to - USSSA - United States Specialty Sports Association

SPRING
2012
Nationwide Conference USSSA
Gears Up for 7th Season
Junior Pride
Program Launch
Brings Pro Ball
to All Levels
510 Team
Atlanta Super
NIT
Big League Dreams
Opens 11th Property
in Perris Valley, CA
Brett Helmer
Jessica Mendoza
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© 2011 Hillerich & Bradsby Co., Louisville, KY. All rights reserved.
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CONTENTS
M A G A Z I N E
6028 Rayburn Dr. • Fort Worth,TX 76133
(817) 944-7484 • [email protected]
Conference
6 Nationwide
USSSA Gears Up For Its
Team Atlanta
40510
Super NIT!
7th Season
Executive Director, CEO USSSA
Don DeDonatis
Publisher, USSSA Today
Stafford Connor
Visit from Pride
Thrills Both Fans and
Opponents
Managing Editor, USSSA Today
Greg Huchingson
Communications Director, USSSA
North Texas
Junior Pride Program
Grows to 50 teams in
2012
Design / Printing
The IQ SPORT
24 USSSA,
Develop Testing Protocol
Contributing Writers
Mike Cisneros
Van Galeon
Rachael Gossens
Bernie Guenther
John Hart
Jeremy Isenhower
Kelly Knight
Scott Kuhnen
Matt Trebuchon
Dennis Turner
Dale Weiser
Photographers
Brianne Cisneros
Roy Dean
Scott Duffy
Rachael Gossens
Pete Spatula
Kim Titus
USSSA Today is published quarterly. Publishing offices are
located at 6028 Rayburn Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76133. One
year subscription is $25; two year is $40. Reproduction or
use of the contents in whole or in part without prior written
permission of the publisher is prohibited. USSSA Today
welcomes unsolicited articles or photographs, but must be
accompanied with a self-addressed, stamped envelope for
return of unsolicited material.
Connell pinch hits for
56 Fulk
at Worth event in
18
Tom O’Hara
REEDESIGN
Lebco Graphics
47 2012 Bat Reviews
16
NPF Holds 2012 Senior
26 Draft
Live
Olympians, Gold
29 Medalists
Descend on
Corpus Christi
Rightview Pro Partners
30 With
USSSA to Provide
High Tech Analysis
for Tots” Tourney
32 “Toys
a holiday hit for players
and charity amid the
desert sun
62 NTX Winter Worlds
70 STX Winter Worlds
The New England USSSA
76 Hall
of Fame Inducts Four
New Members
Texas Softball Hall of
78 Fame
Welcomes 10 New
Members
League Dreams
80Big
Opens Park #11 in Perris
Valley, CA
30th Annual St. Patrick’s
82 Day
Tournament
USSSA TODAY
5
Nationwide Conference USSSA
Gears Up For Its 7th Season
By Dale Weiser
The 2012 Nationwide Conference USSSA
season kicked off March 30th with
the "Sin City Classic" at the beautiful
Big League Dreams Park in Las Vegas,
Nevada. Nationwide Conference USSSA
is a league of the top 40 men's slow pitch
softball teams from 23 different states.
Each team that joins the league plays
in a minimum of 6 or more Conference
tournaments out of 23 tournaments
scheduled across the country. Their top 6
tournament point totals are tallied and
the top 16 teams in the point standings
battle it out for the Major World Series
championship held at the ESPN Wide
World of Sports stadium in Kissimmee,
Florida September 19-23.
This year’s schedule features the most
prestigious tournaments across the
country like the Smoky Mountain Classic
in Maryville, Tennessee and the Dudley
Budweiser tournament in Brooklyn
Center, Minnesota. The Conference also
returns to Maryland and a new location
in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Since the leagues inception in 2006,
the Conference has grown in both the
number of teams and the quality of
teams every year.
Resmondo returns to defend their #1
ranking and World Series title after
going an incredible 70-8 last year. They
lose longtime outfielder Brian Rainwater
and middle infielder Bryson Baker. They
pick up Ronald "Bubba" Mack to play
middle infield and former GTL center
fielder Tim Howard to replace Rainwater.
The core of Resmondo remains reasonable intact with Dedonatis Jr at SS, Andy
Purcell at pitcher, and Greg Connell
holding down the coveted two spot in
the lineup. Resmondo should get tested
and pushed to their limit on both 300
6 USSSA TODAY
Bubba Mack will be used as a MI and OF in 2012 for the #1 Resmondo/Worth.
foot fields and baseball fields by the #2
ranked team Laservision, making for an
interesting season for sure.
Brett Helmer and his main sponsor Pierre
Alfred have assembled a team of equal
talent to Resmondo. Brett grabbed
top up and coming players like shortstop Kevin Kennington, infielder Sam
Lopez, and first baseman Ryan Thiede
to go with his standard major stars Rick
Baker, Brian Wegman, Jason Kendrick,
Dal Beggs, and Scott Kirby. Then he
"iced the cake" by adding pitcher Geno
Buck, outfielder Brian Rainwater, and
middle infielder Bryson Baker. This team
is stacked deep with talent, experience,
and a hunger to win. Now they have to
execute, learn their roles, and play team
ball a FULL 6 months.
Nordkap arrives on the scene of the
Major division with a mix of top young
major players handpicked from across
the rosters of all teams that played last
season. The sponsorship group grabbed
Kevin Filby, OF Donovan Pokraka, IF
Joey Formosa, SS Anthony Dress, and
OF Mike Bowlin from last year’s #2 team
GTL. Then they grabbed IF Chris Hansen
and pitcher Chad Munger from Wood
Law. Travis Clark and Brett McCollum
from EWS and IF JD Genter, CF Brian
Zirkle, and Tyson Steele from the top 'A'
teams. Nordkap is the big question mark
in the Conference. They are loaded with
talent and have the pitching to pull
some upsets and challenge the two top
teams but I feel this team is one or two
years away from challenging for the
World Series title. I hope I am wrong
and this team pulls together and each
of them step up their game yet another
notch.
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AFF-0101FP (4/11)
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July 6 - 8
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July 27 - 29
Worth Mary
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August 3
April 19 - 22
Phoenix, AZ
Euless, TX
IN
Columbus,
N
Nashville, T
Atlanta, GA
Kent, WA
Houston, TX
Joliet, IL
nter, MN
Brooklyn Ce
, CT
N Brantford
C
Rock Hill, S
A
Riverside, C
AR
Little Rock,
N
Maryville, T
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Cincinnati, O
rings, CO
Colorado Sp
, MD
Glen Burnie
, MI
Sterling Hgts
2012
Conference Teams
4 The Fallen
CA
B & B/Sears/N&N Financial
NC
Baughford.com/Logo Express/Advantage Sports/Worth
FL
BLB/Hubs Pub/Miken
MO
Blitz-Weller-Watanabe-K&G-Easton
OH
Buzini Sports/Buffalo Wild Wings/Worth
MS
CA Sports/Miken/Creative Stucco/Mojo
TN
Columbus Pipe/DSS Bats/Easton
OH
Down 2 Earth Sports.com/SBC/Worth
GA
Fence Brokers
AR
Head Hunter Chronicles/Can Cooker/SHS Sports.com/Lethal GA
Laservision/Annihilation/Supreme/D2E/Easton
NY
Line Drive Sportz/SSS
MI
Magic/S&S/Tyja/Easton
MA
Major League Dynasty/D2E/Sports 55/Worth
GA
Miken Dream/Dirty Sports/3n2/ATWk Designs
FL
Miken Mafia/ASPNation.com
TX
Monster/Combat
WA
Nordkap/Desert Falls/Easton
UT
OC Swats
CA
P & P 333/Suburban/Larry’s Tire/CMT
MO
Primetime/Easton
GA
Pure Romance/Easton
OH
R&M/Troupe/TCP/Easton
IA
Red’s Astros/TPS
IN
Resmondo/Specialty Tank/Worth
FL
SBS Combat
ID
Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype
TX
Shoppe/Team TPS/Elite
KY
Sonny’s - Louisville Slugger
AZ
Suncoast Reebok/Tyja
FL
TG United
MI
TPS/Sports Center
MS
TaylorMade/TM Sports/Mizuno
VA
The Scene/Easton
TX
Team 454/Worth/Emerald Consult
VA
Team Combat/Derby Boys/Pacific Headwear
WA
Team DeMarini/FamousSports.com
CA
West Coast Doerflinger - Easton - pitbulls
CA
Westshore Pizza/Team TPS
FL
Wheelhouse/Spiderz/Game Time Supply
WI
Team Combat returns with a new look Major classified team.
They are mixing in some young up and coming players with
their veteran Combat major players Scott Brown, OF Johnny
McCraw, SS Jeff McGavin, pitcher Derek Warren and Mike Dill.
They have the Canadian contingent - Jeff Gare and Franck
Henry, and the younger players like third baseman Frank
Yeilding, outfielder Joey Smith, left hand power hitter Casey
Rogowski, as well as some new names to the Conference Brandon Perry and Davis Bilardello. To start the season this will
be an A+ to Major- type team that is building for the future of
the Major division.
Sure-handed Matt Pesso will handle the MI position for #5 Team 454/Worth.
Team 454 led by manager Tim Taylor and third baseman/
sponsor Bill Rhew return to defend their 'A' World championship. They do so with 9 players from last year’s team. They lose
outfielder Bubba Mack and center fielder Evan Gallmeier but
they pickup former GTL outfielder Jason Branch, and major
stars Rusty Bumgardner and Jeff Hall as well as "Mr. Defense" middle infielder - Matt Pesso. They also added outfielders Matt
Bunn and Jesse Harrison. Their infield defense with shortstop
Kevin Bazat may be as good as any in the game and if Rusty
and Jeff can find their role in the offense then this is your #1
ranked 'A' team in the country.
Shoppe has assembled a near perfect 'A' team with a great
defense to get them back to the top of the 'A' division they
used to rule year in and year out. The offense will be led by
table setter Eric Thompson, third baseman Lee Powers and
power hitter Tim Cocco. Throw in Robert Blackburn who finally
looks healthy for an entire season and this team is stacked.
Defensively they added Chente Granados and Tony Mack as
well as pitcher Dan Sanchez. If there is one weakness it could
be the offensive inconsistency of the bottom few players in
the lineup.
A healthy Robert Blackburn makes a great addition for #6 Shoppe/Team TPS.
R&M has re-tooled after their impressive second half of 2011
where they nearly won the 'A' World in both USSSA and ASA,
and won the 'A' bracket of the Conference Championships.
They add a whole bunch of top 'A' talent from Sinister, EWS,
and Laser Vision and on paper they have a roster that can
compete toe to toe with the top of the 'A' division.
The 2011 Suncoast and TYJA sponsors merge and put together
yet another all-star team. The top players from each team are
joined by TYJA reps Jeff Wallace and Dennis Rulli. We definitely have to wait and see how this mix gels. The talent is definitely there to make a run but you have 'B' players moving up,
major players moving down, and sponsor/managers merging.
Taylormade lost Robert Blackburn and SS Kevin Kennington as
well as their west coast duo of Johnny Bailey and Eli Aguilar.
But this team re-tools again with some quality pickups like
infielder Chris Kirian, former Resmondo player Mike Rhines,
and the return of outfielder Chad McLamb. This team finished
2nd at the Major World Series last year after finishing the
regular season in 20th place in the points. Look for them to
have a better regular season than last year and look for the
young players to all take it up a notch.
Veteran Tim Howard will make a run for a championship ring this year with
Resmondo/Worth.
10 USSSA TODAY
Sonny's will need to rebound from a lackluster 2nd half of 2011.
They had a couple more sticks in Chris Greinert, Jonathan Lenz
and speedy outfielder Nick Robertson, but lost the Granados
brothers from the team that finished 5th in the computer rankings a year ago. A western heavy schedule could give them a
shot at some good tournament finishes and some confidence
heading into 'A' Worlds.
Ca Sports joins the Conference as an good 'A' team. A veteran
bunch led by major players Ryan Robbins and Brian Justice. A
middle infield of Brian Blount, Josh Riley, and Matt Crawford
is solid. The question mark here will be USSSA pitching and the
fact they will be the lowest 'A' seed at most tournaments until
they score some points since they were not in the Conference
last year.
Speedster Luis Reyna likes to make things happen with his #8 TYJA/Suncoast team.
Blitz steps up to the 'A' division after a 'B' World title in 2011.
They bring back a large core of the players that won that title,
plus they add veteran Major and Major Watch List players
Dan Bean, Brad Reckart, and Shane Hatfield. The entire team
except for Bean is from the Cincinnati, Ohio area. This team
has the potential for having great chemistry and should be a
tough team to beat in the midwest tournaments. If they can
get off to a quick start they have a chance to finish in the top
10 in the rankings...that is a big "IF".
Team DeMarini is a new Conference 'A' team with plenty of
offense and I'm guessing a west coast schedule that could
allow them to rack up points similar to what Sonny's did a
year ago and make the top 10. Led by veteran sluggers Chris
Larsen, Seth Stephens, new Long Haul Bomber Ed Vega, and
pitcher Brendt Newbill, this team could contend at any tournament where the top major teams don't show. They have a
core of young and talented outfielders in Adam Elliot (#7 on
the Major prospect list), Kaeo Rubin, and Bryce Oliviera. They
also have Pat Paschal who showed some great offense at the
Major World Series last year. The rest of the players I am not
familiar with and thus the #13 ranking. This team is mixing
some good Major players with some good 'B' and 'A' players
and it will be interesting to see if the 'B' guys can raise their
game and if the Major guys can be patient and carry the team
when they do not.
Kevin Filby congratulates Donovah Pokraka after a long homerun. Both will be
taking their talents to #3 Nordkap.
West Coast is my pick for top ranked 'B' team in the Conference.
With a ton of 'A' experience in OF Eli Aguilar and IF Johnny
Bailey from Taylormade, and veterans like IF Julio Salazar, SS
Rafael Robledo, pitcher Robert Sena, and some others like
Mario Granados, Johnny Gallegos and Cal Ford this team is set
for a run. Then throw in the defense of some young players
like MI Aaron Martinez, 3B Rego Nieto, and outfielder Brian
Munson and you have yourself a stacked team that will more
than likely finish ahead of some of the 'A' teams. Oh yes,
almost forgot the leadoff hitting of Steven Lopez. Wow, nice
team.
FBI is back in a big way as they pick up Greg Hartwick, Tim
Bowser, and Pat Burton among others. This team is set for a 'B'
World run. Look for them to compete well at the events where
there are no major teams and slip into the World Series.
Coming off an eye-opening performance at the 2011 Major World Series, ss Kevin
Kennington moves to #2 Laservision.
12 USSSA TODAY
You can follow the 2012 Nationwide Conference season with
USSSAToday magazine, usssatoday.com, SoftballCenter.com,
and ConferenceUSSSA.com - Tournament reports, broadcasts,
pictures, and video clips.
Top Pre-Season Rankings
#1
Resmondo/Specialty Tank/Worth
FL
Andy Purcell, Don Dedonatis Jr, Jeremy Isenhower, Greg Connell, Howie Krause,
Bobby Hughes, Jimmy Salas, Bubba Mack, Vince Bisbee, Scott Striebel, BJ Fulk,
Tim Howard, Sean McDonald
#2
Laservision/Annihilation/Supreme/Easton
MA
Brian Rainwater, Rick Baker, Brian Wegman, Dal Beggs, Kevin Kennington, Bryson
Baker, Sam Lopez, Ryan Theide, Geno Buck, Jason Kendrick, Brett Helmer, Scott
Kirby, JR Nocera, Josh Bartlett, Billy Messina, Dan Fruwirth, Bill Tassinari, Pierre
Alfred
#3
Nordkap/Desert Falls/Easton
UT
Brett McCollum, JD Genter, Mike Bowlin, Anthony Dress, Chad Munger, Joey
Formosa, Travis Clark, Brian Zirkle, Josh Olson, Tyson Steele, Rob Olson, Chris
Hansen, Donovan Pokraka, Kevin Filby, Managers, Mark Meersman, Rick Olson
#4
Team Combat/Derby Boys/Pacific Headwear
WA
Scott Brown, Jeff McGavin, Johnny McCraw, Mike Dill, Derek Warren, Jeff Graus,
Frank Yeilding, Franck Henry, Jeff Gare, Joey Smith, Dale Roe, Casey Rogowski,
Brandon Perry, Davis Bilardello, Staff, Don Cooper, Bobby Nifong, Hector Pagan
#5
Team 454/Worth
VA
Kevin Bazat, Bill Rhew, Andy Vitcak, Kevin Johnson, Jason Branch, Brent Griffin,
Donald Rogers, Mitch Mabe, Phil White, Jeff Hall, Kyle Moyer, Rusty Bumgardner,
Matt Bunn, Jesse Harrison, Matt Pesso
#6
Shoppe/Team TPS/Elite
TN
Dan Sanchez, Cory Boothe, Robert Blackburn, Lee Powers, Tony Mack, Tim Cocco,
Eric Thompson, Chente Granados, Billy Moore, Kyle Cowart, Shane Spicer, Chris
Moon
#7
R & M Troupe/TCP/Easton
IA
LC Watson, Kyle Yerkes, Reggie Schulte, Scott Zaciewski, Matt Albert, Mike
Umschied, Brandon Dillon, Aaron Middendorf, Scott Roen, Ron Fields, Joe
Gordon, Keith Anderson, Kevin Kull, Richard Salazar, Steve Whaley
#8
Tyja/Suncoast
NY
Mark Weber - sponsor, Lee Trotter - player/sponsor, David Kessler, Jeff Wallace,
Dennis Rulli, Neil Haglund, Terry Rosenbalm, James Curtis, Luis Reyna, Dustin
Roberts, TJ Thompson, Lee Lipshutz, Ryan Harvey, Vic Cordova, Rich Gulash, Kevin
Gillot
#9
Taylormade/TM Sport/Mizuno
VA
Brian Floyd, Chris Calcutt, Brandon Jonas, Chyenne Brooks, Brent Haywood, Brian
Logan, Jeremy Yates, Stacy Bolton, Brandon Jonas, Chad McLamb, Chris Kirian,
Branden Blake, Jeremy Egan, Mike Rhines, Nick Floyd, Travis Taylor - Sponsor
#10
Sonny’s - Louisville Slugger
WY
Alexis Ramirez, Brian Faria, Charles Cunningham, Chris Greinert, Danny Lopez,
Jeremy Davis, Jonathan Lenz, Kevin Ballard, Manny Liriano, Michael Noonan, Nick
Robertson, Sammy Christensen, Westy Guill
#11
Ca Sports/Miken/Creative Stucco/MOJO
TN
Brian Justice, Ryan Robbins, Brian Blount, Nate Holcomb, Brian Farrar, Landon
Helm, Ronnie Lytle, Jason Hatley, Matty Crawford, Scotty King, Jason Baxter,
Tommy Bain, Drew Pinckley, James Shoopman, Josh Riley, Jay Ross, Doug Reed
#12
Blitz/Weller/Watanabe/K&G/Easton
OH
Mike Rogers, Jon Jamison, Brad Tabler, Frank Gruber, Nick Masur, Richie Jones,
Jimmy Carter, Jason Roesch, Chris Ashley, Dan Bean, Brad Reckart, Shane Hatfield,
Jayson Scott
#13
Team DeMarini
CA
Chris Larsen, Seth Stephens, Brendt Newbill, Ed Vega, Billy Susdorf, Mitchell
Johnson, Jeffrey Flood, Dale Brungardt, Bryce Oliviera, Adam Elliot, Kaeo Rubin,
Pat Paschal, Jeremy Guillory, Manager: Aaron Ingram, Coach/player: Jeremy
Guillory
#14
West Coast Doerflinger/Easton
WA
Aaron Martinez, Steven Lopez, Rego Nieto, Junior Robledo, Julio Salazar, Cal
Ford, Robert Sena, John Bailey, Eli Aguilar, Mario Granados, Brian Munson, Jason
Grissom, John Gallegos
AR
Chris Walker, Zach Keene, Scott Morrison, Mike Lowrey, Greg Hartwick, Brad
Wallace, Brent Gigerich, Tim Bowser, Nick Aldridge, Manny Reynolds, Pat Burton,
Chris Cope, Rob Stewart, Jason Anderson, Jason Bridges, Joey Powell, Mike
Wilson
#15
Fencebrokers/GameTimeSupply/Worth
14 USSSA TODAY
© 2011 Hillerich & Bradsby Co., Louisville, KY. All rights reserved.
