This week RTS’s Lee Dobbins goes On-Deck with one of the most prolific hitters in softball history, Crystl Bustos. The California native is a two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner with Team USA and had a storied professional career both domestically and internationally. One of the top teachers of the game, she has gone on to grow her Ruthless Softball brand instructing student-athletes and helping place them on the collegiate level academically and athletically.
Dobbins: Being arguably one of the greatest (if not the greatest) hitters in the history of the game, you had a different path than most of today’s athletes when you talk about your development as a young athlete and collegiately. How was your path different than most but led you to the success you were able to achieve?
Bustos: My path was different in the sense of schooling. I had some learning disabilities I was dyslexic and had some reading comprehension problems due to the dyslexia. Also have ADD so it was not a walk in the park. No one wants to be categorized as different. When I was a kid I didn’t know any different. Plus people didn’t talk about differences back then and you kept those to yourself for the most part. So, long story short I graduated high school in the summer school actually. I then went to a Junior College in Florida then straight to the Pro league. From the Pros I went to the Olympic team in 2000. The rest is history as they say.
Dobbins: You were part of three Team USA Squads that won two Gold Medals and a Silver Medal in three Olympic Games. Talk a little about that selection process and how that changed your life? What are your thoughts on the National Team of today compared to those 12 plus years ago, including the team that will represent the USA next summer in Tokyo?
Bustos: Simply you made the USA team for the most part through the invited to tryout. I believe for the most part that’s still the way it is today. I know they have always had open tryouts as well, but I was one of the few that were invited. The first tryout I had was in 1999 might have been 1998 (it was a while ago). I believe it was just me to see if I had what coach was looking for. Then I was invited out for the big tryout with the rest of the athletes. I was just coming off my knee surgery from the pro season. I was about 3-4 months into my recovery and I was cleared to come back but I used my brace just for comfort. The process of making the team back then was we were all put on different teams and played against each other, and then you were put on a list after the weekend to see if you made the next cut. I don’t know too many of the players from today. However, I know is that I’m sure we will see some good softball in Tokyo next summer.
Dobbins: Since your retirement from the National Team and professionally you have traveled the world passing on your knowledge and developing athletes of every level, background, and nationality. That led you to the establishment of your training and club team brand of Ruthless Softball. With Travel softball becoming the “big business” that it is, how has the Ruthless brand gone about developing athletes and teams differently than some other organization or franchises might be?
Bustos: Ruthless was created because I had a lesson/ training business and my kids parents kept coming back saying that the coach was changing what I was teaching. So in short, I saw I had enough parents not happy with the organizations or the coaching so I set out to create an organization that put all focus on development and coaching the girls and giving the parents what they pay for. Not just a name on a jersey or just a brand; we have a family that looks out for each other. It’s not about me, it’s about that family and what I can do to help them on and off the field. Academics are our priority as we want our kids to work hard in the classroom then transfer that hard work to the field for their overall benefit and success. Excelling as strong, smart young ladies will open doors for them for the rest of their lives. Sports are a plus and we want our ladies to enjoy being competitive but know education is most important.
Dobbins: Your collegiate experience was a little bit different as I mentioned earlier. You competed at West Palm Beach Community College and then went straight into the US National Team Program. What are your thoughts on the recruiting aspect of the sport now? How has it changed from the time you competed, to now being a coach trying to help athletes reach their academic and athletic aspirations?
Bustos: The recruitment process is different in the sense of the prevalence of all the showcases and recruiting companies and that was not the case back in the day. We let our play do the talking and some have send videos to get on radars of certain programs and coaches. I just played my butt off and enjoyed the game and that was all I had to do when I was coming out. These days’ kids and so many people are making it harder then it should be. Just play hard, practice hard, and doors will open. Contact colleges you would like to go to and have an organization and group of people that will work for you as hard as you will. That’s what I do with all my teams and our Ruthless Program. I work for the girls!
Dobbins: If you could give any athlete advice from your experiences both positive and negative, what would that advice be?
Bustos: At the end of the day there is no one to blame but yourself for what you do or do not get in this life. We control our destiny no one else does.