Mize, who last October brought her popular softball school--the Lisa Mize Fastpitch Academy--to University Avenue in Los Gatos, is asking other area business owners to join her in financial support of what may be the most competitive and prestigious girls softball tournament in the country. Nearly 1,000 players from 64 teams throughout the United States will converge on Salinas from Aug. 7 to 14 for the Amateur Softball Association Girls 18 and under Gold National Championship.

The Mize Fastpitch Diamonds 18 Gold, one of two traveling teams that Mize sponsors and helps coach, was named in April to join the Salinas Storm as the Northern California host teams for the event.

"It was out of sheer luck that we were picked from 10 Bay Area teams," Mize explains enthusiastically. "This is a huge thing for us."

But with the luck of the draw comes a $10,000 bid.

"If you are picked, you have to come up with the money," Mize explains not so enthusiastically. "Hosting a national tournament requires vast community involvement in ways of fundraising, donations, volunteer work and hospitality."

So, Mize now must set aside her "coach/teacher cap" and put on her "savvy businesswoman hat" as she pitches for community involvement.

"Our team goal is to raise $10,000 to help make the 18 Gold National Tournament a success," Mize wrote in a letter sent to local companies and business owners. "We are in need of sponsors to help with the costs of running this event and making it a national tournament to remember."

Mize, 34, who earned an economics degree at Fresno State University, has put together a sponsorship program with various benefits for sponsors who donate from $100 to $1,000 and beyond. "Each and every level of sponsorship or donation is very important," she says.

Despite the fiscal responsibilities of a host team, Mize is thrilled for the team members of the Diamonds 18 Gold, a squad that was formed last fall.

"The whole goal of the softball academy and the Gold program is so girls can get college scholarships," Mize says, "and they certainly will be seen at the nationals--by college scouts from all over the country."

As host teams, the Diamonds and Salinas are automatically in the tournament. The only other guaranteed berths are to the defending champion, Southern Force from Johnston City, Ill., and three runner-ups from 2004--two teams from Southern California and one from Texas. The other 58 spots in the tourney will be earned in a series of regional and sector tournaments throughout the U.S. during June and July.

The Diamonds 18 Gold, coached by Paula Martinez and Mize, features such local talent as pitcher Lindsay Zullo of Los Gatos High School and third baseman Tria Downer of Leigh, as well as players from throughout the Santa Clara Valley, the East Bay and a trio from North Monterey County High of Castroville.

The youngest are Zullo and Heather Fisher of Archbishop Mitty, each entering her junior year of high school, and the oldest is infielder Ashley White, a 2004 graduate who played at College of San Mateo this spring. Four of the 12 players on the Diamonds' roster just graduated and six will graduate in 2006.

Santa Clara Valley players include Kristin Martin (Mitty), Jessie Wrye (Valley Christian) and Vanessa Chagoya (Wilcox). Other team members are second baseman Kristina Knecht (Northgate of Walnut Creek), Janna Dias (Pinole Valley) and Caitlin Moran, Marilyn Hernandez and Katie Naranjo, all of North Monterey County.

In preparation for the Gold Nationals, the Diamonds will play in several tournaments, including a weeklong event in Canada beginning July 3. A recent benefit for the Diamonds was a trip to Las Vegas, June 9-12, for a college showcase scouting event, where more than 100 college coaches were in attendance.

"Players were seen in several games and a special practice session," Mize says. "The exposure the girls get in such an event can go a long way in landing a scholarship to a four-year school."

Playing for other teams at the Las Vegas showcase were two of Mize's prize-pitching pupils, Nikki Franchi of Saratoga High and Megan Wirth of Mitty, who led their respective teams into the Central Coast Section Division II championship game in May.

Other high school pitchers currently under Mize's tutelage are Zullo and Brianna Smith of Los Gatos and Rebecca Schulenberg of The King's Academy. Past students have included Mariah Fike (Mountain View), who went on to pitch for Yale, and Sarah Caudle (Gilroy), who pitched for Baylor and just completed her first year as Mitty's head coach.

"Most of my students are year-round here for several years, and most business is generated by word of mouth," Mize says.