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Visit from Pride
Thrills Both Fans
and Opponents
by Caitlin Schwartz
On February 21st, the USSSA Pride and the Cal State Northridge softball
programs joined forces, playing in a community event exhibition game at
Matador Diamond in Northridge, California. For the Lady Matadors, playing
against the world-class athletes on the Pride was an experience that they won’t
soon forget.
Andrea Duran
16
Charlotte Morgan
Natasha Watley
2012 USSSA PRIDE Roster
#
PLAYER
POSITION
COLLEGE
4
Kelsey Bruder
CF
Florida
35
Tonya Callahan
1B/3B
Tennessee
11
Ashley Charters
2B
Washington
28
Andrea Duran
3B
UCLA
10
Francesca Enea
RF
Florida
22
Jamee Juarez
UT
Ohio State
12
Kelly Kretschman
RF
Alabama
37
Lauren Lappin
UT
Stanford
15
Danielle Lawrie
P
Washington
26
Caitlin Lowe
CF
Arizona
2
Jessica Mendoza
LF
Stanford
34
Charlotte Morgan
1B
Alabama
8
Cat Osterman
P
Texas
23
Sarah Pauly
P
Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi
7
Jenn Salling
SS
Washington
29
Natasha Watley
SS
UCLA
5
Megan Willis
C
2012 USSSA PRIDE SCHEDULE
June 7-10
vs. Chicago
Bandits
Rosemont Stadium, Rosemont,
IL
June 14-16
vs.Akron Racers
Whataburger Field, Corpus
Christi, TX.
June 21
vs. Carolina
Diamonds
Jackie Robinson Stadium,
Daytona Beach, FL.
June 23
vs. Carolina
Diamonds
TBD
June 28-July 1
vs. Chicago
Bandits
Rosemont Stadium, Rosemont,
IL.
July 6- 8
vs. Carolina
Diamonds
LSU, Baton Rouge, LA.
July 14
vs Chicago
Bandits
Space Coast Stadium, Viera, FL.
July 15-16
vs. Chicago
Bandits
Osceola County Stadium,
Kissimmee, FL.
July 19-22
vs. Akron Racers
Firestone Stadium, Akron, OH.
Texas
July 26-29
vs. Chicago
Bandits
ESPN Wide World of Sports,
Disney World, FL.
August 2-4
vs. Akron Racers
ESPN Wide World of Sports,
Disney World, FL.
August 9-12
vs. Carolina
Diamonds
TBD
August 16-19
vs. Akron Racers
Firestone Stadium, Akron, OH.
August 23-26
NPF
Championships
Rosemont Stadium, Rosemont,
IL
2012 Draftees
-
Valerie Arioto
UT
Cal
-
Andrea Harrison
UT
UCLA
-
Brittany Mack
P
LSU
-
Michelle Moultrie
CF
Florida
-
Christi Orgeron
UT
ULL
-
Kristyn Sandberg
UT
Georgia
-
Nikia Williams
UT
Washington
“Even a day after the game, I still can’t come up with words,”
said Jaci Carlsen, the senior second-baseman and All-Big West
Team member for the last two years. “It was a really fun
experience. We really look up to them because of where they
are and the things that they’re doing.”
confidence booster for me.”
Coach Flowers was proud of the way that her team represented
themselves in the match-up.
After the game, Cal State Northridge’s head softball coach
Tairia Flowers said that the rest of her players were just as
excited as Carlsen.
“I think that (our team) learned that we’re better than we
think we are. Even though the score might not have reflected
it, I think the game raised our team’s confidence. They could
say to themselves, ‘hey, these are the best of the best. We’re
playing the top players.’ I think it’s a great memory.”
“They loved it,” said Flowers. “I think they were in awe of the
Pride. They were all so strong, so fast, so consistent. They were
really playing against their idols.”
For Carlsen, playing the Pride was more than just a great
memory; the game inspired her to think about her own future
in softball.
Beyond any hero worship, the softball players of Cal State
Northridge learned valuable lessons by playing against the
Pride.
“I took a lot of things from the experience,” said Carlsen. “Just
talking to them after the game shows me that there is softball
after college and you just need to keep working hard even
after you graduate. Just keep working and have fun. Work
hard even if things aren’t going the way that you wanted.”
“I think that the biggest thing that helped me was just facing
them, because they’re more aggressive than batters my own
age,” said Mia Pagano, a junior pitcher for the Matadors who
pitched in the first two innings of Tuesday’s game. Pagano
added, “I actually got out an Olympian, so that was a big
The Pride will kick off their regular season in 2012 with an
away game on June 7th against the Chicago Bandits.
USSSA TODAY 17
Junior Pride Program
Grows to 50 teams in 2012
by Kelly Knight
In 2011, USSSA embarked on the Junior Pride Program with a prototype
team out of Michigan. Although there were other teams wearing the name Pride
across their jersey; there was only one USSSA sponsored Junior Pride Team: The
USSSA Michigan Pride Stars 10 and under team based out of Canton, Michigan.
continued on page 20
18 USSSA TODAY
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The Michigan Pride hosts 3 USSSA tournaments in Michigan
every year and had three teams attend the 2011 World Series,
just as they have for over 10 years. President of the Michigan
Pride and longtime USSSA supporter Dan Bressler states, “Our
organization has been affiliated with USSSA for over 10 years.
Every year, USSSA takes strides in offering our youth girl’s
fastptich program more; making it a premier organization.
We are thankful to Gordon Glennie for allowing us to host
USSSA tournaments; we are fortunate to have this opportunity that allows our organization to raise the funds necessary
to attend the USSSA World Series. Participating in the Junior
Pride Program keeps our girls excited all year long. By being
given the opportunity to wear the same style uniforms as the
pro pride team makes our girls feel special and very proud at
every tournament. Their anticipation and excitement builds all
season long as they look forward to meeting and interacting
with their “idols” at the World Series in Florida. With no losses
in our state and the opportunity to spend time with the pros;
our team created memories that will last their entire lives. Our
team was only afforded this opportunity by being a USSSA
Junior Pride team; it is an experience like no other. We thank
USSSA for their continued support and commitment to girls
youth fastpitch now and into the future.”
The first Junior Pride team in history made history. The 10 and
under team out of Michigan had a 66-3 record in 10 and under;
with no losses in Michigan; beating every team they played
once. They had one loss in Indiana to a team they had beat
once and two losses they experienced at the World Series from
the World Series Champion. They racked up an impressive 11-4
record in the upper 12 U division in Michigan; being crowned
champion of their own USSSA Pride Spring Tournament. With
a 77-7 record overall, the USSSA Michigan Pride 10U won both
games they played in Championship Stadium at ESPN/Disney
Wide World of Sports at the USSSA World Series; taking second
place while winning 9 straight games beating the Texas,
Florida, Ohio and Kentucky State Champions along the way. Six
year player and ace pitcher of the Michigan Pride Organization
Jennifer Bressler was awarded the Offensive MVP of the World
Series, hitting an impressive .471 with 16 hits, 0 strike outs,
12 RBI’s while scoring 11 runs for the series. At the end of the
tournament, during a Pro Pride game, our players presented
Don DeDonatis, CEO of USSSA, with our team banner and an
autographed ball to place in the USSSA Hall of Fame museum.
The girls were truly in a league of their own.
With the success of the USSSA Michigan 10 and under and the
overall accomplishment of the program, USSSA decided to offer
the Junior Pride Program to USSSA registered teams across
the country. “The USSSA Junior Pride Program was started by
USSSA CEO Don DeDonatis. He had a vision for female softball player of all ages, from 10-18; to have the opportunity to
wear uniforms like the Pro’s, for youth to meet and talk to
their heroes while attending the USSSA World Series at ESPN
Wide World of Sports at Disney-a place where dreams really do
come true.” states Gordon Glennie, Assistant General Manager
of the USSSA Pride and Junior Pride Program Director. “It has
been an honor to oversee such a venture for USSSA, while also
having the opportunity to see my granddaughter McKenzie
20 USSSA TODAY
as a USSSA Junior Pride participant.” Hightower out of West
Virginia was also thankful, “I want to give a special thanks
to USSSA Florida Pride’s Assistant General Manager Gordon
Glennie for making the Junior Pride program a reality.”
For the 2012 season, USSSA, in partnership with the national
Professional fastpitch franchise (NPF) invited a select number of
member teams to look the part of their favorite USSSA Pride
Players. Former Olympians and College World Series stars such
as Cat Osterman, Jessica Mendoza, Danielle Lawrie, Kelsey
Bruder and Francesca Enea! To become a part of the Junior
Pride program, the requirements stated that all USSSA registered teams were deemed eligible to apply; the organizations
must show support of their local and regional USSSA affiliates and participate in their State Tournament. Over 50 teams
were accepted into the Junior Pride program this year. Across
the country you will see USSSA Junior Pride teams with replica
uniforms of the Pro Pride. From California, Florida, Georgia,
Michigan, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Missouri,
New Jersey, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin to West
Virginia; the program has hit the ground running and is positively promoting the sport of fastptich and the organization
around the country. Recently appointed West Virginia State
Fastpitch Director and coach of the 10 and under USSSA West
Virginia Pride states, “After becoming part of the USSSA family
last year as West Virginia State Fastpitch Director, my experience
with USSSA has been great! When the announcement of the
Junior Pride Program became available August of 2011, it was
a pleasure to pass this opportunity along to the teams of West
Virginia. We have four USSSA Junior Pride teams at 8U, 10U, 12U
and 16U. USSSA has been very supportive of growth of fastpitch
over the last several years. The girls really enjoy wearing similar
looking uniforms as the USSSA Pro Pride Team. They look up to
many of the woman that play for the USSSSA Pride. Our 10U
and 16U are gearing up to play in the 2012 USSSA World Series.
The teams are excited to be able to meet and play against the
other Junior Pride teams throughout the United States.”
With excitement and realizing his teams are fortunate for the
opportunity USSSA has provided, Jim Hightower has plans to
give back and pay it forward. “Our 10U team has plans on
volunteering at Give Kids the World during their visit to the
World Series. Give Kids the World is a village where terminally ill children can stay while they are on their Make A Wish
Trips. Give Kids the World is close to my heart due to having
my daughter Chloe staying there for her Make A Wish trip in
2007. The families are looking forward to the opportunity to
give back to such a great organization.”
Benefits of becoming a Junior Pride team offer the opportunity for the chosen teams to buy into uniform packages that
include NPF licensed uniforms that are uniquely styled just
like the Pro Pride, bat bags, batting gloves, hitting jackets and
more. Specially priced equipment packages for teams from
the Pro Prides manufacturing partners such as Worth, Mizuno,
Louisville Slugger, Combat and Wilson/DeMarini. Selected
teams will also have the opportunity for a personal “Meet
and Greet” with the professional Pro Pride Players and get
the opportunity to participate in a Junior Pride exclusive clinic
instructed by the Professional Pride Players at the World Series
in Kissimmee, Florida.
USSSA TODAY 21
ENEA
’S
CO
RNER
Juggling School & Sports
Being a student-athlete comes with an abundance of perks: exercise, competitiveness, keeping you out of trouble, and friendship. The list goes on and on, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. Responsibility that most teenagers tend to put aside
and only confront when necessary. These days, academics is taking a back seat to athletics, which teenagers rationalize as they
have to be working the hardest at their sport to be the best.
I know those days when you believe you had the worst practice or the worst game and the only thing that will counteract your
performance is none other than more practice! I’d think, “Who cares if I have a midterm tomorrow morning, I have a swing to
perfect!” In real life though, my perfect swing won’t mean much if I don’t make the grades to be eligible to play. It’s a double-edge sword. Below I
listed some great tips on how to maintain excellence on and off the field.
1) Don’t postpone homework!
Many athletes put their homework off till the last minute. They have class
all day then use the entire afternoon to practice. Instead of using all this
time for your sport, finish your homework first and make sure you have
all your classes covered. Instead of making a list of excuses (I’m tired,
I’m hungry, I deserve a break, I’ll get to it later) use that energy to get
your homework done! Postponing your homework is the foundation of
falling behind. You will feel a lot better about being finished with your
home work at 5 p.m. as opposed to 11 p.m.! You wouldn’t fall behind in
your sport so don’t do it in the classroom.
2) Always pay attention in class.
This rule is to all my student-athletes that think class time means
catching up on your sleep! Paying attention in class means less work
for you later. If you understand the material you can get your work done
in class or it will make your homework time go by quicker. You will play
better knowing that your grades are taken care of. It’s one less thing to
stress about.
3) Manage your social schedule.
I know you can’t help that everyone loves you and wants to hang out
with you on the weekend. This might seem difficult at first, but if you
truly want to be a serious athlete cutting down on your social activities
is necessary. Try to surround yourself with friends that have the same
goals as you. When you do this, you won’t find yourself out late on a
Friday night when you have to be up early the next morning for a game.
Instead, invite a teammate over to relax and watch a movie. That way
you’re relaxing your body and mind before the game.
The best part about being a student-athlete is enjoying your success both in the classroom and on the field. Don’t be intimidated by the tiresome
schedule, instead see it as a challenge that you WILL be the best in your sport and in school. Personally, all of the sacrifices I made early on in my
career have completely paid off. I used to miss all the Friday nights at the movies, but now I get to travel around the world playing the sport I love
with my close friends as my teammates. Lastly, colleges love recruiting athletes with great time management skills!
Tweet with Francesca Enea: @frangator10
22 USSSA TODAY
by Sonya Montoya
Every athlete attempts to prepare
themselves for competition but they
are not truly tested until they must
play extra innings or go into overtime. The importance of hydration
can play a huge part in an athletes
ability to be ready for the unexpected, for example the temperatures of a mid day game or a back to
back basketball tournament where
athletes will play at least three to four
games in one weekend. No athlete is
safe from dehydration whether they
compete indoors or out as long as
the athlete’s body sweats then they
are at risk for losing valuable electrolytes. Since my primary responsibility occurs during the summer
with the USSSA Pride in the National
Pro Fastpitch my knowledge of how
to keep athletes hydrated in such
extreme temperatures have become
well practiced. Keeping younger
athletes hydrated properly can be
more difficult since their thermoregulatory systems are not fully developed. In addition, younger athletes
often do not communicate as well in
terms of how their bodies feel with
warmer temperatures and how it
affects their ability to perform.
Past studies have found that if an
athlete is dehydrated as little as
1-2% loss in their body weight it
may result in negative effect on their
performance. Therefore as coaches
and parents it is important to plan
ahead for your younger athletes in
terms of what they will need prior to
games to properly hydrate.
Proper hydration and nutrition days
before a game plays a vital role in
replenishing your athlete’s glycogen
stores and essential nutrients such as
carbohydrates, potassium, sodium,
calcium and other vital electrolytes. A good way to keep younger
athletes hydrated is to provide them
with a water bottle they can refill
throughout the day. Most water
bottles are around 6 to 8oz, which will
be sufficient for athletes to maintain
regular fluid intake throughout their
normal daily activities. Unfortunately,
water alone will not fully replenish
what the average athlete looses in
a practice or game. I always urge
parents and coaches to make sure
the athlete has some sort of sports
drink option with a proper balance
of electrolytes and carbohydrates
generally containing <7% to rotate
in with their normal water intake.
There are some myths that if your
child is not thirsty during activity or
if they are drinking solely water then
they are clear of any hydration issues.
Oppositely, water alone will shut off
the athlete’s drive to drink additional
fluids due to the increase in their
blood plasma levels. This will result
in the remaining sodium and other
vital electrolytes being lost through
urine and not replaced in a timely
manner. During particularly hot and
humid environments where heat
illness is of great concern it is vital to
monitor your athletes more closely in
terms of what they are drinking and
how frequently. I always encourage
athletes to become familiar with his
or her body by seeing what works
for them during practices and scrimmages. This will allow them to find
a proper hydration balance without
feeling bogged down.
One of the more problematic situations that many athletes often
encounter is how to prepare themselves for multiple competitions in
a one or two day period. Here are
a few tips to guide you to help your
athlete compete at their best and
help prevent heat illnesses.
n Check the weather prior to the
weekend to get an idea of the conditions your athlete will be competing
in. The warmer and more humid
the more conscientious athletes will
need to be taking in proper fluids
n Providing athletes a combination of
with water and sports drinks to rotate
is key (intake should be encouraged
prior, during, and after especially in
preparation of a sequential game)
SONYA’S HEALTH & FITNESS
The Importance of Hydration in Athletes
A Guide for Coaches and Parents
n In between innings or during time
outs remind the athletes that just
came off the field to take a drink of
fluid especially ones that sweat more
profusely than others. Sometimes
during games an athlete’s focus to
hydrate isn’t always a priority but a
quick reminder can keep them on
track
n Often a good rule of how much
to drink throughout a competition
is around a cup to half a cup every
15-20 minutes. Although if an athlete
wants more then keep the fluids
coming. The more often athletes are
able to take a drink the less chance is
they will chug fluids at once, generally an alternation of water to some
sports drink is helpful
n Remind the athlete to check
the color of their urine as odd as
it sounds it’s a good indication of
where their fluid intake is at prior
and post competition. I always go
with the following guideline: the
closer the urine color is to apple juice
the more in danger the athlete is
to being dehydrated compared to a
clearer lemonade color of urine.
n Remember thirst alone may not
be the best method of determining
if an athlete has suffered extreme
fluid loss. A more objective reliable
way to gauge fluid loss is to weigh
the athletes prior to competition or
know their average weight out of
competition. The athlete’s weight
post activity will allow you to determine if they have lost significant
amounts of fluid during activity. A
small 2 lb difference in weight means
the athlete will need to ingest 32oz
of fluid prior to the next practice or
game.
n Communication is key remember
to talk with your athletes, I spend
a good portion of time talking to
each of my athletes and learning
how they each respond differently to
competition and practices in terms of
hydration.
Follow Sonya on Twitter: @SonyaMontoya2
USSSA TODAY 23
USSSA, The IQ SPORT
Develop Testing Protocol
Left: Ashley Charters being measured for throwing speed and accuracy. Right: Andrea Duran’s mental toughness scores high with her determination.
This past winter the USSSA and The Q Sport formally joined
forces to bring youth softball a new and exciting opportunity
to grow as players. For the first time a testing protocol, iQ, has
been created to measure an athlete’s playing ability, athleticism, and mental toughness. Through the research and development of the program’s creators it was found that not only
was the iQ needed, it was asked for amongst the who’s who of
the fastpitch world.
The iQ will showcase 14 events such as the 40 yard dash, 5-10-5
shuttle run, and throwing speed and accuracy. What separates
this test from any other form is it is the only standardized test
of its kind. Kids from across the country will be scored and
tested fairly and precisely and the scores will be tabulated in
an Einstein-like formula and posted online. What makes the
scores always up to date is that as athletes from around the
country participate in the iQ score ranking will fluctuate based
upon others performance.
Aside from the standard speed and agility events that most
showcases across the country utilize, iQ will include hitting
events, speed and accuracy throwing events, and a mental
toughness profile which will get a detailed look inside the
athletes mind when she is put through various challenges that
she may face while on the diamond.
