Story posted Friday, July 3, 2009
The 2009 Des Plaines Piglets girls softball team, sponsored by The Ostenson Insurance Group. Seated (from l. to r.): Kim Morales, Michelle Marlega, Maria Mavraganis, Janie Feldkamp. Second row: Darian Herman, Carissa Cruz, Megan Taylor, Kristine Checea, Nikki Vanyai. Third row: Katie Suerth, Katilyn Schacht, Victoria Livingston, Kim Christoffel, Zoe Zunnurain. Coaches in the back row are John Cruz, Greta Ostenson and Carl Ostenson.
Piglet Power!
DP Softball Team, Formerly The 'Grapes', Changes Name
Carl Ostenson's girls softball teams seem to be among the most creative around.
For the last few years, he led the Des Plaines Grapes as coach. The energetic bunch of high school aged teens named their team the Grapes in honor of their bright purple jerseys.
But this year there was a problem. Purple jerseys weren't available.
So Ostenson's team chose pink uniforms and sat down to decide a new name.
"We brainstormed on what would be a good, funny name," Ostenson said.
It turned out to be Ostenson's niece, Katilyn Schacht, who shouted out the winning choice.
The Des Plaines Piglets were born.
Ostenson may now be scrambling for more pink clothing, but he enjoys the new name.
"They always make me laugh," he said.
So far the Piglets are 2-1 on the season but have had most of their games rained out. They practice and play games at Maine West High School and take on other girls from Des Plaines and various west suburban communities in the 17 & under West Suburban League.
And no doubt they'll be busy in the coming weeks, basically doing what piglets do: playing on dirt fields.
---Bobby Chilver
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