The So Cal Menace Travel Softball program, who has players from all over the Temecula Valley, is calling in the cavalry to help host an upcoming fundraising softball clinic in Murrieta. The cavalry in this case comes in the form of a past USA softball player that undoubtedly knows how to play the game at the highest level.

Crystl Bustos, or "The Big Bruiser" as she is known on the fields, was named the 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year and will be on hand for the fundraising camp which is taking place on March 30 in the French Valley area of Murrieta at the Winchester Fields from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bustos, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a former player that holds the world record for home runs during an Olympic series (six), also has a list of accomplishments a mile long and is a player who came up through the little league youth softball system in her hometown of Canyon Country.

Bustos is continually giving back as a much sought-after clinician and speaker across the country as a part of her GotBustos? LLC, Sports Training and also sponsors several youth softball teams in California and Ohio with the ambition of helping those players improve their game.

In a recent interview with the Little League Urban Initiative Hitting Clinic in Tampa, Florida, she said, "The young players just starting out are the future of softball and it will be the 10- and 12-year-olds today that will represent our country in future international tournaments."

"Lucky for us, Crystl’s cousin plays for us so that got the ball rolling," said Head Coach Vincent Gonzalez who also added, "The money we make is going to a big tournament in Colorado that we are headed to, but it is a lot of money to get there so we need help. This seemed like a great way to raise money and give back to the community at the same time."

In Colorado, the girls from the So Cal Menace program will be playing in front of different college coaches in an attempt to be recruited.

"They play very hard and have earned a shot to be picked up so hopefully we make enough money to get them there," added Gonzalez who has been coaching the sport for over eight years now.

The fundraiser camp is for players that are ages 8U through high school and will focus on batting, fielding, and teaching the physics of softball. To find out more information about the camp, contact Melissa via email at

16softball8@gmail.com or call (951) 663-0184.