It’s a unique and groundbreaking opportunity for players as
young as 12 years old to see how they stack up against others
from around the country. USSSA Pride’s Francesca Enea had
this to say about iQ, “I was fortunate enough to grow up in
southern California where I was surrounded by the best softball players in the country. Being around these girls was a
constant push of what I would have to do to become a better
player. The iQ can bring that to every young softball player
24 USSSA TODAY
who participates. You can compete with the nation’s best
whether you’re in Southern California or Kansas City!”
An often overlooked, but not underestimated aspect of the
game is an athlete’s mental toughness. What is she going to do
when adversity hits her? Traits that are going to get her over
the hump and back on track can be trained at a young age of
development.
Enea said, “Mental toughness is a huge aspect in the sport of
fastpitch. With a game this quick, one moment, error, pitch,
strikeout has the opportunity to weaken you. Being mentally
tough allows you to face these challenges with confidence, and
having the mindset that nothing can stop you from getting
that game winning hit in the bottom of the 7th or turning that
double play right after an error. Mistakes are bound to happen
in this game, but the true champions are the ones who can
overcome the adversity.”
iQ even provides strength and conditioning programs and
mental toughness programs so the girls can train for an
upcoming testing day in their area. The Q Sport’s head of
physical conditioning Matt Meinrod explains, “Performance
training is crucial for softball players to advance in the sport.
Everybody wants to play, but those who train, excel. I encourage
all athletes to always go the extra mile in their strength and
conditioning program. You want to leave no stone unturned
especially when preparing for the iQ.
iQ events are currently being scheduled at locations throughout
the country. USSSA and The Q Sport have been working tirelessly to bring the athlete the best the sport has seen and are
confident you will not be disappointed. To find more information about iQ and upcoming events go online to USSSA.com or
TheQSport.com for details!
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NPF Holds 2012 Senior Draft Live
Presented by MIKEN
Memphis, TN – National Pro Fastpitch
(NPF) and its four-affiliate teams held
the 2012 NPF College Draft Presented
by Miken from the Peabody Hotel in
Memphis, TN. The Draft was streamed
live through profastpitch.com.
Each team had at least three selections in
the five-round draft. The USSSA Florida
Pride held the most picks with seven
and also the coveted number one slot.
Several Draft trades led to USSSA’s position including a 2011 July trade of the
Diamonds 2012 first round draft pick for
USSSA Pride pitcher, Danielle Spaulding.
For the first pick of the Draft, the Pride
selected LSU’s standout ace, Brittany
Mack of Round Rock, TX. This marked
the third year in a row that the first
selection overall was a player from the
Southeastern Conference. Mack has
been a key factor in the circle for the
Tigers since 2009 and in 2011 she was
decorated All SEC, All South Region, All
NCAA Regional, and NFCA All American.
With the number 2 selection, the
Chicago Bandits drafted the University
of Washington’s stellar outfielder, Kimi
Pohlman. The Akron Racers selected
Lexy Bennet, shortstop at the University
of Texas with the third overall choice.
The USSSA Pride chose again in the
first round at the fourth spot and made
UCLA’s utility player, Andrea Harrison
the latest addition to the Pride roster.
USSSA Pride began the second round
with the fifth pick overall, and their
third choice in five draft selections by
choosing Georgia Bulldog infielder/
catcher, Kristyn Sandberg. The Chicago
Bandits followed with the No. 6 pick
overall and selected outfielder, Katie
Schroeder of UCLA. With the No. 7 pick,
the Akron Racers chose Arizona State
pitcher, Hillary Bach. USSSA Pride added
Cal’s versatile Val Arioto with the No. 8
selection to close out the second round.
The Carolina Diamonds led off the
With the first pick of the 2012 draft, Pride’s CEO, Don DeDonatis, selected LSU’s Brittany Mack. NPF’s president,
Cheri Kempf is holding Mack’s new Pride jersey.
third round with the number 9 overall
selection by choosing UMASS’s decorated pitcher, Sara Plourde. The
Chicago Bandits added Hawaii’s pitcher
Stephanie Ricketts for the number 10
pick. The Akron Racer’s made their third
grab of the night and selected University
of Michigan third baseman, Amanda
Chidester as the No. 11 overall pick. With
the final choice of the third round, the
USSSA Pride acquired Michelle Moultrie,
from the University of Florida.
The Carolina Diamonds continued the
2012 NPF Draft by adding Georgia
Tech’s Kelsi Weseman. The fourth
round continued with the Akron
Racers taking Alicia Herron of The
Ohio State University at number 14
and through a recent trade, the Akron
Racers chose again in the No. 15 spot
naming Fordham University’s standout
pitcher, Jen Mineau. The USSSA Florida
Pride rounded out the 4th by selecting
Washington’s Nikia Williams.
For the final round of the Draft, the
Carolina Diamonds chose pitcher, Angel
Bunner from Auburn University. The
Bandits with their final selection chose
locally with Adrienne Monka from
Northwestern as the number 18 selec-
tion. The Akron Racers, through a trade
with USSSA Pride held their No. 19 spot
and nabbed Cal’s speedster, Jamia Reed.
The final pick of the draft went to the
USSSA Pride who chose University of
Louisiana Lafayette’s Christy Orgeron.
NPF Commissioner, Cheri Kempf stated,
“I wholeheartedly extend my congratulations to the 20 young women selected
in this year’s NPF College Draft. These
women represent the future of professional softball and I cannot wait to see
them in action beginning in June.”
The 2012 NPF College Draft was dominated by 7 selections from the PAC-12
Conference. Of the 7 choices there were
2 each at the University of Washington,
UCLA, and Cal. Arizona State was represented with 1 selection. The SEC, which
dominated the 2011 Draft fell into a
not-so-close second place with 4 players
selected.
Re-broadcast information on the 2012
Draft can be found on the NPF YouTube
channel .
Due to NCAA regulations, an active
college senior-athlete is not eligible to
sign with her respective franchise until
her 2011 season is complete.
About National Pro Fastpitch: National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The League, created
to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has
operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL)
26 USSSA TODAY
WWW.MIKENSPORTS.COM
Approved for
play 2013
and beyond.
“LIKE” Miken Sports on Facebook
2012 NPF Draft Results
Round 1
1
(1)
USSSA Florida Pride Brittany Mack
2
(2)
Chicago Bandits
Kimi Pohlman
3
(3)
Akron Racers
Lexy Bennett
4
(4)
USSSA Florida Pride Andrea Harrison
Round 2
Seated at the 2012 Miken Sports’ NPF College Senior Draft (l to r): Carolina Diamonds’ Amelia Nemeth with Alan
Demaske Arrietta, Chicago Bandits’ Bill Sokolis with Aaron Moore, Akron Racers’ Joey Arrieta with Craig Stout
and USSSA Pride’s Don DeDonatis with Gordon Glennie.
1
(5)
USSSA Pride
Kristyn Sandberg
2
(6)
Chicago Bandits
Katie Schroeder
3
(7)
Akron Racers
Hillary Bach
4
(8)
USSSA Florida Pride Valerie Arioto
Round 3
1
(9)
Carolina Diamonds
Sara Plourde
2
(10)
Chicago Bandits
Stephanie Ricketts
3
(11)
Akron Racers
Amanda Chidester
4
(12)
USSSA Florida Pride Michelle Moultrie
Round 4
1
(13)
Carolina Diamonds
Kelsi Weseman
2
(14)
Akron Racers
Alicia Herron
3
(15)
Akron Racers
Jen Mineau
4
(16)
USSSA Florida Pride Nikia Williams
Round 5
Miken Sports’ Adam Peterson and NPF’s Gaye Lynn
Wilson prior to the draft in the lobby of the Peabody
Hotel in Memphis, TN. Miken Sports, once again, was
the draft’s sponsor in 2012.
Pride RF Francesca Enea always takes time to visit
and sign for young, aspiring softball players.
Brittany Mack, Andrea Harrison, Kristyn
Sandburg, Nikia Williams, Valarie Arioto,
Michelle Moultrie, and Christi Orgeron
were all selected by the USSSA Pride at
the 2012 NPF Draft, held in Memphis,
Tennessee on March 7, 2012.
LSU. My heart and my mind are focused
on the path towards returning LSU to
the Women’s College World Series and
winning a national championship.”
Louisina State University Pitcher and
overall SEC standout Brittany Mack was
selected as the first overall pick by the
USSSA Pride in the 2012 NPF Draft.
Mack should feel right at home with
the leadership of her new team as Beth
Torina, the head coach of the Pride, has
also been Mack’s head softball coach at
LSU since June 2011.
“First off, I am extremely excited for
the chance to play professional softball
this summer,” Mack said. “I wouldn’t
be in this position if it wasn’t for the
coaching staff and my teammates at
LSU. It is such an unbelievable feeling
to be honored with the opportunity to
compete at one of the highest levels in
the sport, and I’m hoping that I will be
able to contribute to help expand the
NPF’s greatness throughout the country.
Until then, I have unfinished business at
28 USSSA TODAY
The USSSA Pride selected utility player
Andrea Harrison as the fourth pick
overall in the first round of the draft.
The UCLA Senior And NFCA First Team
All-American now has the opportunity
to play alongside fellow former UCLA All
Stars and new teammates Andrea Duran
and Natasha Watley for the first time.
Kristyn Sandburg was the USSSA
Pride’s third pick. Sandburg, a senior
catcher and infielder at the University
of Georgia, is expected to bring both
offensive and defensive power to the
Pride in 2012.
First-and-third baseman Nikia Williams,
selected fourth by the Pride, will join
former University of Washington teammates Ashley Charters, Jenn Salling, and
Danielle Lawrie, all of whom were a part
of the Husky’s 2009 Women’s College
World Series Championship team in
William’s freshman year.
1
(17)
Carolina Diamonds
Angel Bunner
2
(18)
Chicago Bandits
Adrienne Monka
3
(19)
Akron Racers
Jamia Reed
4
(20)
USSSA Florida Pride Christi Orgeron
Three of the players that the Pride
selected in the 2012 NPF Draft previously played together on the 2011
US Women’s National Softball Team:
Valarie Arioto, Michelle Moultrie, and
Christi Orgeron.
In the eighth pick in the second round
of the 2012 NPF Draft, the USSSA Pride
selected senior Valarie Arioto, first
baseman and pitcher at the University
of California, Berkley.
Michelle Moultrie was selected as the
fourth round of the draft by the USSSA
Pride. The senior and University of
Florida outfielder will be reunited with
former teammates Francesca Enea and
Kelsey Bruder on the Pride in 2012.
Christi Orgeron, who plays utility for the
University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s
Ragin’ Cajuns, was selected 20th
overall in the 2012 NPF Draft. A 2011
USA Women’s National Team member,
Orgeron led the nation in RBI in 2011
with 101.
The Pride in their regular season opener
against the Chicago Bandits on June 7th.
Olympians, Gold Medalists
Descend on Corpus Christi
Women’s Pro Fastpitch Stars Here June 14-15-16
CORPUS CHRISTI – A four-game
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) softball series between the USSSA Pride
and Akron Racers, presented by
Ryan-Sanders Entertainment, is set
for Thursday-Friday-Saturday June
14-15-16 at Whataburger Field.
Game times for the Hurricane Alley Waterpark Coastal Classic
are 7 p.m., 7 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively. Saturday’s action
features a twi-night doubleheader.
“This is a truly unique opportunity for fans to see Olympic gold
medalists and world champions play softball at the highest
level,” Ryan-Sanders Entertainment executive vice president
J.J. Gottsch said. “They are great role models on and off the
field. Young girls in the Coastal Bend can see the best players
in the world – in their own backyard.
“These games will raise the profile of softball to unprecedented levels in Corpus Christi.”
The Pride, flagship club of the four-team NPF League, is led by
four-time University of Texas All-American Cat Osterman, who
thrice earned national collegiate player-of-the-year honors.
Osterman went 38-4 for the Lady Longhorns and pitched them
to three College World Series. The left-hander has earned six
gold medals in international competition.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi assistant coach Sarah Pauly, recently
inducted into the Islanders Hall of Fame, is another Pride
pitcher. Pauly is one of five NCAA
Division I hurlers to win 100 games,
strike out 1,000 batters, maintain a
sub-1.00 ERA and average doubledigit strikeouts in a career (2002-05).
Since 2006, she’s been one of the
most accomplished pitchers in NPF.
Former Stanford outfielder Jessica Mendoza, a member of
the U.S. national team since 2001, is a seasoned international
competitor with seven golds. In 2004, she earned Olympic gold
in Athens. Two years later, Mendoza was inducted into the
International Latin Sports Hall of Fame. In 2006, she captured
another Olympic medal after helping the Americans garner
silver in Beijing.
The Pride shortstop is former UCLA standout Natasha Watley,
a four-time All-American, Olympic gold and silver medalist and
College World Series champion.
Other notables on the roster include Megan Willis (catcher/
Texas) and outfielder Francesca Enea (outfielder/Florida).
Additional sponsors for the Hurricane Alley Waterpark Coastal
Classic are The Batter’s Box and Brewster Street Ice House.
Media partners are the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, K-99 and
NewsRadio 1360 KKTX.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 30 at whataburgerfield.com,
the Whataburger Field box office and by calling 361-561HOOK (4665).
USSSA TODAY 29
Rightview Pro Partners With USSSA
to Provide High Tech Analysis
RightView Pro, a teaching tool to
help improve, define and standardize
instruction, has partnered with USSSA
to to bring video analysis solutions to
the serious baseball and softball players.
“We are very proud to align with an
innovative leader in softball and baseball instruction. RightView Pro has set
the standard for integrity in instruction over the last decade.” Said Don
DeDonatis, Chairman of the Board and
CEO of USSSA.
Originated by former Major Leaguer
Don Slaught, RightView Pro was started
in 2001 after Slaught had accepted
a baseball coaching position at Palos
Verdes Peninsula High School. “I wanted
to show my players what the best
hitters in the world were doing, and I
discovered very quickly that I needed
a coaching tool,” Slaught said. “I was
dealing with 60 kids in a two-hour practice, and I needed a quick easy way to
show my players exactly what they
were doing vs what the best hitters
and pitchers in the game were doing. “
It’s much easier to show than explain”
-It improved communication between
coach and student, provided the proof
that hitters prepared to swing differently but became virtually the same
prior to swinging the bat.
In 1999, Don Slaught went to Major
League Baseball and the Player’s
30 USSSA TODAY
Association and expressed the need
to create a product that would help
coaches at all levels communicate and
breakdown the swing at a speed that
can be understood more effectively.
Some of the major findings were that
hitters don’t squish bugs, don’t swing
down and hitters don’t leave weight on
their back foot. After consulting with
Major League Baseball, work began on
the first software program in conjunction with MLB. Today, the 10-year old
company has greatly expanded and
offers a full line of instructional and
analysis systems for the part-time coach,
all the way up to to college, international, and professional teams.
RVP boasts a user list that is a Who’s
Who of the most successful baseball
and softball programs in North America.
With champions ranging from youth
programs, high school, college, the
Olympics, Professional Major League
Baseball, and Fast Pitch Softball teams.
As of 2011, the last 9 NCAA Softball
Champions were RVP users. RVP has also
been named the official training software of the National Fastpitch Coaches
Association.
Some notable RVP users include the
most recent Major League Baseball
World Series Champions, the 2010
San Francisco Giants, 2007 Boston Red
Sox, 2005 Chicago White Sox, 2004
Boston Red Sox, 2006 American League
Champion Detroit Tigers, and the back
to back NCAA Baseball Champions
South Carolina Baseball.
An exciting new development that
launched this December is the RVP
mobile app for video anaylsis. According
to Slaught, “The true power of the RVP
system is its ability to compare student
skills against the very best players in
the game.” Slaught goes on to say, “We
wanted players at every level to have
an affordable way to compare to pro
models and the RVP App gives players
and coaches that ability right in the
palm of their hand.”
The RVP App also offers the world’s top
fastpitch softball pitchers available for
comparison, including Cat Osterman,
and Danielle Lawrie. Coaches and
players can compare and sync with pro
models, draw lines, and step forward
and backward frame by frame. The RVP
App also communicates with the RVP
analysis system software to ensure full
featured analysis capabilities.
In conjunction with the RVP App, users
can upload and share their swings to
the USSSA Academy server which in turn
enables users to download and compare
their swings against other USSSA players
all across the country.
The RVP App is now available in the app
store.
©2012 Anheuser-Busch, Busch® and Busch Light® Beers, St. Louis, MO
USSSA , BLD and US Marines team up for children’s smiles
“Toys for Tots” Tourney a holiday hit for
players and charity amid the desert sun
By Judd Spicer
Micky Mantle, Roger Maris or Curtis
Granderson could have manned this
mini version of Yankee Stadium– but
it wouldn’t have mattered. Most necks
crane in the same fashion.
Such was the barrage of softballs flying
out of the replica Yankee Stadium
at the annual USSSA’s “Toys for Tots
Tournament” at Big League Dreams in
Cathedral City, Calif. from December
9-11. For nearly two decades, the Palm
Springs area has held the charity event,
with Big League Dreams serving as the
host site since opening in 1998. The Cat
City locale is the original Big League
Dreams Sports Park, which now has 11
facilities stretching from California to
Nevada, Arizona and Texas. The newest
Big League Dreams set of replica fields
opened in Perris Valley, Calif. in January
of 2012.
The Palm Springs/Cathedral City’s Big League Dreams was the first of their eleven parks today.
“By far, this is the biggest tournament
we host annually,” said Pat Queenen,
general manager of the Cathedral City
Big League Dreams. “It’s brings in over
100 teams each year from various states.”
This year’s version of the off-season,
charity tournament featured 134 teams
representing better than 20 states to
play replicas of Yankee Stadium and
Wrigley Field along with Boston’s
hardball cathedral. The event attracts
many of the country’s top squads and
players, dueling across Men’s Open,
Men’s D, Men’s E and Co-Ed Divisions.
Each player is required to bring a toy
(or cash equivalent) to the tournament
and initial figures suggest that better
than 2,500 toys and more than $3,000
was raised for charity this year. The toys
were collected daily by local Coachella
Valley Marines who go on to distribute
the gifts throughout the area.
“It’s unbelievable. The turnout has
been really good and the teams seem
32 USSSA TODAY
USSSA So. CA. State Director and event organizer,
Dennis Rulli.
4 the Fallen Manager, Chris Chaney, with his 26th entry
into the tournament. He has won seventeen Toys for
Tots in the past and settles for second in the 2011 event.
Jeremy Isenhower Swinging Miken on
Resmondo
Approved for
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and beyond.
WWW.MIKENSPORTS.COM
“LIKE” Miken Sports on Facebook
to having a fun time,” said Dennis Rulli,
Southern California state director for
USSSA Softball and a tournament participant with TYJA/Reebok. “It’s all about
the giving back and people having fun.”
The maxim of charity and the pursuit
of fun were echoed throughout the
weekend with all in attendance taking
in the winter sun along with amiable
revelry at Big League Dreams’ “Stadium
Club.” The atmosphere stretched from
the players, to the hosts, soldiers,
umpires, vendors and sponsors.
Aaron Ingram will have the DeMarini/Famous Sports
team in 2012 Conference USSSA play.
“This is definitely the best venue in the
Unites States to play softball,” said Mark
Weber, owner of TYJA Sports. “You’re
getting great teams put together with a
great product, so it makes it real simple
to be successful.”
When not working with customers,
Weber led his TYJA/Reebok squad to a
3rd Place finish in the Open Division.
Approximately 15 Marines from the area appeared
throuhout the weekend to collect donations, doing
so on their own time. With the generousity of the
players and fans, better than 2500 toys and $3000
was collected.
“This is truly the ‘perfect storm;’ you’ve
got the best facility, probably the best
teams in the nation,” Weber added.
“You put all that together in a really nice
setting and it makes you want to play
here. The players have been very positive about our product and have been
very easy to talk to and receptive about
us telling them how our product works.”
