Cal State East Bay softball continued its commitment to community engagement on Saturday, Jan. 17, partnering with the Giants Community Fund's Junior Giants program for a youth softball clinic at Silver Terrace Park in San Francisco.

The event brought together approximately 30 kids from across the Bay Area, including San Francisco and the East Bay. Participants ranged in age from nine to 16 and rotated through instruction stations led by Cal State East Bay student-athletes, learning softball fundamentals while interacting with college players.

For sophomore Jenna Porto, the clinic marked her first time taking part in the Junior Giants program, making the experience especially meaningful.

"Basically, we teamed up with this program who gets little kids together, and we got to work with them," Porto said. "We went out on a field, split them up into groups, and we were just able to show them our skills and teach them things that they didn't know, and answer any questions that they had."

Porto said the experience reminded her of the role mentorship played in her own development as a young athlete.

"The game is very giving, so it's always important as a player to give back as you get older," Porto said. "When I was younger, I appreciated those who were older and were always coming out and helping us."

From her perspective, the partnership benefits the Pioneers by strengthening their connection to the community.

"I think it's really great for the Pios to get exposure," Porto said. "It's good for people to see that we do like to do these types of things."

Sophomore Jennavee Campos shared similar sentiments, describing the clinic as a full-circle moment for the student-athletes involved.

"It was my first time going to the Junior Giants camp," Campos said. "It definitely was an experience, especially coming with some of my teammates and just giving back to the community."

Campos said working with young players reminded her of her childhood aspirations.

"We all were there at one point and looked up to college players," Campos said. "It was our dreams when we were little, so it definitely was an experience to work with the kids."

The clinic concluded with a question-and-answer session, allowing participants and their parents to learn more about life as a college athlete.

"They asked us the day in the life of a college athlete," Campos said. "They asked the hardest thing, what we like about it. Just little things like that."

Campos hopes the partnership encourages young athletes and their families to support the Pioneers.

Cal State East Bay softball head coach Claire Sua-Amundson said the partnership is now in its third year and continues to align with the values of both programs.

"The Giants Community Fund really focuses on underserved communities and educating about softball," Sua-Amundson said. "We just go out there wanting them to grow some love for the game."

Sua-Amundson believes the experience also provides perspective for her student-athletes.

"It's always good to be able to teach our game and spread the knowledge that we have about our sport," Sua-Amundson said. "It's also refreshing for them to remember what they were like at that age and how far they've come in their journey."

She noted that some participants do not always have access to higher-level coaching, making interaction with college athletes especially impactful.

"They ask a ton of questions like, 'What did you do to get there? How did you get there?'" Sua-Amundson said. "Obviously, it's about playing at a higher level, but really just growing that love for the sport so they can continue to play is important."

The connection between the two groups appeared to be mutually beneficial, as Cal State East Bay players shared social media information with attendees, with several families expressing interest in attending games during the upcoming season.

For Campos, the most rewarding aspect of the experience was showing young athletes what is possible.

"The kids look up to us, so it was great being able to show that we're good role models," Campos said. "We're not these big, scary athletes — we're just normal people too. Everyone starts somewhere no matter how talented you are. It's just about how hard you work."