- PoliceSoftball.com - Complete Guide to Police Tournament Softball

Name	Erik Grove
Nickname	Big E
Uniform #	14
Team	SoCal Alliance
Agency	Signal Hill PD
Assignment	Patrol Officer
PS.com Nick

Nickname (and story behind it):
"Big E" not sure why. (Editors Note…He is 6’5 and his name starts with E)

Name on PoliceSoftball.com Message Board: "Hoof Hearted"

Sports background:
Water polo 4 years in HS, coached water polo 1 year after, 2 years varsity soccer HS, 4 years HS baseball, 2 years Jr College baseball

Softball History:
Playing league since 1990, playing Law Enforcement Softball since 1992.

Past Police Teams: Orange PD

Proudest Police Softball Moments:
Selected to represent the SoCal Alliance in 1st Allstar game. Getting the respect of my Law Enforcement idol - Willie Manion.

Lowest Softball Moment:
1) Never winning So Lake Tahoe Tourney.
2) My coach trying to sell a date with me on E-Bay to raise money for the team.
(Editors note: Fundraising can be a nasty business)

Future personal goals in Police Softball:
Become a silent leader in West coast L.E. softball. Never lose sight of the fact this is just a game. Always show respect for those who participate in LE softball.

Where do you see our sport in 5-10 years:
Highly competative. With the recent introduction of Policesoftball.com and the branching out of competition between East coast and West coast teams, I suspect teams will combine and become "superteams." I also suspect in an effort to facilitate all departments, tournaments will start out in upper brackets (combo) teams and lower brackets (smaller departments) without these teams playing one another.

What is one thing you would change about police softball:
Cheating. The juiced bats and non-LE players who get brought on a team. I don't care what the realm is for a LE player, if they work for a department...then fine. Just establish the rules then go with them.

MISC:
LE softball has afforded me the opportunity to meet and network with people who I would have never worked with or met otherwise. I love the friendly competition and watching "Davey" teams occasionally beat "Goliath" teams. I've met some outstanding athletes playing police softball and enjoy nothing more than to go head to head with them on the field, only to hang out and have a cold one with them and their families at the end of the day.