Weber estimates that he vends at nearly
25 tournaments a year and says the host
site creates an unparalleled experience:
Fence Brokers’ Jason Bridges did most of the pitching
for the Mens Open Champions.
“The ‘Big League Dreams’ concept
around the country is probably the best
place to play softball. It’s not only the
field quality, it’s the atmosphere that
makes you want to be here.”
Inside Big League Dreams’ Stadium Club, everyone
was festive, looking forward to Christmas with
thoughts of putting smiles on under-priviledged
children’s faces.
Overseeing a wealth of the on-field
action was two of the country’s toplevel umpires, who were flown in from
Detroit to work the tournament.
“We’re out here to relax and have fun
with these guys,” said umpire Tony
Walezak, adding that he was impressed
by the “spread out” level of competition. “We don’t have to take it as seriously as we do [during the season]. We
still do take it seriously, but it’s our time
to relax. Here I am: never thought I’d be
umpiring a softball game in December,
being from Michigan.”
Playing with 4 the Fallen, veteran Rusty Bumgardner
will be swinging a Worth bat in 2012 for 454/
Emerald.
34 USSSA TODAY
Added fellow Blue, Chuck “Doc” Beckwell:
It’s always good to see Ron Parnell.
“We work games at major league parks,
minor league parks – these guys play
at great facilities. But this one rivals all
of those. This tournament – probably
because it’s ‘Toys for Tots’ – it’s a little
bit more relaxed. These guys are a little
bit more relaxed.”
Some of the game’s top players echoed
such impressions.
“I try to come every year,” said Chris
Larsen of eventual 5th Place finisher
(tied) DeMarini. “It’s how softball is
supposed to be: good atmosphere, a
lot of people come out, the music is
good. Just a good time all around. And
anytime you can help out a charity like
‘Toys for Tots,’ it’s a good thing.”
The group that made the 2011 Toys for Tots a huge success: (l to r): DeMarini’s Chris Larsen, Miken’s Denny
Crine, TPS’ Bob Ellis, Manny Reyes of Reyes Sports, USSSA So. CA. State Director Dennis Rulli, Reebok/
Suncoast’s Lee Trotter, Easton’s Brian Wegman, TYJA Sports’ Mark Weber and DeMarini’s Kevin Filby.
Lee Trotter of TYJA/Reebok was playing
the event for the first time and was
quick to share Larsen’s opinion.
“It’s fantastic,” said Trotter. “All the
people here, all the people brining in
toys. How do you beat it? It’s a tournament where you just go have fun, the
sponsors come out and show some good
products for next year. And it’s all for
the kids.”
Approximately 15 Marines from the area
appeared throughout the weekend to
collect donations, doing so on their own
time.
“We do this every year, and it’s all done
by volunteers,” said Staff Sergeant
Brian Pierce of the nearby Twentynine
Palms base. “So we’re not getting paid
for this; the Marines have already done
their job for the day and are using their
liberty hours to come out here and
show support for the local community.
We’ve collected several boxes full of
toys, which we’ll take back to our warehouse and then distribute to local area
community centers.”
Mens Open-Champions Fence Brokers, Inc.- AR. Front row: (l to r) CF Tim Howard, 3B Jimmy Salas, TD Dennis
Rulli, SS Don DeDonatis, Jr., LF Scott Striebel Back row: (l to r) RF Jason Kendrick, C Chris Walker, Mgr. Howie
Krause (recovering from recent surgery), EH Vince Bisbee, P Jason Bridges, Marine Corporal Jonathan O’Donnell,
MI Andy Purcell, 2B Greg Connell, 1B BJ Fulk
While the tenet of goodwill was the
crown champion of the event, winning
players were proud to couple the charity
with well-earned hardware.
“Dennis Rulli has done a great job and
taken it to the next level,” said Don
DeDonatis III of Fence Brokers, Inc. (FBI),
who won the Open championship with
a 44-32, seven inning win over 4 The
Fallen. “It’s also a way to get everyone
together in the winter and have some
fun. It’s a little bit more of a laid-back
36 USSSA TODAY
Mixed C- Champions Jager Bombs- Whittier, CA.
tournament than we’re accustomed to
playing but obviously come Sunday it’s
a little more competitive when it gets
down to it.”
4 The Fallen is the tournament’s most
unique team, considering both their
perennial “Toys for Tots” success along
with the team’s roster.
“Of our 13 players, we have four active
duty players, five military veteran and
four descendant players, so their father
or grandfather were either officers
or veterans,” said 4 The Fallen’s Chris
Chaney, who has appeared at the tournament every year since its inception.
“It’s my 26th year at ‘Toys for Tots,’
so I’m kind of the grandfather of the
event,” Chaney added. “Our teams have
been able to win 17 over those tournaments, so this year with a hand-selected
young team I was very pleased that
these young guys held their own against
the top competition in the country.”
Mens D- Champions Shut-D, Kailua, HI.
DeDonatis added that his team was
proud to be sharing the diamond with
the runners-up.
“Those guys tell us it’s an honor to be
on the field with us, but we feel the
exact opposite,” DeDonatis said of 4 The
Fallen. “We’re fortunate to be on the
same field as them because they’re the
true heroes and people we look up to.”
FBI sponsor and coach Chris Walker
was making his second appearance at
the event and plans to return next year
to defend the title. Said Walker of the
atmosphere:
“The quality of the teams is pretty
amazing. You’re not going to find
another off-season tournament with
that many teams with that many good
players.”
Mens E- Champions Team Downside- Colton, CA.
Like many participants, Walker traveled
far to take in the winter respite.
Mens Open-Second Place 4 the Fallen- CA. Front row:
(l to r) C Jermaine Flythe, SS Mike Quarles, TD Dennis
Rulli, 1B Rusty Bumgardner, CF Mike Rasso, 3B Cliff
Williamson, LF Matt Suder Back row: (l to r) 2B Greg
Zayas, RF Robert Blackburn, P Brian Martin, EH
Darwin Vinson, Marine Corporal Jonathan O’Donnell,
Mgr. Chris Chaney, RF Miles Bush, MI Jake Mays, P
Daxton Mamuyac
“This time of year it’s always rainy and
cold in Arkansas, but man it was nice in
Palm Springs,” he added. “On Saturday
it was 80-degrees with sunshine and we
were joking around that we were going
to have to get the sunscreen out – actually, some guys did.”
Mixed C- Second Place Team GBS- Pasadena, CA.
Taking the Men’s D crown was Shut
D, who made an island traverse to the
desert from Kailua, Hawaii.
USSSA TODAY 37
“This was our first time and we really enjoyed ourselves,”
said Shut D’s Benny Alcoran who praised both the level of
competition along with the chance to watch some of the
nation’s top players in action. “I’ve been hearing about
the tournament for a long time from one of my SoCal
friends. It was definitely worth the trip and we’ll be back
next year.”
Earning the Men’s E crown was Team Downside from
nearby Colton, Calif. while the Co-Ed Division was won by
the Jager Bombs of Whittier, Calif.
“It was a really good turnout; the Co-Ed Division doesn’t
usually get all that many teams in most tournaments, so it
was really fun,” said Angela Trevino of the Jager Bombs.
“It was run so well, especially considering how many
teams were out there.”
Mens D- Second Place Cali Kings, Cathedral City, CA.
Echoing the sentiment of myriad participants at “Toys for
Toys,” Trevino was already looking forward to signing up
for the 2012 tournament.
“We’ll definitely be out there again.”
Mens E- Second Place Bad Rep- Palm Springs, CA.
Softball Insight
with Miken’s Isenhower
With Miken technology in his hands
Isenhower exudes confidence
With the season flying up on us, all I can say is wow!! Its been a long winter cooped up inside and its sure going to
be nice to get out and play some ball... This winter has had a ton of changes involved. The number one team in the
country Resmondo lost 2 of their key players to their biggest rival Laservision.. With the depature of Bryson Baker
and Brian Rainwater there are tons of questions being asked if Resmondo can still remain the number one team
in the country.. I’ve had to read post after post on the Old Scout and on Softball Center that’s already crowning
Laservision as the champs. I can tell you first hand, this is the best motivation I have had in a long time, and its
a slap in the face of our new players Timmy Howard and Bubba Mack.
I’m not one to make a ton of prediction; I beleive we should let it play out before we jump to conclusions
- but I will say this - Resmondo has been picked to lose every year I’ve been around, every year there’s a
younger, more talented bunch that is going to come knock off the sod boys - 4 years ago it was Dan
Smith, then it was Long Haul, then it was Smith again then it was GTL - all I’m going to say is to be
the man you have to beat the man... Don’t tell me show me.... So bring it........
IZ
38 USSSA TODAY
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510 Team Atlanta Super NIT!
by Matt Trebuchon
With much of the country experiencing a winter
that has been mild, in Atlanta, USSSA Baseball
has gone WILD!!!
In this same issue one year ago the tail of
the 455 team Atlanta Super NIT amazed
readers…was is possible to assemble 455
teams in one location in the late days of
winter for a Super NIT? Well, it’s possible
as proven last year but amazingly that
event, now a distant memory has been
overshadowed by the 2012 installment
from the “Heart of the South”.
Let me set the stage…mid-March in
Atlanta, Georgia...teams from all over
the southeast and beyond…Alabama
with twelve representative, Arkansas,
Florida with thirteen, Illinois with
two, Michigan with seven teams in
attendance, Missouri, Mississippi with
six, North Carolina with ten teams
present, Ohio, South Carolina with five,
Tennessee with a dozen and Virginia…
twenty-three venues, one hundred and
twelve staffed workers, three hundred
and six umpires, eighty-nine fields, one
thousand and six games…is it starting
to become clear? The Largest Single
Weekend Amateur Baseball Tournament
in the World!
Classification
At 7:25 PM EDT on March 16, 2012 at the
brand new Red Hawk Baseball Complex
(a Georgia USSSA Baseball exclusive
venue), the first pitch of the 510 team
Atlanta Super NIT was thrown and at
7:44 PM EDT on March 18, 2012 the
last championship trophy was awarded.
During the 48 hours between some of
the greatest winter baseball action ever
was played in unseasonably warm 80°
temperatures observed by more than
42,000 spectators.
When the dust settled, 25 champions
were crowned and ten teams punched
their USSSA Elite World Series tickets.
Champions
Finalist
13UMajor
Bandits Baseball
(GA) 7-0
Diamond Hawks
(OH) 5-2
12UMajor
Team Florida
(FL) 7-0
Cent. Florida Gators
(FL)
6-1
11UMajor
Team M.V.P.
(FL) 7-0
Evoshield Canes
(NC)
5-2
10UMajor
East Cobb Astros
(GA) 7-1
Mayhem Elite
(AL)
6-1
9U Major
Alabama Elite
(AL) 6-0
East Cobb Astros
(GA) 5-1
14UAAA
Elite Gamers
(GA) 5-0
East Cobb Rangers
(GA) 4-2
13UAAA
Blue Thunder
(GA) 6-0
Home Plate Chilidogs
(GA) 4-2
12UAAA
Little Caesars Blue
(MI) 6-1
North Gwinnett Bulldogs
(GA) 6-1
11UAAA
Parkview Panthers
(GA) 5-1
Sport Specific Baseball
(GA) 5-1
10UAAA
South Forsyth Giants
(GA) 6-0
Georgia Hitters
(GA) 4-2
9U AAA
New Hope Rangers
(GA) 6-0
RBA Outlaws
(GA) 5-1
14UAA
Barracudas
(GA) 4-2
Georgia Spartans
(GA) 5-1
13UAA
West Cobb Braves
(GA) 6-0
Georgia Knights
(GA) 5-1
12UAA
Team Sting
(GA) 6-1
Patriot Baseball
(GA) 5-2
11UAA
East Side Thunder
(GA) 6-1
Rome Titans
(GA) 6-1
10UAA
Team Triton
(GA) 5-2
Georgia Redbirds
(GA) 5-1
9U AA
Alcoa Storm
(TN) 6-0
North Henry Wolfpack
(GA) 4-1
12UA
North Georgia Dirt Devils
(GA) 5-0
McDonough Haze
(GA) 3-2
11UA
ATPP Diamonds Blue
(GA) 4-1
Georgia Express
(GA) 3-3
8U Coach Pitch
Georgia Force
(GA) 5-0
Southern Scrappers
(AL)
8U Kid Pitch
Georgia Yard Dogs
(GA) 6-0
Home Plate Chilidogs
(GA) 4-1
7U Coach Pitch
Yalobusha Giants
(MS) 5-0
Bartow Canes
(GA) 4-1
7U Kid Pitch
Foundation Bulldogs
(GA) 4-1
Georgia Yard Dogs
(GA) 3-2
6U Coach Pitch
Elite Gamers RWB
(GA) 5-0
Foundation Ballers
(GA) 3-1
4U T-Ball
South Fulton Reds
(GA) 3-1
South Fulton Cubs
(GA) 3-2
40 USSSA TODAY
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Exogrid is a Registered Trademark of VyaTek Sports.
Super NIT
Bandits Baseball - GA
13U Major Champs
Team Florida - FL
12U Major Champs
42 USSSA TODAY
We’ve
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The Southwest Louisiana
Convention & Visitors Bureau
makes planning your sporting event or
tournament a breeze. Our knowledgeable
sports staff is ready to help with a variety
of services and area resources to ensure
the success of your event.
The only question is, Are You Game?
Register to play in the following USSSA Baseball
Tournaments: Governor’s Games May 18-20, 25-27 and
June 1-3, and the USSSA 8U World Series July 4-8!
To book your next tournament, contact Eric Zartler, at
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8
Super NIT
Team MVP - FL
11U Major Champs
East Cobb Astros - GA
10U Major Champs
44 USSSA TODAY
2012 BATS
Yeah, We Got That
By Mike Cisneros
Photos by Brianne Marie Cisneros
It’s 2012 and you may not have noticed it, but sports have
changed. If Babe Ruth were alive today, he would not recognize baseball; same with Knute Rockne and football or Jack
Nicklaus and golf. OK, that last guy is still alive, but it doesn’t
change the fact that it’s a new world out there. It’s all about
specialization – in Ruth’s day a pitcher went 9 innings and a
hitter played defense: now there are starters, long relievers,
short relievers, mop-up men and closers as well as hitters –
pinch, designated and extra - who never take the field. It’s all
about specialization, and today’s softball bat manufacturers
understand that. The newest crop of bats has something for
everybody: if you prefer a balanced bat or an end-load; a twopiece bat or a one-piece … or a two-piece with the feel of a
Avarice
Technology
The 100% composite, one-piece
Avarice uses the cream of the technologies Combat has perfected
over the last few seasons then
adds a completely new technology
to create a unique model for the
2013 line. Combat engineers tried
every weighting combination they
could think of over two-plus years
of studies before finding its new
Maximum Performance Weighting
– the “ultimate swing weight
allowable by law” according to
the company – which improves
swing speed without altering
swing mechanics. This extreme load
combines with Variable Stiffness
Technology – a rotation around the
barrel of thicker wall for strength and
thinner wall for performance – engineered into either end of the normal
sweet spot which enlarges the effective hitting area where maximum
distance can be achieved. Blended
Fiber Technology uses carbon, glass
and aramid fibers in varying proportions at carefully controlled angles;
Separation Barrier Technology, which
is different than other multi-wall
technologies, allows multiple walls to
flex individually or in tandem for top
performance without having to break
through layers of stiff composite first;
Nanocomp Technology Inside allows
the composite’s fiber and resin to
be uniform at the molecular level
fills the natural gaps between fibers
and strengthens the entire shell; and
Precision Molding Technology uses
computer controlled, machine-hardened steel tooling to strictly control
the consistency of the walls. The
Combat Avarice is available in 2013
USSSA Stamped and in all-associations models.
Company Line
“The Avarice is built to pass the new
(2013) stamp protocol; it is also our
first bat using our new weighting
system, which really helps the bat act
like a hammer. It also has a tuned flex
in the taper. A completely new feel
for Combat – the easier you swing
the better it performs. It really lends
itself to players of all levels.” – Don
Cooper, Combat Softball
Review
If the Avarice didn’t have the word
“Combat” printed on the barrel, you
might not realize that it is, in fact,
a Combat. That’s not a dig at the
one-piece; something with extra pop or something easier to
control; something strictly for tournament play or something
for use everywhere; something in intimidating black or in
blinding neon green? Yeah, we got that. Gone are the days
when you picked up a wooden bat that had the length – not
the weight – stamped on it and took your chances. These days
you have your singles hitters, doubles hitters, home run hitters,
opposite field hitters and so on. Each of these hitters are part
of the modern slowpitch game and each of these hitters prefer
a specialized type of bat to get their job done. Look below and
you can see that whatever type of bat your type of hitter needs
… yeah, we got that.
company or the bat; but in its short
history, Combat has become known
for making bats for the power hitter
– thin-handled, short-barreled and
end loaded, with a sweet spot out
near the end of the barrel where the
bat speed is always the fastest. The
Avarice is unlike any bat Combat
has ever made. It has a long barrel,
all-new weighting system and is
designed to complement hitters
with fast and slow swing speeds. It
is very easy to hit – whether you are
winding up and crushing the ball,
taking a smooth, full swing or simply
slapping the ball to the opposite field
– it works well for all types of hitters.
It has “feel” to it – there is feedback
to the hands, especially during softer
swings, that lets you know when you
hit it just right. That’s not to say it
won’t work as a home run hitter’s
bat; the 2013 USSSA-stamped bat
easily clears a 315-foot fence in the
hands of C and D players. But it also
does much more. The barrel has a
soft rather than stiff feel. You don’t
have to hit it hard to get a good
result. It makes you feel like you
have complete control at the plate.
As Combat’s Don Cooper said, “The
Avarice is really a bat for the masses:
easy to swing, very soft feel. I think
Combat Sports’ Don Cooper
you will see them at all levels and at
both male and female tournaments.
Now that does not mean you can’t
drop a Bomb with it, but sometimes
you need a single to right as well.”
Description
n 100% composite one-piece
construction
n Precision Molding Technology
n Blended Fibre Technology
n Anisotropic Composite Technology
n Variable Stiffness Technology
n Separation Barrier Technology
n Nanocomp Technology Inside
n Maximum
Performance Weighting
USSSA TODAY 47
454 Legit
Technology
The 100% composite, one-piece 454
Legit series has become Worth’s 2013
top-of-the-line bat thanks to breakthrough 454 Technology, a proprietary
design of four layers of composite
materials arranged in such a way that
the natural sweet spot of the barrel
has been extended an additional two
inches each toward the barrel and
handle. The barrel flex and handle
stiffness are coupled to assist with
power hitting while the larger sweet
spot guarantees maximum performance along more of the hitting
area. The Resmondo model also
features the maximum allowable end
load to add bat speed through the
hitting zone. Worth uses a proprietary combination of carbon, graphite,
glass and aramid fibers in a design
that begins with a Performance Inner
Core where multiple layers are cured
with high heat. A Rapid Air Vacuum
Process is used where pressurized
molds hold the layers in place while
air is quickly removed from the fibers;
simultaneously the Epoxy Induction
Process infuses the fiber with epoxy
under constant heat and pressure.
The RAV and EIP processes eliminate
air pockets and other impurities and
Mayhem BJ Fulk 98
Technology
The BJ Fulk Mayhem began life as a
supporting character; just one option
available in a full line of Mayhem
bats. But through time it has become
perhaps the star product of the
entire line. New for 2012 is the first
Fulk that meets the performance
standards of all major softball sanctioning bodies. It is designed similarly
to previous Mayhems but meets the
ABI 98-mph batted ball speed standard. The 100% composite, one-piece
bat features a Performance Inner
Core – two layers of composite fibers
assembled with braided layers of
other composite materials between
48 USSSA TODAY
result in consistent performance and
durability. The 454 Legit is available
in 2013 USSSA Stamped Resmondo
(extreme end loaded) and balanced
weighting models as well as an allassociations model.