That includes Zullo, who discovered Mize through a friend's referral while in elementary school. In fact, Zullo has been with Mize at two sites in Campbell and now in the current facility on University across from Lake Vasona.

In 1997, Mize had started business in a 1,500-square-foot building in Campbell, less than a year after pitching for Puerto Rico at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

By 2003, business growth required her to move to a larger facility on Dell Avenue in Campbell. Typically 200 students entered the doors each week and reached a high of about 500.

"We had seven instructors and a retail business as well," Mize recalls.

A strategy change was made last October when Mize downsized the operation and moved it to Los Gatos.

"I've been able to cut the overhead by more than half, and it's more manageable," Mize says. "There's a silent partner, but as far as teaching, there is myself and at times one other instructor."

Although the building is smaller, the training at University Avenue still is first-class. There are four lanes that can be used for hitting or pitching, two pitching machines and many batting tees and various training accessories. Lessons typically are 50 minutes per session and usually purchased in packages of four or eight.

In addition to the 18 Gold Diamonds, Mize Fastpitch sponsors the 12 and under Diamonds. One of the players is Lindsay Norton, Mize's stepdaughter. Lindsay's father, K.C. Norton, and Mize coach the team.

Mize did not have a pitching coach as a youngster and started pitching relatively late, at age 16. After playing for Turlock High School in the San Joaquin Valley, Mize put together an outstanding intercollegiate career at Chabot College in Hayward, Colorado State University and Fresno State.

Mize attributes much of her success to Ella Vilche, her pitching coach at Chabot from 1989 to 1991. "Still to this day, Ella is a great mentor to me," Mize says.

In her sophomore season, Mize posted a record of 51-7, the same as her team's, in leading Chabot to second place in the state playoffs. For her efforts, she was named California State Pitcher of the Year and reaped a lot of scholarship offers.

Just as Vilche had done nearly 10 years before, Mize went to Fresno State, but only after pitching one season (1992) at Colorado State.

"They cancelled the program, and it became a major Title IX case," Mize recalls. "Colorado State eventually reinstated its program, but at the time I couldn't wait. I wanted to play."

So she finished her NCAA eligibility in 1993 at Fresno State, where Vilche had pitched for two seasons, not too far down Highway 99 from Mize's high school. Mize's pitching helped the Bulldogs place third in the Western Athletic Conference in 1993 and reach the NCAA Tournament.

Perhaps the best of many wonderful things that Vilche did for Mize was get her started in international competition. In addition to coaching at Chabot, Vilche was the starting pitcher for the Puerto Rico national team. Knowing that Mize's grandparents are Puerto Rican, Vilche recruited Mize when the team needed an extra pitcher.

Mize was a part of the Puerto Rico pitching staff from 1989 to 1996. Her experiences include trips to the Virgin Islands, China, Canada, Mexico and Guatemala. She was the ace of the staff when her team won the silver medal at the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina.

"I lived in California, but I flew to Puerto Rico when I needed to," Mize says. "Sometimes, it was every other week. Overall, I was a part of the team for almost eight years."

The highlight of her international career was in Atlanta at the 1996 Summer Games, the first year that softball was a part of the Olympics.

"It was a great experience, but it didn't really hit me until the opening ceremonies," she says. "Presidents of different nations, including (former president Bill) Clinton, were there. Muhammad Ali was there and 100,000 people were in the stands.

"My whole family was able to attend my games at the softball stadium. And I even got some film footage. A friend, who had been in England for the Wimbledon tennis, later told me, 'I saw you on TV!' "

The only thing that was missing was a Puerto Rico victory. The Puerto Rican team finished seventh out of seven teams.

"We had peaked too soon," Mize says, referring to the Pan Am Games silver medal from the previous summer. "We didn't hit and we didn't score runs in the Olympics."

Nine years after realizing a dream, Mize and her softball school are helping some young players participate in what will be their greatest softball experience yet--the ASA 18 Gold Nationals!

The Lisa Mize Fastpitch Academy is at 805 University Ave., between Farley Road and San Benito Way. It is open weekdays from 3 to 9 p.m., and by arrangement on Saturdays. For more information, call 408.354.1929 or visit www.mizefastpitch.com.