OTTO-Hartford Explosion, ASA and NAFA 23-Under national champions

September 16, 2009

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South Dakota team on a championship run

HARTFORD, SOUTH DAKOTA - When spring rolls around and Mitch Warne
steps on to the softball diamond, he has but one goal - winning
another national championship with the Hartford Explosion.

And this team has won a few national championships. Eight in all.
Beginning in 2001 when Warne and his teammates were all age 10 or
under, they claimed their first Amateur Softball Association (ASA)
National Championship.

And those championships just keep on coming: The ASA 12-Under, 2003;
14-Under, 2005; 16-Under, 2007; and the 18-Under in 2008.

But 2009 was something special. The Explosion took top honors in both
the ASA and North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) national
championships in the age 23-Under division.

The secret to their success? Good old fashioned American work ethic.

"We play hard every inning, every game," said Warne, who catches,
plays first base, and the outfield. "A lot of it is our pitchers,
working out year round."

In Jim Hartman and BJ Hunhoff, the Explosion has two of the USA's up-
and-coming young pitchers. Both are age 19. Both throw hard, said Warne.

"Jim is one of the hardest workers I've ever caught," Warne said. "He
is always wanting to perfect his pitching. BJ is strong and just like
Jim throws the drop, rise and change up. (They) really buckle down
and get intense in the late innings."

And they also compliment each other well. Hartman the right-hander;
Hunhoff the left-hander.

With that lefty-righty combination taking turns in the circle, the
Explosion swept through both the ASA and NAFA 23-division national
championships undefeated with 4-0 records in each tournament.

In NAFA, Hunhoff was named the Most Valuable Player, and Hartman the
Most Valuable Pitcher. While Warne, Justin Black, and Jake Espland
were selected first team All World.

And living up to the name Explosion, Hartford outscored its
opponents, 45-7, in the 10-team tournament. In the championship, the
Explosion beat the Santa Barbara, California Young Bucks, 12-0.

Al Hartman, Jim's dad, has coached the Explosion for 12 years. He may
be a little swayed by having the two young South Dakota pitchers on
his roster, but who can argue with their success?

"I think I have the two best young pitchers in the country," Al
Hartman said, adding that over the years the Sioux Falls boys’
fastpitch program has had a huge impact on introducing boys to
fastpitch, and developing their skills.

In the ASA 23-Under nationals, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Jim Hartman's
success continued as he was named a first-team All American pitcher.
But winning all those national championships and MVP awards didn't
happen without a lot of hard work. Or without his dad's coaching.

Or without a little timely good fortune.

"When I was seven, my cousin was the main pitcher on our team," Jim
Hartman said. "But he was forced to move up an age division because
of a new age rule in the league. My dad needed a new pitcher and
decided that I could be the easiest to mold and he began developing
me as a pitcher."

Al Hartman is a bit of an "outsider" in the family when it comes to
fastpitch. His wife Linda played softball, and his three sons, Jim,
Matt and Greg played fastpitch - all under dad's coaching. But Al?
Never played.

But no doubt, without Al Hartman the Explosion wouldn't be enjoying
all those championships. For 12 years he has coached the team, which
is based in the small town of Hartford (pop. 1,844) located about 20
miles northwest of Sioux Falls. And his coaching career came about
like many other youth coaches - out of necessity.

"I got started as a coaching parent because the kids needed a coach,"
Al Harman said.

And he has no plans on stopping.

"This is a true team that comes back to play year after year," Al
Hartman said. "I'll keep on going as long as I have the players who
want to play."

And for Warne? "Every year I want to win the nationals," he said.

Bob Otto
www.ottoinfocus.com
botto3@verizon.net.