Company Line
“Our graphics department and bat
team work very hard to develop and
create color schemes and designs that
are appealing to the eye and recognizable to the consumer. It’s great to hear
how players give our bats nicknames
for the color schemes of the bats. The
matte finish … was introduced on our
454 bats last season and has been
carried over from much demand from
the softball consumer. Our bats are
very noticeable from a distance and
once you get close enough to the ball
field you will certainly know which
are the Worth bats.” – Dennis Turner,
Worth Sports
Review
There’s no chance that you have not
yet seen the brightly colored 454
Legit bats on the softball field. But on
the chance you haven’t been able to
swing one yet … they do feel every bit
as good as they look. Worth learned a
long time ago that no one bat is right
for every player, so they offer among
the widest ranges of bats to choose
from – including three in the Legit
them. It is assembled by using the
same Rapid Air Vacuum Process
and Epoxy Induction Process as the
454 Legit. The BJ Fulk Mayhem 98 is
balanced weighted.
Company Line
“The BJ Fulk series Mayhem has been
very well received by a large number
of players. Even with the high-profile
454 Legit series, players like the feel
and performance of the Mayhem
series. Now that we have added the
(all associations) model, players are
rushing to their Worth authorized
dealers to get this bat in their bag as
well.” – Dennis Turner, Worth Sports
Review
The Mayhem is perhaps Worth’s most
reliable offering; the bat has been a
series: the orange Resmondo offers
the maximum allowed end weighting
in a 2013 USSSA-stamped bat to
assist with swing speed; the yellow
Balanced offers true-to-weight feel
for those seeking maximum bat
control and consistency; and the
green 98 MPH is balanced weighted
and legal for use in all softball associations. Each of these bats performs
in a similar way – the 454’s superior
sweet spot means miss hits are rare
so balls hit with the Legit more often
than not are solidly put into play.
The Resmondo – which carries the
name of the three-time defending
Conference USSSA champions – is a
power hitter’s bat. It is designed to
be swung hard and hit the ball a long
way; it swings heavier than its listed
weight and will send well-struck balls
sailing over the fence while less-well
struck balls will still whistle through
the gaps. If you are more a line-drive
or opposite-field type hitter who
doesn’t necessarily swing for the
fence in every at bat, the balanced
offers a huge, responsive hitting
surface that finds the ball even on
bad pitches. And the 98 MPH bat is
designed to do everything the other
two bats can do without violating the
batted ball exit speed standard. The
Legit bats are designed to be ready
right out of the package without any
favorite on softball fields since the
original “Booger” arrived almost a
decade ago. The Mayhem has been
through a number of designs through
the years – end loaded, balanced,
reloaded with an extra half-ounce,
Resmondo loaded with a full ounce,
and signature models. Last season,
the most popular Mayhem was the
BJ Fulk signature with its long barrel,
balanced weighting and large sweet
spot; hitters of all types used the Fulk
in all types of game situations except
for one – in games that use the 98
MPH batted ball speed standard.
Enter the 2012 Mayhem BJ Fulk 98, a
bat with the same feel as the previous
Fulk that is legal to use everywhere. It
is designed for maximum bat control,
consistent barrel performance and
Worth Sports’ Dennis Turner
break-in and they seem to be; they
are not supposed to get hotter as
they age and they don’t seem like
they need to. It’s a great performing
bat. The 454 Legit will nearly be as
popular for its performance as it will
for its looks.
Description
n 100% composite one-piece
construction
n 454 Technology
n Performance Inner Core
n Rapid Air Vacuum Process
n Resmondo Loading (Resmondo
model)
n Soft Touch
Grip
the durability to last the tournament
season. Mayhem users will recognize
its feel right away without needing
an adjustment or break-in period, so
there is no learning curve here. It is
designed to be hot right out of the
wrapper. It also comes with something few other bats come with
– confidence due to proven performance behind the Mayhem name.
Description
n 100% composite one-piece
construction
n Performance Inner Core
n Rapid Air Vacuum Process
n Balanced Weighting
n Soft Touch Grip
The ONE Sunday Swagger
Technology
The ONE Sunday Swagger is
DeMarini’s fourth generation of its
revolutionary ONE design – a twopiece bat that has the unmistakable
feel of a one-piece. Following in the
footsteps of the ONE, the ONE Misery
Loves Company, and the ONE.12
Chris Larsen signature edition, the
2012 Sunday Swagger features
a 13-inch barrel made of 4.ONE
composite, a proprietary design that
uses narrow multiple layups to create
one of the stiffest composites used
for softball. The biggest difference
between the Sunday Swagger and its
predecessors is the SC4 Alloy handle;
the new combination of DeMarini’s
stiffest composite and stiffest alloy
make for its stiffest bat to date. It
uses Half & Half Technology to marry
the barrel and handle so they provide
one-piece feel with no hand sting.
The Clutch 2 end cap synchronizes
the stiffness with the composite
barrel to return the impact energy to
Steel
Technology
The Steel is a two-piece, single-walled
bat unique in the field – it is the only
model (along with its sister all-alloy
Raw Steel) to feature a Steel rather
than aluminum barrel. The Steel 01
Alloy can be made 33% thinner
than aluminum walls and therefore
performs well with all types of balls and
in non-optimal weather conditions. The
strength of the alloy allows for the thin
walls to be durable. The C6 Composite
handle has a large weave for optimal
flex and is then tuned to the barrel for
peak performance. It uses Half & Half
Technology, a two-piece hitting system
that flexes before impact then recoils
to launch the ball off the bat; it also
dampens vibration on off-center hits.
The n2m endcap is designed to absorb
vibration from impact and redirect it
each ball. Like last year’s model, the
Sunday Swagger is approved for use
in all associations. Unlike last year’s
model, it has end load weighting.
Company Line
“The SC4 Alloy handle allows the
bat to play stiffer and drives more
energy back to the barrel of the bat,
thereby creating more performance.
The stiffer handle/barrel configuration allows this model to play and
feel more like a one-piece design
and is well suited for the player that
desires two-piece performance and
one-piece feel from their bat” – Jerry
Garnett, DeMarini/Wilson
Review
DeMarini really listens to its players;
the company has a long-standing
tradition of exploring suggestions
and seeing how they translate to
actual gameplay. How about the
most end-weighted bat ever? Enter
the Juice; How about a balanced
two-piece composite? Enter the
Juggernaut; How about a dominating Singlewall? Enter the Steel;
How about a two-piece that feels
like a one-piece? Enter the ONE. The
through the barrel instead of letting
it escape through the top. The Steel
barrel is heavier than aluminum so the
bat has an inherent end weighting. It
is 2013 USSSA Stamped and is sanctioned in all-associations.
Company Line
“The bottom line with either our White
Steel or Raw Steel is that it allows the
barrel of the bat to trampoline with a
softer ball; regardless if the ball has
a low compression, is old and worn,
of if the atmospheric temperature
is high the barrel receives the ball,
deflects under the load and transfers
the energy back to the ball. In most
other cases the softer ball typically
deforms around the barrel of a bat
and the energy is lost … we truly
believe we have the best Singlewall
performance bat on the market; as
a matter of fact we have tested this
model against some performance
composite bats with a soft ball and it
2012 Sunday Swagger is the fourth
bat in the ONE series and builds
upon everything learned from the
previous models and finds a way
to improve on it. New this year is
the SC4 Alloy handle to replace the
previous composite one and an end
load to change former bat’s balanced
feel. These two changes turn a bat
that was already a good performer
into a power stick – and not just
for pure power hitters. The Sunday
Swagger has a 4.ONE composite
barrel that is the stiffest DeMarini
has ever used; this is paired with the
SC4 handle which is also the stiffest
the company has every used. The
result is a bat that has the desired
feel of a stiff one-piece bat but also
the performance of a two-piece bat
that amplifies the energy the batter
– and the ball – put into it. The end
weighting makes the bat heavy but
it also helps get the barrel through
the hitting zone quicker; add to that
the pre-flex at the start of the swing
and the flex through impact and the
Sunday Swagger will speed up any
swing, adding distance to most hits.
It is a most effective ball launcher.
out-performs some of them.” – Jerry
Garnett, DeMarini/Wilson
Review
The two-piece Steel has been in
production for 6 years and in that
time DeMarini has turned what could
have been a novelty bat into the
best Singlewall on the market. It is
still the only bat with a barrel made
of steel, a material that was always
considered too heavy to be an effective bat ingredient. But DeMarini was
able to make it happen with Half &
Half Technology, developing a handle
so light that the naturally heavy
barrel became manageable. The first
Steels were good, this latest version
is better. Steel is so much stronger
than aluminum that the new barrel
is one-third thinner than comparable
aluminum walls which allows for
more trampoline on solid balls while
allowing for more mass on softer
balls. The bat is not technically end-
DeMarini Sports’ Jerry Garnett
Being a unique design, it does take
a bit of practice to get used to – you
will be swinging faster than you may
be used to, so take the time to dial in
before using the bat in an important
situation. Then, at the team victory
party, see if you can suggest anything
more to improve it.
Description
n 4.ONE Composite barrel
n SC4 Alloy handle
n Half & Half Technology
n Clutch 2 endcap and knob
n End load weighting
n Hybrid
Performance Grip
loaded but the materials dictate that
the majority of the bat’s weight is in
the barrel; the C6 composite handle
has been tuned to get the most
performance out of the unique barrel.
It makes an odd sound on contact but
the ball goes much farther than the
sound, or even the swing, would indicate. This bat is not designed to dink
and dunk your way around the bases
a single at a time, it is made to stretch
the field and challenge the fence. And
if you don’t believe that this can be
accomplished using a single-walled,
non-composite bat then you need to
see this bat for yourself – especially
on a hot day with cheap softballs.
Description
n Steel 01 Alloy Barrel
n C6 Composite Handle
n N2M Endcap and Knob
n End Load Weighting
n Hybrid
Performance Grip
USSSA TODAY 49
Louisville Slugger Z-1000
Technology
The two-piece 2012 TPS Z-1000
appeared on the landscape last
season and is still dropping jaws –
and bombs: the Louisville Slugger
team used it to win the 2011 Long
Haul Bombers Stadium Tour and
TPS Staff Player Tim Cocco has won
the last three Disney HR Derbies.
It features a shell made of LS-2X
Composite, which is a thinner yet
higher strength composite than the
2011 model that allows for more
layers than the old model for added
durability while still allowing for
thinner overall walls for more performance. It has a 12-inch barrel with
an extreme end load; new for 2012 is
a balanced weight version. The barrel
and handle are put together using iST
Composite Technology – it features a
uniquely solid connection between
Freak NXT
Technology
The new Freak NXT features all of
Miken’s newest technologies in one
pretty package. The name “Freak” is
associated with a particular profile of
Miken product; if the bat carries the
Freak name, it has earned the distinction of being Miken’s top-of-the-line.
It has Hyperbolic Barrel Technology
where the bat’s multi-layer walls are
“fully released” for hot-out-of-thewrapper performance; the proprietary
layering extends the barrel flex for a
20% bigger sweetspot compared to
previous Freaks. The barrel is made of
R900 Carbon fiber which is the strongest composite ever to appear in a
Miken bat. Durashell Technology acts
as a composite “shield” on the outer
shell of the 100% aerospace grade
carbon barrel, maximizing performance out of the wrapper. The new
secret to the bat is its Vortex Power
Source which is something new from
50 USSSA TODAY
the barrel and handle giving players
maximum performance even on
inside pitches: vibration from a miss
hit is instantly dampened and with
the threat of bad vibration removed
the player is never afraid to maintain acceleration through impact
which means more consistent performance on every swing. The Z-1000 is
approved for USSSA play, but does
not yet have the 2013 USSSA Stamp.
Company Line
“The bat makes a different sound
when the ball is struck, one that gets
everyone’s attention, but the results
for the player swinging our Z-1000
are so favorable that the sound it
makes quickly becomes associated
with the sound a great bat makes
… We are extremely pleased with
the Z-1000 and its wide acceptance
by the teams and players who have
tried it and confirmed that we have
a winner.” – Hank Bassett, Hillerich
& Bradsby Co. Louisville Slugger/TPS
Miken to help players elevate their
game - Vortex Handle Technology
harnesses the power of braid reinforced fiber to increase strength and
amplify performance: each braided
layer distributes load evenly while
all layers move seamlessly together
for optimal flex and performance.
The Extreme X-Tack knob is the next
step in the X-Tack tech. The Freak
has been Miken’s top bat since the
game-changing Ultra II (which really
did change the game by making the
first new performance limits of the
composite era necessary) and this
version is the luxury car of Freaks, with
every technology Miken can install
included as standard equipment. The
Freak NXT is available in 2013 USSSA
Stamped balanced or Maxloaded
models as well as in all-associations
balanced and Supermax models.
Company Line
“This is the bat in the lineup for
everyone. Whether you are a power
hitter, line drive hitter to the gaps or
just a high on base percentage player,
Review
The Z-1000 is inarguably the best
performing bat offered by TPS since
the original Genesis – it’s a bat that
makes every hitter a better player and
every swing a potential hit. It is the
first two-piece design by Louisville
Slugger so it has more pop than their
previous composites; it is made of
a new, stronger and thinner material which adds to the performance
as well as to the durability over the
2011 model. And for the first time
in 2012 it is offered in balanced as
well as end load models. The Z-1000
makes a menacing sound – the first
time we heard it we thought we hit
the ball so far we broke the bat – but
repeated strikes eventually convinced
us that the noise, and the distance,
were hallmarks of the bat. For such
an unusual sound, look and feel – it
really does not feel like any other bat
– it takes a surprisingly short time
to get used to the Z-1000. And the
this is the bat. With the Vortex handle,
this bat will show you the ultimate
PERFECT relationship between handle
and barrel. It comes in a Balance or a
Maxload end load option.” – Adam
Peterson, Miken Sports
Review
The obvious cliché is to call the
Miken Freak NXT “the Cadillac of
softball bats.” But then if the car had
as many features as the Freak NXT,
performed as well and was as consistently reliable then Detroit would still
be the center of the universe. The bat
handles like a dream. It is everything
Miken is known for – a huge hitting
area that has actually been enhanced
to be hot along more of the barrel’s
14.5-inch length than previous
models, a thin and stiff handle that
helps get the barrel through the
hitting zone quickly, and big, deep fly
balls that land on the other side of
the fence. The original Freak catered
to all types of hitters because it was
balanced for control but with plenty
of pop so that it provided all the
Louisville Slugger’s Hank Bassett
results are amazing right away, even
if the sound is a bit off-key classic like
a Bob Dylan ballad.
Description
n LS-2X Composite Design
n IST Composite Connector
n End Load Weighting
n Synthetic Grip
home runs it was ever asked too.
But it wasn’t necessarily comfortable
for every hitter. The new Freak NXT
caters to all types thanks to specialization with four different models
with various performance standards
and weight loads. No matter how
you are built, what type of swing you
have or what you want to accomplish in the batter’s box, there is a
Freak NXT that fits. And once you
get behind the wheel, you can pretty
much drive it wherever you want.
And let the others watching you roll
by wish they were driving the same
thing.
Description
n 100% Composite One-Piece
Construction
n 100 Comp Formula
n R900 Carbon Fiber
n Hyperbolic Barrel Flex Technology
n Durashell Technology
n Extreme X-Tack Knob
n Available In Balanced, Maxload
And Supermax Loads
MV-1
Technology
When the original Maximum Velocity
hit the market it 2010 it became the
first choice for Miken lovers and
was even used by staff hitter Denny
Crine in tournament and derby play.
But time went on and new models
came out, as they do in the softball
world, and the MV-1 gave way to
the MV-3 gave way to the DC-41 …
but the MV-1 was never completely
forgotten and when Miken came out
with its first batch of 2013 USSSA
stamped bats, the re-released MV-1
was among the first produced. It is
practically the same bat everyone
remembers with only the changes
necessary to adhere to the new
USSSA standard. It is made of R900
Carbon fiber, the industry’s highest
grade carbon and 40% stronger than
Miken’s previous fibers. Multi-layer
Biaxial Technology precisely aligns
those fibers for the best possible
performance and durability. MPa7
Resin is calibrated to get the most
out of the R900 fibers. Durshell
Blackout
Technology
The one-piece Blackout takes Mizuno’s
Craze technology to the next step –
putting an extra half-ounce out on
the end to turn the company’s most
durable design into a better power
hitter’s bat. The Blackout is made of
Black Array Carbon which has more
glass fiber and 5% more resin than
previous Mizuno composites; it is
sold as a “No Warranty” bat to keep
the price down but also because its
durability allows the company to do
so. The load has been changed from
the balanced Craze, moved out to the
end with the extra .5 ounce added for
emphasis. The added glass gives the
Blackout a sharp sound and improved
performance. The barrel is created by
an Enhanced Cylinder Seaming tech-
Technology acts as a composite
“shield” on the outer shell of the
100% aerospace grade carbon fiber
barrel, maximizing performance out
of the wrapper. The pieces are fused
using Advanced Innerflex Technology
– a design where the barrel is
customized for maximum velocity on
batted ball speed and the handle is
calibrated to flex for efficient energy
transfer and barrel rebound. The
14.5-inch barrel is still the industry’s longest and the knob features
X-Tack coating for enhanced grip.
It comes exclusively with Supermax
end weighting, making it a popular
model for power hitters.
Company Line
“This model is perfect for the pure
power hitter. With the Supermax end
load it will speed the batter’s swing
through the hitting zone quicker
than other models. Being that the
MV-1 has a full ounce load in the
end, I recommend backing off an
ounce from your normal bat weight
- I currently swing a 28 oz in most
models, but I swing a 27 oz in the
MV-1 and love it” – Adam Peterson,
Miken Sports
nique which uses precise machine
wrapping of the carbon layers
with exact pressure for consistent
quality. It has a 13-inch barrel and a
small knob which allows for a more
comfortable off-handle grip like those
preferred by power hitters. It has the
USSSA 2013 stamp.
Company Line
“We sell the Blackout at the discounted
price and without a warranty. We
started that practice with the Craze
series (2011) and it has worked well
for our bats. Players like this aspect
because it gives them a better bat
at a lower price … and more serious
players can buy their ‘backup’ bat
upfront and not have to worry about
paying to ship their defective bat and
wait for a new one to arrive and break
in the replacement bat. Now, you have
both in your bag.” – Chad Robertson,
MizunoUSA
Review
People have a way of romanticizing
the past, remembering things to be
better than they actually were. When
that happens and something from
the past is brought to the present
there is inevitably disappointment.
With the MV-1, there is no disappointment. It may have been ahead
of its time – but it feels new here in
2012, with no drop in performance.
It is severely end-weighted (2010
models came in balanced as well)
which really makes it effective in a
power hitter’s hands. But it will speed
up any hitter’s swing and since most
of the 14-plus-inch barrel is live it can
be used effectively by most hitters. If
you are not a big, strong hitter then
you will want to go down an ounce
from what you normally swing. It has
an unparalleled feel – it actually feels
good on contact – not unlike a tuning
fork humming contentedly when
struck. That would seem to indicate
that bad contact would sting, but it
doesn’t. Or at least we haven’t been
able to make bad contact. The MV-1
has the advantage of being a brand
new bat that many players have
Review
There has been much anticipation but
very little advance word about the
new Blackout. It has an intimidating
coal black coat with bright yellow
highlights. It has upgraded glass fibers
over previous Mizuno models. It comes
in half-weights – 26.5, 27.5 and 28.5.
All this is obvious from the rare photos
and posts of the bat online. But it is
much more when you see it on the field.
