From House League to State Title: OPRF Softball’s Journey Downstate
/Oak Park River Forest takes on Oswego tonight at 5:30 p.m.—and it’s incredible to see so many local athletes representing our amazing softball town! I'm especially proud to see current and former Practice Pro pitchers on the roster: Anna Topel, Georgia Godellas, Leia Hammerschmidt, Arielle Spurlock, Avery Lane, Gloria Hronek, Gabrielle Chesney, Julia Mattiace, and Carolyn Rainey.
Even though they aren’t all still pitchers, we are proud of you and the rest of the team and are cheering for you every step of the way! Our mission has always been to make Illinois the BEST state for softball in the country. Whether an athlete trains with us for one session, five years (or even not at all), we believe that increasing access to quality instruction and passion for the game has a ripple effect across the state.
The rise of elite talent in Oak Park and surrounding areas isn’t by chance—it’s the result of years of effort from parents who invested in strong house leagues. That foundation was being laid even back before I played in the 1990s. Because of parents’ vision and commitment, girls in Oak Park have grown up with real opportunities to play, develop, and compete—eventually helping turn OPRF into a consistent state title contender.
In many south suburbs, house leagues have disappeared, and players are pushed straight into travel ball. Oak Park stands out by offering multiple paths: house league, travel, or a combination of both. The more levels that are offered, the more players we can play—and that’s great for everyone.
Personally, I’m thankful I got to play basketball recreationally while focusing on softball at a higher level. I’m glad recreational basketball existed - it would have been very difficult to try to be the best basketball and softball player. Softball was more my sport. That kind of balance is important, and it's part of what makes a strong, healthy sport—one that supports every kind of athletic goal.
So what does it take to become a state champion pitcher?
Here’s our best guess—based on our Level 4 Practice Pro standards. These benchmarks are what we believe many of the OPRF pitchers have accomplished to reach this point. Current and former students—let me know how close you think we are to what teams will see downstate!
Level 4 practice Pro Skills:
* A “Spot” is a ball-size target, not just a strike.
Demonstrate mastery of all 5 fundamentals during competition.
Hit 70% of your spots with a fastball.
Pitch a deceptive changeup while hitting 50% + of your spots, and 10% or less bad misses.
“Have” 2 movement pitches = pitches that move AND hit the spot 40% + of the time.
Pitch your secondary fastball with 0% bad misses.
Pitch the ball at least 50 mph 80% of the time
Plank for 2 Minutes
Do 20 perfect push ups
Have completed one full year of formal strength training.
