Crystal Bustos
Softball Homerun Slugger
All-America/Player of the Year
NJCAA Palm Beach CC- Florida 1997-98
Team USA Gold Medal
Sydney, Australia 2000
She hits for power, has a rifle arm and is an Olympic Softball Champion. But, trying out and making the U.S. Olympic Team was the last thing in Crystal Bustos' mind when she lived with relatives in Venice, California. Street life was her focus and game. However, this was going to change because the softball diamond would reclaim her from the streets and set her on a path of athletic success and recognition. Since the revelation, the renaissance Crystal has achieved stardom in all levels of Women's amateur and professional softball. She was a twice junior College Champion, All American and NJCAA Player of the Year, while at Palm Beach Community College in Florida. She then turned pro and played for the Akron Racers of the Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL) in 1998, and holds the league's record for Batting Average (.400) and Homeruns (10). However, the timing was right for Crystal to interrupt her pro career after being persuaded by U.S. Olympic coach Ralph Raymond to Join the invitational Team in 1999. She immediately became a starter, replacing Olympian Dot Richardson at shortstop and adding more power to the lineup. Her international accolades are numerous and include the 1999 C.S. Olympic Cup, Pan American Games, Canada Cup Gold Medals and the grand daddy of them all, the Olympic Gold medal in Sydney It was a Cinderella story for the Canyon Country. California born Latina, who found salvation in softball and took the love of the game to its' highest level ever. At shortstop she is wonder and marvel to watch. Pitchers can't pitch around her and watch out if she has to slide into a base. She has come a long way m such a short one and women's softball will never be the same again.