'An amazing privilege': Breakthrough Series provides girls opportunity to refine game

VERO BEACH -- After competing in the IX WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup group stage in August, Team USA was back together earlier this month at Major League Baseball's Girls Baseball Breakthrough Series at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla.

Four National Team players -- Elise Berger, A'lana Martinez, Naomi Ryan and London Studer -- served as coaches at the Breakthrough Series, helping players who hope to one day be in their shoes. They were joined their manager, Veronica Alvarez, the coordinator of player development in Latin America for the Oakland A’s.

For Alvarez, who played in three Women's Baseball World Cups for the United States, the opportunity to coach alongside her players provides her with the opportunity to connect with them more.

“I think they see me as a leader no matter what, so the dynamic is maybe different here [than] when we’re working together, but very respectful once we’re in that player-coach relationship," Alvarez said. "I get to build relationships with them, and that only contributes to the way that I can coach them. Building relationships with the players is the way that we get better as coaches.”

The Breakthrough Series hosted the top 30 girls baseball players from around the nation. Those players had an opportunity to play with and learn from Berger, Martinez, Ryan and Studer.

“They’re representing women in baseball,” Alvarez said. “They’ve now represented the USA jersey, so to have pride with that and make that show up in their work ethic. … It’s fun to see their growth through the years. They have [an] incredible work ethic, they like a challenge. So, when they were faced with the challenge of having to compete with women from the National Team, they stepped it up.”

Alex Hugo, a roving instructor for the A's and fellow member of the National Team, noted that coaching alongside her teammates helps everyone grow.

“Coaching the girls like Elise and A'lana has been super rewarding for me,” Hugo said. “I get to see them continue to grow and it also helps me become a better teammate [and] a better coach.”

Berger, a right-handed pitcher, raved about the importance of these events in her development and how they ultimately allowed her to be in a position to represent her country.

“It’s an amazing privilege and something I don’t take for granted,” Berger said. “This is my last MLB Develops event. I’m aging out after this year, and it’s definitely hitting me how big these events have been as I’ve come up, and the connection to the National Team. It’s all very integrated.”

For Martinez, a utility player, the opportunity to assist younger players alongside her coaches and teammates allows her to see another side of them -- a side she may not see when they’re on the diamond.

“Events like the Breakthrough Series serve the National Team as a way to have fun with my teammates and see another side with less pressure and not so intense as playing on the field with them,“ Martinez said.

The Breakthrough Series provides girls an opportunity to improve their craft and learn valuable lessons both on and off the diamond. Those lessons have helped pave the path for women in MLB, whether it’s as a coach or in the front office.

Given the Breakthrough Series' impact, Alvarez said it’s hard to describe how valuable it has been for all parties involved.

“It’s hard to put [into] words,” Alvarez said. “It’s important on the players' side, but it’s also important on the coaching side. These events have created opportunities for me to grow, and it’s allowed our other coaches to continue to grow in places they may not have gotten those opportunities before these events.”

Alvarez added: “The fact that these events exist just keeps providing opportunities for women in baseball to continue to grow and get better so that when we do get those opportunities in professional baseball, we crush it. There’s no doubt that we belong.”