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For girls in baseball, Little League not the end

By WTOP Staff

SEAN CARLIN
Associated Press

Two girls will be competing in the Little League World Series for just the third time in the tournament’s 68-year history.

And their playing days don’t have to end there.

Unlike many of the 16 girls that have preceded them, there’s a future for Philadelphia’s Mo’ne Davis and Canada’s Emma March to pitch beyond the fields of South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They could play in high school and beyond.

A 17-year-old female high school pitcher from Florida recently threw batting practice to the Tampa Bay Rays and another woman is pitching in the NCAA.

Davis, a 13-year-old, has been dominant leading up to the series. She threw a complete-game and only gave up three hits in the team’s victory in the regional final last week to reach South Williamsport.

Davis said girls should be given a chance to play baseball beyond Little League if they want to.

“You never know what could happen,” Davis said.

March and Davis will make their LLWS debuts on Friday.

Kathryn Johnston was the first female player to appear on a Little League roster in 1950. A rule prohibiting girls from playing was passed in the 1950s, but that was overturned in 1974.

Little League doesn’t keep track of how many girls play baseball, but most tend to gravitate toward softball as they get older, said Lance Van Auken, executive director of the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum. He said it’s very rare to see girls competing in baseball beyond Little League, but added that it “doesn’t mean it’s not happening out there.”

Chelsea Baker, a 17-year-old high school knuckleball pitcher in Florida, recently threw batting practice to the Tampa Bay Rays. She said she has received interest from colleges, but no offers yet.

“I tried to play softball, but it wasn’t the same for me,” Baker said. “My next goal would be to play college baseball.”

Billy Connors, a former pitching coach for the Yankees, Royals, Cubs and Mariners, said girls who work hard and receive proper coaching and development “absolutely” can have success on a higher level than Little League. He cited Baker as an example.

“She’s doing it,” Connors, a member of the Schenectady, New York, team that won the 1954 Little League World Series, said of Baker. “She’s a pretty good pitcher.”

Ghazaleh Sailors, a pitcher at NCAA Division III University of Maine at Presque Isle, said that she was harassed in high school for playing baseball. She said she never thought of playing softball and doesn’t want to be known as the only female NCAA baseball player.

“They think I’m a gimmick,” Sailors said. “I’m not here to be a gimmick, I’m here to play baseball.”

Van Auken said the publicity surrounding this year’s tournament could lead some girls to stick around in baseball longer, rather than move to softball.

He cited Davis’ 70-mph fastball as a talent that could lead her to success in baseball in the future.

“That’s a really good fastball for anybody in the Little League World Series,” Van Auken said.

___

Carlin reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press John Christoffersen in Bristol, Connecticut, and AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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