While it is built on the Craze frame, it
doesn’t feel like last year’s bat at all. It
is meant to be hit hard and it seems
to enjoy doing it. The sweet spot is a
bit farther toward the end than in any
Mizuno bat since the red Techfire Fury,
which makes faster swings and harder
contact possible. The ball tends to go
farther more often than it did with the
Craze. The small knob fits comfortably
in the palm of the hand. It is hot right
out of the wrapper and maintains its
Miken Sports’ Adam Peterson
been comfortable swinging in the
past, which gives a player an instant
advantage between the ears and
between the lines.
Description
n 100% Composite One-Piece
Construction
n 100 Comp Formula
n R900 Carbon Fiber
n Multi-Layer Biaxial Technology
n MPA7 Resin System
n Inner Flex Technology
n X-Tack Plus Knob
Mizuno Sports’ Chad Robertson
pop swing after swing. It looks evil, it
sounds scary, and it swings heavy. Put
it all together and it is an impressive
new flagship bat for Mizuno.
Description
n 100% Composite One-Piece
Construction n Black Array Carbon
n Enhanced Cylinder Seaming
n Coiled End Cap n0.5 oz. Extra
End Weighting
USSSA TODAY 51
®
EVIL SPORTS
EVIL SPORTS® SOFTBALLS
SOFTBALLS
PREMIUM
PREMIUM LEATHER
LEATHER COVER
COVER •• $57.96
$57.96 /Dozen
/Dozen
MP-EVIL-CLAS-Y-2
12”
MP-EVIL-CLAS-Y-2
12” .40/325
.40/325
MP-EVIL-CP-Y
12”
.52/275
MP-EVIL-CP-Y
12” .52/275
MP-EVIL-44-MAX-Y
12”
MP-EVIL-44-MAX-Y 12” .44/525+
.44/525+ (Not
(Not USSSA
USSSA Certified)
Certified)
®
THE ROCK
THE ROCK® SERIES SOFTBALLS
SERIES SOFTBALLS
COMPOSITE
COMPOSITE LEATHER
LEATHER COVER
COVER •• $54.84
$54.84 /Dozen
/Dozen
MP-ROCK-11-UY
MP-ROCK-11-UY
X-ROCK-CLAS-Y-2
X-ROCK-CLAS-Y-2
X-ROCK-CP-Y
X-ROCK-CP-Y
11”
11”
12”
12”
12”
12”
.44/400
.44/400
.40/325
.40/325
.52/275
.52/275
AK-EZ SERIES SOFTBALLS
AK-EZ SERIES SOFTBALLS
SYNTHETIC
SYNTHETIC LEATHER
LEATHER COVER
COVER •• $39.96
$39.96 /Dozen
/Dozen
AK-EZ-CLASW-Y
AK-EZ-CLASW-Y
AK-EZ-USSSA-Y
AK-EZ-USSSA-Y
AK-EZ-CP-Y
AK-EZ-CP-Y
11”
11”
12”
12”
12”
12”
.44/400
.44/400
.40/325
.40/325
.52/275
.52/275
MP SERIES SOFTBALLS
MP SERIES SOFTBALLS
PREMIUM
PREMIUM LEATHER
LEATHER COVER
COVER •• $48.00
$48.00 /Dozen
/Dozen
MP-11-CLASW-Y
MP-11-CLASW-Y
MP-USSSA-Y
MP-USSSA-Y
11”
11”
12”
12”
.44/400
.44/400
.40/325
.40/325
FASTPITCH SOFTBALLS
FASTPITCH SOFTBALLS
LEATHER
LEATHER COVER
COVER •• $48.00
$48.00 /Dozen
/Dozen
FP-11-Y-375
FP-11-Y-375
FP-12-Y-375
FP-12-Y-375
11”
11”
12”
12”
.47/375
.47/375
.47/375
.47/375
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Worth Sports continues its
excellence in high end bat
by Dennis Turner
these bats the largest sweetspot in the
industry and extremely good out of the
wrapper. Also, just want to give you a
heads up that we will be releasing a
couple more 454 Legit bats very soon, so
be on the lookout for those as well.
Dennis Turner (left) instructing a ball shagger on how he wants the balls to be retrieved at a recent 454 HR
Contest. The contest was so popular last year that it has been continued in 2012
The season is upon us and it’s time to
shake off the cob-webs and get ready
for the new season. I know a lot of you
have been training both in the gym and
taking BP on the field to make yourselves better for the 2012 season. We
too have been hard at work developing
new bats for you to get excited about. I
know that I am glad to see that we are
continuing to develop top-notch, highperformance bats that you have come
accustomed to and look for at this time
every year to get the greatest and latest
Worth bat that just hit the stores.
We have already released a handful bats
in our new line this past December in
hopes of getting these bats in your hand
as soon as possible. Since their release,
we have heard nothing but great feedback from you guys about the same
performance and durability of this new
454 LEGIT line. A few new 1.20 BPF bats
will have the new USSSA fingerprint
stamp on them that is required for play
in 2013. The current bats that you were
using this past season will be grandfathered in for this year.
Obviously, our bat line is second to
none, and we are keeping that creative
matte finish look on the bats and
adding some new color schemes to
make the bats stand out and noticeable
from a distance. We currently have the
454 Legit- Balanced (yellow), 454 Legit
Resmondo Max end-load (orange) and
the 454 Legit ASA (green). In addition
to these new bats, we also introduced
the new Titan 5.4L and the BJ Fulk
Mayhem is still a mainstay in the line. As
you know with this new 454 technology,
the sweetspot is extended by two inches
in each direction of the barrel making
Resmondo/Worth enters this season as
the reigning champs of the USSSA Men’s
Major division and look to continue as
one of the top powerhouse on the slowpitch circuit. Some of the other teams
have added a lot of great players to
their roster, so it will be a competitive
season once again. Resmondo added
some young players as Bubba Mack,
Jimmy Salas along with veteran Tim
Howard to the squad this season. The
nucleus has remained the same with the
likes of DeDonatis, Purcell, Fulk, Connell
and Krause to name a few.
Team 454/Worth, also coming off as
champions of the USSSA Men’s “A”
World Series have added some top
players such as Matt Pesso, Jason
Branch, Jeff Hall and Rusty Bumgardner
to the team that not only won with
talent, but a great deal of chemistry.
The core of this team, with players like
Rogers, Rhew, Bazat, Moyer and Griffin
will prove to be another force in the
“A” ranks this season .Both of these
teams have represented the Worth
brand well, and the chemistry that these
teams possess along with the talent has
propelled them to be the favorites in
their respective divisions.
Congrats! to Greg Connell of Resmondo/
Worth for being selected as the Male
Athlete of the Year for ASA. Greg also
won the HR title in Conference USSSA
by hitting 119 home-runs in tournament
play combined with a .797 OBP.
Check us out on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/worthslowpitch
Check us out on Twitter
@WorthSlowpitch1
Until next time, stay focused and play
hard.
DT
54 USSSA TODAY
Players
Making Products
For Players
• Microfiber shorts
• Custom Gloves
• Hats
• Batting gloves
• Custom T shirts
• Custom softball pants
• Roller bags
• Full Sublimation Uniforms
• Backpack bags
• Custom orders and much
more.
• Hoodies
817.944.4547
www.prototype-gear.com
[email protected]
Connell pinch hits for Fulk at
Worth event in North Texas
by Van Galeon
MANSFIELD, TX – Greg Connell has been the top home run hitter in
Conference USSSA for the past four years, including 2011 when he blasted
119 round-trippers. He is also one of the marquee players for WORTH Sports.
Connell
Connell unloads
unloads to
to deliver
deliver
aa creature
creature in
in an
an impressive
impressive
hitting
hitting exhibition.
exhibition.
56
So, when Connell’s buddy B.J. Fulk had to miss
his annual namesake event in Texas this year due
to the birth of his first child, Weston, it was only
natural that Connell be selected to pinch hit.
And the big slugger from Moultrie, Georgia was
a big hit in the Lone Star State.
The B.J. FULK SHOOTOUT is an annual earlyseason tournament in North Texas and is
part of the WORTH Lone Star Shootout State
Championship Series. The event is held at Big
League Dreams in Mansfield, an impressive eightfield complex that features Field Turf surfaces on
the Major League replica stadiums. This year,
the re-named GREG CONNELL SHOOTOUT was
held March 3-4 and Connell, along with WORTH
National Promotions Director Dennis Turner,
were on hand for the event.
Connell visited with players throughout the tournament, put on an impressive hitting exhibition,
and concluded by hitting against the winner of
a WORTH 454 Home Run Derby, which featured
65 hitters. Dwayne Turner of Rent King from
Norman, OK won the Derby in a hit-off against
Cooper Vitali of Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype of
Saginaw to earn a shot against the top home run
hitter in the nation. Turner chose to hit first and
blasted 7 of 10 balls out of Polo Grounds replica
field. Connell responded by hitting 8 of 10 balls
out, including the eighth and deciding home run
on his final swing. However, both Dwayne Turner
and Vitali were still awarded brand new Greg
Connell Model WORTH bats by Dennis Turner.
Men’s C - Champions - Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype
Men’s C - Second Place - Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi
“It was a lot of fun meeting and getting to know
many players from North Texas, as well as those
from surrounding states,” said Connell. “This
complex is one of the nicest I have ever seen.
These players are lucky to have events like this
to play in.”
In the Men’s C Division, Conference USSSA
entrant Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype won first
place as expected, but did it the hard way. After
beating Team Comrades from Lawton, OK in their
first game (19-2), Sagnasty suffered an upset loss
to their sibling team Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi of
Kennedale (14-11), a team which is also sponsored
by John Heath and Prototype Gear. Sagnasty
went to the loser’s bracket and posted consecutive wins over another Conference USSSA team
Miken/Mafia/ASPNation (28-8); Lethal Assault
(17-7); and Budweiser/Frank’s/Gooseneck (22-10)
to get another shot at Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi
in the championship. Sagnasty won a squeaker
in the first game (19-18) before blowing out
Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi in the “if” game (22-4)
to claim the crown.
Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi
settled
for
second
Men’s D - Champions - Bass Tools
Men’s D - Second Place - H & H
USSSA TODAY 57
place, while Budweiser/Frank’s/Gooseneck from
Bryan came in third, and Lethal Assault from
Keller finished fourth. Rent King from Norman,
OK and Miken/Mafia/ASPNation.com from Dallas
tied for fifth.
Men’s E - Champions - Cen-Tex Outlaws
Men’s E - Second Place - Monster
Cory Large of Sagnasty, who will be playing for
Line Drive in Conference USSSA, was named
Most Valuable Player of the division, while
Josh Davault of Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi was
the Gold Glove winner. Players named to the
All-Tournament team were Charlie Rodriguez,
Ryan Kuntz, Mykle Garrett and Logan Nelson, of
Sagnasty; Jake Pitt, Kenny Hadaway and Nathan
Uranga, of Prototype/Hogwild/Soldi; Grant
Carrabba, Todd Weigand and Burke Ruder, of
Budweiser; and Brandon Goodwin and Jason
Summers, of Lethal Assault.
The Men’s D Bracket was the largest of the tournament with 20 teams, and Bass Tools made the
long trip over from Shreveport, LA to capture
first place. Bass Tools defeated Texas Bombsquad
(7-0); Texas Uprising (13-1); Xtreme Robotics
(14-12); T.C. Warriors (19-7) and NTX Assassins
(17-15) to advance to the championship game,
where they held off H&H (16-6) to win the gold.
H&H from nearby Waxahachie settled for second
place with a 5-2 record; NTX Assassins from Cedar
Hill came in third at 3-2; and LRBK from Little
Rock, AR finished fourth at 5-2.
Incredibly, seven of the top eight finishers in
the Men’s D division were from different states.
Xtreme Robotics from Sterling Heights, MI and
T.C. Warriors from Tipton, OK tied for fifth place;
and Ruthless from Omaha, NE and Lone Star
Crooks from Houston tied for seventh.
Women’s C - Champions - Cajun Chaos
Women’s C - Second Place - Team Dallas
58 USSSA TODAY
Will Necles of Bass Tools was named Most
Valuable Player, and Terrance Drake of H&H
was the Gold Glove winner. Players named to
the All-Tournament team were Blake Jones,
Brandon Hudson, Nick Wade and Jared Prynck,
of Bass Tools; Andrew DeLaGarza, Josh Curry and
Jonathan Lord, of H&H; Max Martinez, Javier
Rodriguez and Justin Johnson, of NTX Assassins;
and Dustin Hanssen and John Goss, of LRBK.
In the Men’s E Division, the Cen-Tex Outlaws from
Harker Heights – a team who went 0-2 at North
Texas Winter Worlds – showed they have made
vast improvements since then by going undefeated through five games to win first place. The
Cen-Tex Outlaws snuck past the Paris Mudcats
(11-10) in their first game, before defeating
Brownwood Burn (9-7), Charros (15-10), and
Player Haters/ASPNation.com (18-8) to advanced
to the championship game, where they knocked
off Monster (22-15) to win the title. The
Monsters, also from Paris, finished second with
We Welcome you to
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a 5-2 record; Player Haters/ASPNation.com from
Dallas came in third at 3-2; and WT Pitbull Sports
from Odessa in West Texas finished fourth at 4-2.
SA Hitman from San Angelo and Charros from
Arlington tied for fifth place; and Brownwood
Burn and Routine Reloaded from Burleson tied
for seventh.
Mixed - Champions - High Octane
Jose Sendejo of the Cen-Tex Outlaws was
named Most Valuable Player, while Jerry Musiq
of Monster was the Gold Glove winner. Players
named to the All-Tournament team were James
Barron, A.J. Fuentes, Max Martinez and Kelly
Shannon, of the Cen-Tex Outlaws; Thomas
Watson, Carson Hargis and Caleb Michael, of
Monster; David McCoy, Sam Taylor and Tyler
Roof, of Player Haters; and Sam Marquez and
Matthew Rodriguez, of WT Pitbull Sports.
Mixed - Second Place - Dirty Crew
In the Mixed Bracket, High Octane of Carrollton
went undefeated to win first place; Dirty Crew
from Athens came in second; Team Prototype
from Granbury took third; and Miken Texas One
from Wichita Falls finished fourth. Paul Sciacca
of High Octane was named Most Valuable
Player, and Lucas Mynard of Dirty Crew was
the Gold Glove winner. Players named to the
All-Tournament team were Rebecca Turnbull,
Courtney Walters, Luke Evans and Daniel Escobar,
of High Octane; Kristi Moyer, Casey Bell and
Eddie Tucker, of Dirty Crew; Andy Walker, Alyssa
Warren and John Heath, of Team Prototype; and
Mike Shepard and Brooke Correll, of Mike Texas
One.
Greg Connell spent time with Routine Reloaded/ Wicked Sports, which had one of their players,
Bryan Weems, killed in a motorcycle accident going to an earlier softball tournament. Pictured
with Greg and the team is Bryan’s fiance, Jacki McElmurry and stepson, Jeremy. Routine Reloaded
is coached by Sean Gray, who related that Connell was Bryan’s all-time favorite softball player.
In the Women’s Division, Cajun Chaos of
Haughton, LA lost their first game of the tournament to LOA Softball (14-10) then rallied in
the loser’s bracket to win six games in a row and
claim first place. After the opening loss, Cajun
Chaos defeated Top Notch/PHS/ASP (11-10), Bad
Intentions (14-2), HarmsWay (10-5) and LOA in
a re-match (15-14), then double-dipped Team
Dallas Women (20-18) and (22-0) to win the
crown. Team Dallas Women settled for second
place, LOA Softball from Durant, OK came in
third, and HarmsWay from Ft. Worth finished
fourth.
Worth Sports’ 454 HR Contests continue to be a big success nationwide. This Lone Star Shoot Out
was no exception with 65 participants. Pictured: (l to r) Worth’s National Promotions Director,
Dennis Turner, Greg Connell, Clay Smitherman (conference team, Line Drive), Sagnasty/Worth/
Prototype’s Cooper Vitali (Derby runner-up), Rent King’s Dwayne Turner (Derby champion)
and Lone Star Softball’s CEO, Greg Huchingson. Both Turner and Vitali were each awarded a
Worth 454 bat.
60 USSSA TODAY
Deni Zeigler of Cajun Chaos was named Most
Valuable Player, and Angie Dunlap of Team
Dallas Women was the Gold Glove winner.
Players named to the All-Tournament team were
Barbara Zernick, Katie Meza, Diane Cervantes
and Misty Roark, of Cajun Chaos; Tracey Gulley,
Temeka Stoker and Melissa Gholston, of Team
Dallas Women; Robin Stebbins, Tiffany Truesdell
and Kamara Stancle, of LOA; and Michell Green
and Crystal Cristerna, of HarmsWay.
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www.hiexpress.com/mansfieldtx
Softball Alive and Well
in North Texas
140 participate in NTX Winter Worlds
by Van Galeon
MANSFIELD, TX – To borrow a phrase
from Mark Twain, “the reports of softball’s demise is greatly exaggerated.” At
least in North Texas it is.
While observers in many parts of the
country and on Internet chatboards
lament that participation in slowpitch softball is in steady decline, the
Lone Star North Texas Winter Worlds
attracted 140 teams from six states in
the middle of January. It was the largest
tournament ever held at Big League
Dreams in Mansfield.
The tournament was held January 21-22
weekend, and teams were competing
for elevated USSSA National Level Points
for the Top 24 teams in each division,
among other prizes.
The Men’s B/C Division attracted 26
teams, which included 3 B teams and 23
C teams. Who from Garland went 5-1 to
win first place. Who is basically Classic
Roofing, a solid C team from North
62 USSSA TODAY
ASPNation’s catcher makes the play at home.
More Sports
Great Nature
Always Festive
Brownsville Invites
the USSSA World Hispanic Softball Tournament
You’ll soon discover why Brownsville’s rich culture,
year-round sunshine, and festive ambiance makes it
the number one place for sports in South Texas.
Are you on Facebook or Twitter?
Follow us to get the latest updates
about Brownsville.
Texas, with the additions of Conference
USSSA players L.C. Watson and Kevin
Ballard until their regular teams begin.
Watson is on the USSSA Major Watch
List, which requires any roster on
which he appears be registered at least
B. Who defeated Arkansas Mayhem
(26-12), Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype (8-5),
TXBulllets/Cyklone/Ronoco (17-7) and
MS 454/Worth (15-14) to advance to
the championship game undefeated.
Miken/Mafia/ASPNation.com emerged
from the loser’s bracket and beat Who
(20-17) to force an “if” game, but Who
rebounded for an 18-16 win to claim the
crown.
Men’s B/C Champions - Who, Garland,TX
Men’s B/C Second Place - Miken/Mafia/ASPNation, Rowlett, TX
Miken/Mafia/ASPNation.com
from
Rowlett, who is registered for
Conference USSSA in 2012, came in
second at 6-2. After beating H&H/IMC
(15-3) and Evicted (18-14) Miken/Mafia
lost to MS 454/Worth in the semin-finals
of the winner’s bracket (24-15). But
Manager Tim Barnes’ club dropped to
the loser’s bracket and beat Sagnasty
(21-16) and Evicted again (21-15) to get
another shot at MS 454/Worth in the
finals of the loser’s bracket, and this
time they hung a 17-0 blanking on the
visitors from Mississippi. MS 454/Worth
from Jackson, MS was a combination of
two upper teams from Mississippi just
looking to get some early-season action,
and they took home third place. Evicted
from Norman, OK came in fourth,
while Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype from
Saginaw and TXBullets/Cyklone/Ronoco
from Dallas tied for fifth.
Corey Large of Who was named
Most Valuable Player of the division,
while Bobby Mitchell of Miken/Mafia/
ASPNation was the Gold Glove winner.
Players named to the All-Tournament
team were L.C. Watson, Kevin Ballard,
Preston Spurlin and Tim Olsen, of Who;
Stuart Snell, Charles Key and Brian
Freeman, of Miken/Mafia/ASPNation;
Brent Chappell, Donald Plailese and
Duane Wilkinson, of MS 454/Worth;
and Shannon Smith and Troy Mallory, of
Evicted.
Mixed C/D Champions - 2-and-Que, Haughton, LA
64 USSSA TODAY
The Men’s D Bracket drew 42 teams, and
AM/PM Softball from Houston made
the four-hour trip up Interstate 45 and
went undefeated through six games to
win first place. Just one week earlier,
at the South Texas Winter Worlds, AM/
PM suffered a first round loss when they
were protested because of a roster violation. They rebounded to place ninth in
that tournament. But their revamped
lineup was unbeatable in Mansfield. AM/
PM defeated Canes Softball (8-5), Texas
Crew (16-1), Chop-A-Holics (12-4), NTX
Empire (16-9) and Outlawz/Oak Cliff’s
Finest (13-8) to advance to the championship game, where they knocked off
War Party/Garcia Inc. to claim the crown.
Mixed C/D Second Place - Legend Sportz, Tulsa, OK
Men’s D Champions - AM/PM, Houston, TX
Men’s D Second Place - War Party/Garcia, Inc, Dallas, TX
66 USSSA TODAY
War Party/Garcia Inc. from Dallas finished
second at 6-2, followed by Outlawz/Oak
Cliff’s Finest from Dallas in third at 6-2,
and Es Todo from Waco in fourth at 6-2.
NTX Empire from Plano and Smash Inc.
from Round Rock tied for fifth place;
Texas Made from Midland and Tribe/
Miller Lite/Prototype from San Antonio
tied for seventh; and Texas Sawx from
Mansfield, Chop-A-Holics from San
Antonio, Punishment from Oklahoma
City and the Braun Hall Bombers from
San Antonio all tied for ninth.
Charlie Dunn of AM/PM was named
Most Valuable Player of the division,
and Matt Sandoval of War Party was the
Gold Glove winner. Players named to
the All-Tournament teams were Kevin
Price, Chase Harmon, Thomas Allen
and Joshua Bergeron, of AM/PM; Lance
Mobley, Robert Herndon and Jared
Obennosksey, of War Party; Salatiel
Mancillas, Eric Esparza and Ismael
Rodriguez, of Outlawz/Oak Cliff’s Finest;
and Ricky Lopez and Ryan Muhlman, of
Es Todo.
The largest division was men’s E with 45
teams, and North Texas Takeover from
nearby Waxahachie went undefeated
through six games to capture first place.
NTX Takeover defeated the Armadillos
(24-2), Ft. Hood Slaughterhose (14-2), Ice
Cold (16-3), ACSC (13-0) and Texas Chaos
(6-5) to advance to the championship
game, where they defeated Texas Choas
again (14-9) to claim the crown. Texas
Chaos from Flint finished second with
a 5-2 record, while WTL from Amarillo
placed third at 7-2 and Batteries Plus
from College Station came in fourth
also at 7-2. Boudros from North Little
Rock, AR and ACSC from Houston tied
for fifth place; Waco Xpress from Waco
and Texas Shooters from Waxahachie
tied for seventh; and Routine Reloaded
from Dallas, Disruption from Ft. Worth,
Ice Cold from Ft. Worth and SouthernWrath from Johnson County all tied for
ninth.
John DeLaGarza of NTX Takeover was
named Most Valuable Player of the division, while Ray Suarez of Texas Chaos
was the Gold Glove winner. Players
named to the All-Tournament team
were Trevor Benavides, Cory Dunson,
B.J. Gonzalez and Justin Langford, of
NTX Takeover; Kenny Ross, Luis Pabon
and Derek Sholl, of Texas Chaos, Michael
Littlejohn, Patrick Miranda and Ernie
Barrientez, of WTL; and James Kilpatrick
and Ryan Stewart, of Batteries Plus.
There were only 11 teams in the Women’s
C/D Bracket, but there were still some
exciting games. Lady Terror Squad from
Bryan, the hottest team in Texas at the
end of 2011, picked up where they left
off by going undefeated through four
games to win first place. Lady Terror
Squad snuck past Hit List (8-7) in their
first game, before outlasting the Lady
Canes II in a barnburner (25-24) in their
second. In the finals of the winner’s
bracket, Manager Orlando Yanez’s team
beat a strong LOA team (19-12), then
held off Harms Way (15-13) in the championship game. HarmsWay from Ft.
Worth settled for second place at 4-2,
followed by LOA Softball from Edmond,
OK in third at 2-2, and Team Texas Blast
from Lubbock in fourth at 3-2. Lady
Canes II from Cedar Hill and Famous
Freaks from Sanger tied for fifth.
Demetria Yanez of Lady Terror Squad
was named Most Valuable Player, and
Carol Wells of HarmsWay was the Gold
Glove winner. The All-Tournament team
consisted of Ashley Verver, Anna Amaro,
Yolanda Castro and Nicole Elzy, of Lady
Terror Squad; Ashley Fabian, Michelle
Green and Shelly Puente, of HarmsWay;
Brtiney Townley, Shelby McCarty and
Erin Evans, of LOA; and from Ft. Worth
Tawna Williams and Stacy Blackmon, of
Team Texas Blast.
In the 16-team Mixed C/D Division, a
pair of out-of-state teams claimed the
top honors. 2-and-Que from Haughton,
LA went 5-0 to win first place, while
Legendz Sports from Tulsa, OK went 4-2
to finish runnerups. Smokin Aces was
the top Texas finisher by placing third at
5-2, Team Prototype from Euless came
in fourth at 3-2, and High Octane from
Men’s E Champions - NTX Takeover, Waxahachie,TX
Men’s E Second Place - Texas Chaos, Flint, TX
Women’s C/D Champions - Lady Teror Squad - Bryan, TX
USSSA TODAY 67
Carrollton and UTI from Seagoville tied
for fifth.
Misty Rozark of 2-and-Que was named
Most Valuable Player, while Johnnie
Wheeler of Legendz Sports was the
Gold Glove winner. Playes named to
the All-Tournament team were Theresa
Whaley, Kristi Bridges, Dani Pendarvis
and Diane Chevante, of 2-and-Que;
Amber Sands, Lindsay Hainzinger and
Oliver Odle, of Legendz Sports; Kendel
Neblett, Sean McCalik and Jason
Foreman, of Smokin Aces; and Andy
Walker and Deiter Boyles, of Team
Prototype.
Women’s C/D Second Place - Harms Way, Fort Worth, TX
T-Jay Busin brought his Worth 454 team from
Mississippi.
The turf at BLD makes sliding/diving into the base a little more bearable.
Meet Big League Dreams/Mansfield’s new GM, Brad
Brewer. Brad replaces Steve Navarro, who returned to
Big League Dreams’ corporate office in CA.
The top two teams in the Mixed division travelled
from LA and OK.
68 USSSA TODAY
Sagnasty/Worth/Prototype settled for fifth in this Winter World event.
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2012 South Texas softball season
begins with STX Winter Worlds
by Van Galeon
LEAGUE CITY, TX – The 2012 South Texas softball season got
underway January 14-15 with the Lone Star South Texas
Winter Worlds, held at Big League Dreams in League City and
the Wayne Gray Complex in Baytown. Over 100 teams participated in the event, which paid off USSSA National Level Points
to the Top 24 finishers in each division.
In the 14-team Men’s B/C Division, it was a pair of C teams
that surprised the field with their 1-2 finish. Despite two
very strong B teams in the bracket – 2011 Conference USSSA
team Texas Miken and recent merger Team All-Out/DaBomb
– it was Disturbed Softball from Baytown that went undefeated through five games to capture the crown. Manager
Kenneth Hamilton recruited a few players from the recently
folded Slapaho squad, but even they were only a good C team.
Disturbed knocked off Team Ego (15-12), Budweiser (16-12),
Texas Miken (15-6) and the Texas Bombers (10-7) to advance to
the championship game, where they beat the Texas Bombers
again (17-2). Disturbed averaged a decent 14.6 runs per game
in the tournament, but it was their defense – led by the
pitching of Chris Lopez – that held opponents to a tournament
low 7.8 runs per game that did the heavy lifting.
Disturbed winning first place is a mild surprise, but was not
totally unexpected as they had some success at the end of the
2011 season. The Texas Bombers, a D team in 2011, taking
second place in a strong B/C bracket was a shocker. Manager
Douglas Santos’ squad beat Tribe Del Rio (19-4), H-Town
Softball (17-7) and Team All-Out/DaBomb (18-14) before falling
to Disturbed in the King Seat game. The Texas Bombers from
Houston dropped to the loser’s bracket and eliminated Texas
Miken (8-7) to make it to the championship and solidify their
second place showing. Texas Miken from Pearland settled for
third place and Team All-Out/DaBomb from Houston captured
fourth, while Dream Street Reloaded from Nederland and Gym
Matrix from Louisiana tied for fifth.
Men’s B Champions - Disturbed Softball, Baytown, TX
Men’s B/C Second Place - Texas Bombers, Houston, TX
Ben Dunn of Disturbed was named the Most Valuable Player of
the division, while Jonathan Cuellar of Texas Bombers was the
Gold Glove winner. Players named to the All-Tournament team
were David Overby, Casey Brown, Taylor Lobb and Chris Lopez,
from Disturbed; Marc Ortiz, Oscar Santos and Juan DeLeon,
from Texas Bombers; and Adam Kainer, Ryan Riddle and Aaron
Nance, from Texas Miken.
The 32-team Men’s D Bracket offered a perfect testament to
why teams shouldn’t be frightened when they get bumped to
a higher classification at the end of a season. Many of those
bumps squeal like stuck hogs at the news of their reclassification. But those who stick together and accept the challenge often prove worthy of the distinction. Take the Men’s D
Division of the 2012 Winter Worlds as an example. Seven of the
eight teams to make the quarter-finals of the winner’s bracket
were recent E to D bumps at the end of the 2011 season, and
the eighth was a team who started 2011 as an E team then
70 USSSA TODAY
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LARGEST CONFERENCE USSSA TOURNAMENT THE PAST 3 YEARS!
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2011 = 64 teams
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voluntarily moved up to D during the
season.
Men’s D Champions - Bad Decisions, San Antonio, TX
Men’s D Second Place - Team Worth It/Star Bar, Nederland, TX
Men’s E Champions - Dirty Sox/On the Rox, Conroe, TX
72 USSSA TODAY
Bad Decisions from San Antonio, who
placed third at the 2011 USSSA Men’s E
West World Tournament, proved more
than ready for the new division by going
6-1 to win first place. And Bad Decisions
did it after adding only one new player
to their 2011 roster. Bad Decisions
opened with a 7-0 forfeit win over AM/
PM Softball, then defeated Aerial Assault
(16-5), Dynasty (11-9), KC Bombers (14-5)
and Head First (21-11) to advance to
the championship game undefeated.
Team Worth It/Star Bar from Nederland
emerged from the loser’s bracket and
even beat Bad Decisions (18-15) to
force an “if” game, but Bad Decisions
rebounded with a 17-9 win to take the
title with a 6-1 record. Team Worth It
settled for second place at 8-2; Head
First from Dickinson finished third at 4-2;
and the K.C. Bombers came in fourth at
4-2. All four of the placing teams were
E to D bumps from 2011. The 409ers
from Galveston and Wharton’s Worst
Nightmares from Wharton tied for fifth
place; Brewskies/Worth from Katy and
DC/Y&R from Houston tied for seventh;
and AM/PM Softball from Houston,
Dynasty from Bryan, Hurricanes from
Corpus Christi, and Kaboom/Elite from
Houston all tied for ninth.
Steve Vasquez of Bad Decisions was
named Most Valuable Player of the division, while Mitch Todd of Team Worth
It/Star Bar was the Gold Glove winner.
Players named to the All-Tournament
team were Rocky Villarreal, Cory Jacobi,
Ben Rizzo and Luke LeGrand, of Bad
Decisions; Justin Miller, Hunter Knox and
Jimmy Demas, of Team Worth It; Daniel
Gates, John Hargrove and Hugo Amaro,
of Head First; and Ben Ortiz and Jo Garza,
of K.C. Bombers.
In the 48-team Men’s E Division, Dirty
Sox/On the Rox from Conroe went undefeated through seven games to capture
first place, even though three of their
wins were by just one run. Manager
John Henkhaus’ team defeated Young
Money (14-10), Cash Money/Sucka Free
(10-9), Mayhem (17-16), TubeSox (24-12)
, Young Guns (14-13) and Phenoms (14-2)
to advance to the championship game,
where they beat B&N Sportsbar/Texas
Crooks (17-4) to win the gold medal. B&N
Sportsbar/Texas Crooks from San Antonio
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were runnerups with a 9-2 record, the
Phenoms also from San Antonio came
in third at 4-2, and the Young Guns
from Ingleside captured fourth also at
4-2. Texas Voodoo from Houston and
Baaaaad from Corpus Christi tied for fifth
place; Major League from Silsbee and
Goons from Houston tied for seventh;
and Ain’t No Easy from Austin, Rack Em
Up/DTA from Houston, TubeSox from El
Campo, and Buckwild from Houston all
tied for ninth.
Men’s E Second Place - B&N Sportsbar, San Antonio, TX
Mixed C/D Champions - Whut It Dew , San Antonio, TX
Mixed C/D Second Place - Angels & Demons, Austin, TX
74 USSSA TODAY
Kody Nail of Dirty Sox/On the Rox was
named Most Valuable Player of the
division, and Sammy Anderson of B&N
Sportsbar/Texas Crooks was the Gold
Glove winner. Players named to the
All-Tournament team were Jeremy
Kabzinski, Tyler Harvey, Cody Hendrix
and Casey Hendrix, of Dirty Sox; Eric
Cervantes, Fernando Quinones and
George Vigil, of B&N Sportsbar; John
Tejada, Tommy Vrzal and Angel Vasquez,
of Phenoms; and Marcus Mendez and
Ryan Gummer, of Young Gunz.
The tournament also featured a 12-team
Co-ed Bracket, which was dominated
by teams from outside the Houston
market. Whut It Dew from San Antonio
went undefeated through four games to
take first place although, remarkably, all
four victories were by just one run. WID
knocked off Runnin-N-Gunnin (17-16)
Sluggers (20-19) and Angels & Demons
(7-6) to advance to the championship
game, where they beat Angels & Demons
again (6-5). Angels & Demons from
Austin settled for second place with a
4-2 record, while Co-ed Connection from
San Antonio came in third also at 4-3.
The highest placing team from Houston
was team Oops in fourth at 3-2, while
Craftmasters/Half Nuts from Brenham
and the Sluggers from Friendswood tied
for fifth.
Amanda LaCourse of Whut It Dew was
tabbed Most Valuable Player of the division, while Daisy Mettlach of Angels
& Demons was the Gold Glove winner.
Players named to the All-Tournament
team were Pie Delgado, Justin Mark,
Alicia Zamora and Garvin Mikesh, of
Whut It Dew; Corey Jahn, Bryan Sigmon
and Archie Windham, of Angels &
Demons; Mike Cruz, Jaclyn Vargas and
Kevin Ballard, of Co-ed Connection; and
Seymore Jackson and Wayne Eugene, of
Team Oops.
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The New England USSSA Hall of Fame
Inducts Four New Members
by John Hart
Kris O’Hara
Mark Joseph
Lori Beaudoin
Dan Sullivan
The New England USSSA Hall of Fame held its annual Umpire Clinic and Hall
of Fame Induction Ceremony and Banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, West
Warwick, RI, on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Over 150 umpires attended the
umpire clinic, presented by John Hart, the Asst. National Umpire-In-Chief. As
usual, spirited conversation took place in discussing rules and interpretations.
Hot topics included the safety-base rule as well as the new 2013 USSSA bat
rule. During the break, both John Hickey (MA) and Wayne McFarland (MA)
presented a demonstration of the new bat testing machine. John Hickey, who
plays on a Conference USSSA team, was able to give many insights into what
a few players will do to increase the productivity of their bats. This was a big
favorite of those attending. Other presentations were made by Dan CaseI(MA)
on the Fast Pitch Progra; both Jack McDavitt (MA) and Ron Suprenant (MA)
discussed the Modified Pitch Program; Mark Albert (CT) demonstrated player/
coach control techniques; Jim Jackson (RI) discussed both pre and postgame umpire game discussions, while Mike McKenney (MA) discussed and
displayed umpire positioning when faced with a 5 man infield.
the same time. Other awards were presented during the evening. The Robert
“Bob” Farrell Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dick Novick (MA)
for his forty years as a USSSA umpire, the Elizabeth “Betty” Berry Lifetime
Achievement Award was awarded to Cheryl Italia(NH), for her many years of
leadership and hosting a well-respected yearly tournament. Mark Rochon (CT)
was presented the Ed Kennison Umpire Award, named after his good friend
who met an untimely death a few summers ago. The Hall of Fame Committee
also honored Denise Galotti (MA) for many hours of unselfish contributions to
the success of our Hall of Fame. The Massachusetts Special Olympic Program
honored Carl Anderson (MA) for his unselfish support of their Program. Mike
McKenney was recognized as the National Slow-Pitch Umpire-of-the Year, an
award which he received at last year’s National Convention held in Orlando,
Florida. The Hall of Fame also honored Undercover Wear as the 2012 Male
Team of Distinction and Andre’s as the 2012 Female Team of Distinction. The
NEUSSAHOF also made donations to the New England MS Society, Juvenile
Diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Foundation.
Sponsored by the Hall of Fame Committee, the evening’s Induction Ceremony
and Banquet had 280 attendees who honored four deserving new Inductees.
Kris O’Hara and Mark Joseph, both from Connecticut, were honored as the
newest Hall of Fame members in the Male Player Category. Lori Beaudoin
of Massachusetts was honored as the newest Hall of Fame Inductee in the
Female Player Category, while Dan Sullivan of New Hampshire was acknowledged as the newest Hall of Fame Inductee in the Umpire Category. The night
was full of stories and praise for the Inductees along with a few tears shed at
The conclusion of the evening was the announcement of The Class of 2013
NEUSSSAHOF inductees. The Male Player Category will honor John Willis
(MA); in the Umpire Category, both Mark Rochon (CT) and Bob Walker (MA)
will be recognized; the Female Player Category will honor Karen Rego (MA)
and Lori Palagi (RI); while Phil Schlacter (CT) will be honored in the Coach/
Manager Category. Special recognition needs to be given to all the members
of the NEUSSSAHOF Committee who makes this event possible every year.
76 USSSA TODAY
Texas Softball Hall of Fame
The 2012 Class of 2012 Texas Softball Hall of Fame Front row (l to r) Tony Penney, Kris Ibrom, Toni Thomas, Gil Loeser. Back row (l to r) Juan Noriega, Greg Huchingson,
Stafford Connor, Kenny Scobee, Jon Meyers
FORT WORTH – Ten new members were inducted
into the Texas Softball Hall of Fame in a ceremony
held Feb. 4 at the DFW Airport Marriott. It was the
largest group of inductees ever, and included male
and female players, umpires, a sponsor, manager,
director and media magnate. These were the first
inductions into the Texas Hall of Fame since 2008.
The event was organized by USSSA Ambassador
Ron Neely, North Texas State Director Arnie Burke,
and West Texas State Director Tommy Hawkins,
who are all members of the Texas Hall of Fame.
The ceremony was co-sponsored by WORTH
Sports, who supplied custom-engraved wooden
bats to each of the recipients.
The first inductee of the evening was Stafford
Connor, who is the Publisher of USSSA Today
magazine, a publication which began as Arc
Magazine and later became Southwest Softball
before becoming the Official Publication of
USSSA four years ago. Connor has published
softball news from Texas and across the nation
for over 30 years. He also built, opened and operated Arc Park, a six-field softball complex in Ft.
Worth, from 1983 to 1988. Prior to building the
softball complex, Connor promoted an exhibition
game between Howard’s Western Steer and Dave
Carroll’s Skoal Bandits at Arlington Stadium, the
home of the Texas Rangers.
78 USSSA TODAY
The first of three inductees in the Umpire category was Tony Penney from Sacshe in North Texas.
Penney began umpiring in 1996 and was named
Garland Softball Association Rookie of the Year
that same year. In 1999, he was named GASA
Umpire of the Year and followed that up with
North Texas Umpire of the Year in 2001. Finally,
Penney was name Midwest Division Umpire of
the Year in 2003. He umpired numerous NIT’s,
State, Divisional and World Tournaments over the
years, including the USSSA Men’s Major World
Series in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
One of the most decorated players ever from
Texas, Jon Meyers of Houston, was the first person
inducted in the Male Player category. Meyers was
a key component of many of the greatest slowpitch teams of all-time – Ritches/Superior, Steele’s,
Bell Corp and Williams/Worth, before finishing his
career with Winzer/Aftershock and Texas-based
Budweiser/Worth. Meyers made the Men’s Major
World Series All-Tournament twice at different
positions, second-base and third-base. He was
also named to the ASA Super Major All-America
team twice, and won the NSA Major Home Run
Title once. Twice he led teams to first place at the
Great Smoky Mountain Classic, and had numerous
other All-Tournament selections.
The next inductee in the Umpire category was
Juan Noriega, from the Rio Grande Valley area of
South Texas. Noriega began umpiring in Harlingen
in the 1970’s to help raise funds for the team on
which he played. As is turns out, about 90 percent
of the players on that team ended up being fulltime umpires. USSSA icon Skip Keller converted
the Harlingen Chapter from ASA to USSSA and
made Noriega the South Texas UIC. Noriega
worked many Qualifiers, Divisionals and World
Tournaments during his long and distinguished
career, including the upper divisions, but always
preferred doing Men’s D and Men’s E games
instead. One hard fact Noriega learned during
his career, “As an umpire, nobody gives you any
respect. You have to earn it.”
Kris Ibrom of Pasadena was the lone inductee in
the Female Player category. Born in Michigan to
Bert and Diane Sheeley, Kris was forced to play
Little League Baseball with boys because there
was not a softball program for girls. She began
playing slow-pitch while a student at Texas A&M
University, a career which lasted for 21 years.
The wife of Major List player Sterlin Ibrom, Kris
was an outstanding player in her own right and
played on some of the top women and co-ed
teams in Texas, including the Lady Mavericks and
Texas Heat, where her manager was Texas Hall of
Famer Liz Barber. Among the other Hall of Famers
Welcomes 10 New Members
From Sacshe, Tony Penney was inducted
in the umpire category.
Jon Meyers being congratulated by West Texas
State Dir., Tommy Hawkins, with North
Texas State Dir. Arnie Burke looking on.
The Texas Valley has always produced great softball promoters, players and umpires:
(l to r) Skip Keller, inductee Juan Noriega and from the Brownsville CVB, Bean Ayala.
Ibrom played with over the years are Kathy Riley,
Sandy Maher, Beverly Lovett, Marie Pesch, Lisa
Sanchez, Glenda Washington, Britt Hightower,
Steve Jackson, Tuck Hinton, Shane Dubose and
Ray Cowart.
The second player inducted in the Male Player
category was Kenny Scobee of Houston, who is
one of the most prolific power hitters to come
out of a state that has produced many of the top
sluggers of all-time. Scobee was a key component
on the Steele’s Hitmen, where he he played for
and was a favorite of National Hall of Fame Coach
Dave Neale. Scobee also played for many of the top
Texas-based teams of all-time including Williams/
Worth, Williams Stars, South Texas Lighting, AJA
Auto Sales and Budweiser/Worth. He helped his
teams to multiple World Championships at the A,
AA and Major levels and was named to All-World
teams in ASA, NSA and USSSA. In his retirement,
Scobee is a contracted representative for Mizuno
Sports and also coaches a women’s team from
Houston that has placed high in recent USSSA
World Tournaments.
Kenny touts that out of all the great things that
he has been blessed with in his years of softball
involvement, the VERY best thing is having met
his wife, Amy Chance.
Prior to the Texas Softball Hall of Fame Ceremony, the Midwest/Southern Regional
Summit recognized their top performers for 2011.
USSSA Ambassador Ron Neely congratulates
new HOF indutee, Toni Thomas of Cedar
Hill.
In the Director category, Toni Thomas was
rewarded for a career of dedicated and loyal
service. Thomas is the league director for Cedar
Hill and has been a staple at State, Divisional and
National meetings over the years. The importance
of her induction was apparent in being the only
one handled personally by Neely, which drew a
standing ovation.
The third and final inductee in the Umpire category
was Gil Loeser, who was an umpire in Houston in
the 1980’s and ‘90’s. He was introduced by his
friend and long-time on-field partner Corky Carter,
who was inducted in the USSSA National Hall of
Fame last November in Florida. Loeser worked
the 1993 USSSA Men’s Major World Series in
Daytona Beach, FL as well as the Women’s Church
World Tournament in 1988, along with numerous
Texas State Tournaments and Divisionals in Texas,
Arkansas and Louisiana. He was an Officer and
UIC for the Houston USSSA Umpires Association,
and on the Greater Southwest Division Umpires’
Board of Directors.
The final inductee of the night was Greg
Huchingson, who was honored in the Manager
category. In a 33-year career as a player, manager
and sponsor, Huchingson guided several teams
comprised of players exclusively from BryanCollege Station to multiple State Championships
Kenny Scobee enjoys telling Dave Neale
Steele Silver Bullets’ barn-storming
stories.
in ASA, NSA, TAAF and USSSA. Eventually, his
Budweiser team took on a regional and then
national roster, and was ranked as high as No.
2 in the nation. Budweiser/Worth made it to the
USSSA Men’s Major World Series in 2001, 2002
and 2003. National all-stars who have played
on Huchingson’s teams over the years include
Mike Macenko, Larry Carter, Wendall Rickard, Tim
Cocco, twins Jeff & Jerold Smith, Kyle Cowart,
Timmy Howard and Scott King, and Texas Hall of
Famers such as Shane Dubose, Jon Meyers and
Kenny Scobee. Huchingson is the founder and
coordinator of the 300-plus team Budweiser
Softball Festival Tournament, and is also the
current State Director of South Texas USSSA.
One inductee was unable to be present at the
ceremony, James Anderson in the Sponsor category. Anderson was the sponsor of the AJA/TPS
teams from Houston in the 1990’s and early
2000’s, one of the top Class A teams in the nation.
Anderson fielded teams of almost exclusively
Houston area players, yet still won many state
championships and managed to qualify for the
Men’s Major World Series twice. Houston was a
hotbed of national slow-pitch talent in the 1980’s
and ‘90’s and many of those players were on AJA/
TPS rosters during those years.
USSSA TODAY 79
Big League Dreams Opens
Park #11 in Perris Valley, CA
Big League Dreams and Riverside County officials take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Perris, California may not be “The City of Lights”, but this city in Riverside County has its own boasting
rights. On January 14th Perris, California became the newest addition to the growing chain of Big League
Dreams Sports Parks – the fantasy-meets-reality sports complexes best known for their scaled-down replicas
of America’s most famous Big League ball parks.
Grand Opening Celebration...
To celebrate the Grand Opening of Big League
Dreams Perris Valley, current and former MajorLeaguers Jason Giambi, Wally Joyner, Troy
Percival, Jeremy Giambi, and Derrel Thomas
joined Riverside County and Perris Valley elected
officials for the official ceremony and festivities.
Approximately 6,000 visitors attended and had
the opportunity to explore the new 35-acre BLD
facility, mingle with the Guests of Honor, watch
the ceremonial “first pitch”, and cheer as Perris
Valley skydiver, Paul Rodriquez, thrilled spectators with a perfect center field landing onto the
Dodger Stadium replica.
“We’re grateful to the County of Riverside for
inviting us back to open a second Big League
Dreams park in their county,” said Big League
Dreams founder and Chief Operating Officer
Jeff Odekirk. “We’re really proud of the way this
park turned out. The fields are awesome and
the complex is a great addition to a wonderful
community. Ballplayers of all ages are going to
absolutely love this place.”
Those in attendance were also treated to free hot
dogs, Cracker Jacks, and ice cream, kid’s inflatables and carnival style rides, face painting, and
the LA Galaxy soccer road show.
The Big League Dreams Experience...
Big League Dreams Perris Valley, like each facility
in the Big League Dreams family of Sports Parks,
features scaled-down replicas of Big League
80 USSSA TODAY
ball parks where each park’s unique details are
not compromised. Specific to BLD Perris Valley
are replicas of Angel Stadium, Dodger Stadium,
Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park (Green
Monster included). Each replica stadium has
images of cheering fans in the bleachers. Because
such detail is dedicated to the construction of
the replica fields, youth and adult ballplayers
who play at Big League Dreams have a unique
opportunity to truly imagine themselves coming
up to bat or taking the field in a famous ballpark,
just like the Big Leaguers. This experience is not
found at any other sports complex and makes Big
League Dreams a truly unique experience.
In addition to the four replica stadiums, BLD Perris
Valley has two minor-league replicas (Durum and
Pawtucket). Each diamond features stadium-style
seating, manicured fields (which may rival some
of the best professional minor-league fields), and
misters in the dugouts for hot summer days.
More than just baseball & softball...
At the center of the Perris Valley complex is a
state-of-the-art Stadium Club restaurant and
sports bar with views of all four major-league
replica fields and 35 HD televisions throughout.
The Stadium Club menu is diverse with over 40
items including typical ball park food (such as
hot dogs, nachos, and pizza) and specialty items
(such as a buffalo chicken sandwiches, and tri-tip
sandwiches.). For kids, a cotton candy vending
machine spins a confectionary treat in front
of their eyes, and for the adults, the sports bar
offers 12 types of domestic and foreign beer on
tap as well as a full array of mixed beverages. A
TouchTunes Smart juke box with a virtual photo
booth, and nearly a dozen arcade games add to
the Stadium Club experience.
Unique to Big League Dreams Perris Valley is a
state-of-the-art indoor soccer pavilion with two
indoor soccer arenas complete with the newest
generation artificial turf fields. A bridge separating the two fields gives spectators a bird’s eye
view, and the open design allows passers-by the
ability to enjoy all the action on the fields.
Other features of BLD Perris Valley are batting
cages, warm-up areas, two tot-lots, and two
special event fields.
BLD Perris Valley plans to operate seven days a
week (with the exception of certain holidays), all
year round.
Group events such as birthday parties and
company picnics/softball tournaments can be
booked through the Big League Dreams Group
Events Directory.
The other 10 BLD parks are located in Cathedral
City (Palm Springs), Ca.; Riverside/Jurupa Valley,
Ca.; Chino Hills, Ca.; Manteca, Ca.; Redding, Ca.;
League City (Houston), TX; Mansfield (Dallas), TX;
Gilbert (Phoenix), AZ; and Las Vegas, NV.
Big League Dream Perris Valley: 2155 Trumble
Road, Perris, California 92571; (951) 943-8110;
www.BigLeagueDreams.com
2012
WORTH
CHALLENGE
SERIES
by Chris Walker
LEG 1: Dudley
Friday, March 9 Results
Over 200 lbs
Lawson Hipps, Maxx Nutrition
Under 200 lbs
David Quintanilla, Boudros – Hit 6
to win it…..very impressive!
No need for a second round in the
under 200lbs. David won with 6.
Both will receive a 454 bat of their choice and be a part of TEAM ARKANSAS that will battle TEAM
WORTH at the Busch in a home run derby challenge.
In the over 200, Nate Saul, DeShane Smith, Junior Gant, Ted Carrol, and Lawson Hipps, made it to the
second and the third(sudden death) round – 2 pitch one swing. Lawson prevailed in the third and final
round.
Thanks to George Wheatley for letting us have the Worth Home Run derby at your tournament. Thanks
to everyone that participated. There were 92 participants and some absolute creatures that were hit.
Thanks to my teammates that helped with the derby. I really appreciate it!
LEG 2: Worth Super Series SATURDAY, March 24
LEG 3: Hwy Police SATURDAY, APRIL 14
LEG 4: Tony Jude SATURDAY, APRIL 21
LEG 5: Tournaments of Champs FRIDAY, MAY 25
LEG 6: BUSCH PEPSI CLASSIC FRIDAY, JULY 6
CHAMPIONSHIP: AR CHAMPIONS VS. TEAM WORTH
The Championship will feature:
ARKANSAS WORTH 454 HOME RUN
CHAMPIONS VS. TEAM WORTH
ENTRY FEE $10
Each participant will receive 454 tee
shirt
454 BATS WILL BE PROVIDED – no
hitting against ultras and altered bats
Worth LAUNCH 650 BALLS WILL BE
PROVIDED
Round 1: 10 PITCHES/7 SWINGS
Round 2: 5 PITCHES/3 SWINGS
Final Round: 2 PITCHES/1 SWING
Two Divisions
OVER 200lbs
UNDER 200lbs
Winner of each division gets to
compete against TEAM WORTH on
July 6 at the Busch/Pepsi Classic.
Winners of both divisions in all legs
will receive a 454 bat and Worth
apparel.
The Essence of Sport
by Scott Kuhnen
The essence of sport is not contained in winning
or losing. The true essence of sport is contained
in sportsmanship.
Sportsmanship is most often discussed strictly
as something our participants either possess
or don’t possess. We applaud them when they
do; and we deride them when they don’t. Both
the presence of sportsmanship, and the lack of
sportsmanship are worthy of commentary.
While in this space previously, we have also
discussed the ways in which sports officials can
Scott Kuhnen, Central
influence sportsmanship, we don’t usually attriOH State Director and
bute sportsmanship to officials. Instead, we one
sportsmanship proponent
might argue that the attribute for which officials
can be either praised or derided is professionalism. I’d like to take this opportunity to equate professionalism with sportsmanship and praise our USSSA
officials and encourage them to recognize the powerful influence and impact
it can have.
At the end of the 1987 softball season, after nearly a decade as an umpirein-chief with an association which is our competitor, I joined USSSA, also an
umpire-in-chief. Almost immediately, I began to contact local officials in the
Dayton, Ohio area to possibly join me in this exciting new opportunity.
To my dismay, many of the strongest local officials thanked me for the offer,
but told me they would stay with that other association, since that association and Dayton, Ohio were home to the National Police Tournament.
To appreciate this situation, one must understand the National Police
Tournament, hosted each and every year in Dayton, Ohio for more than forty
years now, is among the most prestigious of specialty tournaments in the
country.
Host to our “men in blue” from all over the country, participating departments hailing from Jacksonville, FL, Minneapolis, MN, New York, NY, and just
about every state in the nation, the event is one of the most pride-filled and
professional events in all of softball.
30th
Annual St.
Patrick’s Day
Tournament
To the local umpires, the event is a chance to put their most professional
foot forward and work for the professionals who safeguard our communities.
The umpires who work this event believe it is one of the best opportunities
they have to say “Thank You,” and they are rewarded many times over by a
customer who appreciates their service, as well.
In spite of many championship events brought to Dayton by USSSA, the
National Police Tournament remained an event of such pride, that lone event
continued to prevent many quality umpires from joining and working with
USSSA.
In the winter of 2011-12, that all changed. The tournament director for
the National Police Tournament and, just coincidentally one of our Dayton
Softball Legends in 2012, Frank Navarre, asked if USSSA would be interested
in sanctioning that event for 2012. Needless to say, I could not accept quickly
enough!
When I asked Frank to explain why, after more than forty years, he chose to
make such a switch, he was quick to point out a primary reason: umpires.
Frank told me that he had made a trip to Las Vegas, been hosted by our State
Director in Nevada, Tom Pfundstein, and was so impressed by the professionalism of Tom’s USSSA umpires in Nevada, that it convinced him that he
could make a switch that he had contemplated for several years, but had been
uncertain about previously.
Simply put, while we all know that change is hard, Frank Navarre’s willingness to make such a dramatic change was the direct result of professionalism
displayed by USSSA umpires all the way across the country.
Here’s a big “Thank You,” to Nevada USSSA for their professionalism and, for
all of our USSSA officials in any sport for all you do.
In so many respects, you are our front line of communication and representation of USSSA with our many thousands of participants. You never know, as
the umpires in Nevada probably didn’t know at the time, that your appearance, your attitude, and your professionalism are the best way to demonstrate
your sportsmanship and you truly make a difference to this association.
Note: The 2012 USSSA National Police Tournament is scheduled for the
weekend of September, 7-9, 2012 in Dayton, Ohio.
Men’s C Champions- Punishment
Men’s D Champions- ASC Softball
Sponsored by Oklahoma USSSA
and Worth Sports
Boomer Sports Complex,
Oklahoma City
March 17, 2012
photos by Kim Titus
Women Champions- LOA Softball
82 USSSA TODAY
Mixed Champions- Sasquatch/ Los Cabos- BA
(800) 327-0074
Umpires Corner by Bill Harper
Professionalism and Teamwork
For most of us, umpiring is a second job,
something we do for fun and yet it deserves
the same focus, effort and professionalism we
devote to our every day job. You know… the
one that pays the bills!
Bill Harper
USSSA Assistant
National Umpire-in-Chief
[email protected]
Most of the time, your umpire shift comes at
the end of a long day or perhaps you’ve already
worked your 40+ and you’ve got weekend
shifts to look forward to. Maybe you work for a
difficult boss or had a difficult client that day?
Perhaps you’re not feeling up to par or didn’t
have a chance to grab a bite to eat before your
shift started? You might even have personal
troubles that you can’t seem to shake?
You know what? Leave all of that behind you
because YOU GET TO UMPIRE TODAY! Umpiring isn’t a job, it’s a privilege and
you need to treat it as such each and every time you come to the ball fields.
You owe it to your partner to come to the park ready to focus on the job at
hand. You owe it to the teams to be better than perfect each and every time
out. You owe it to your State, Area or League Director to represent USSSA
professionally every time you put on the ‘reds’.
Your job is to show up on time, looking spic and span and with a great attitude. A great attitude because YOU GET TO UMPIRE TODAY! What a privilege!
You don’t umpire to make friends. You don’t umpire so that people will like
you. You certainly don’t umpire to avoid conflict and if you’re umpiring in the
hopes of getting rich….seek a new vocation! You umpire because you love
the game and you love USSSA!!!
We’re all human and it’s easy to bring the day’s baggage with you to the field.
It’s easy to bring the baggage from a previous game with you into the next
one. It’s easy to feel unappreciated, just put in your time, collect your pay and
get out of there. YOU’RE not going to do that because you’re a professional
umpire for USSSA and you know that when you do that, it doesn’t reflect just
on you, but rather on every umpire and director in the organization. We owe
it to each other and that is the essence of professionalism.
It’s easy to forget because there are so many of us, but the USSSA umpire is at
the forefront of our organization. On a given weekend there may only be one
Tournament Director and one UIC, but there are literally dozens of umpires at
the event. That one Director may have personal interaction with 50 people in
the day and they’ll mostly be team managers. As an umpire you’re going to
interact with a minimum of 20 people each game and that’s without considering the teams’ fans and the ballplayers in the stands watching your every
move. In your five game set you’re likely to have 200-300 sets of eyes on you
and that’s true of every other umpire working that day.
Think of it like this; how many of you have met your town’s Mayor? Very few
I’m guessing? Now how many of you have had interactions more than once
with local law enforcement? Plenty right? You know the feeling……sitting in
your car with sweaty palms wondering why you just got pulled over? Roughly
a minute after the officer approaches your car, you know if they’re having a
good day or bad day. If it’s a good day, you thank your lucky stars and you tell
ten people. If it’s a bad day, you tell anybody who will listen about how your
town’s cops, the whole city for that matter is heinous……..
Well it’s no different when you umpire. When you arrive late for your shift, it
reflects poorly on the entire organization. When you show up looking shabby,
84 USSSA TODAY
No one enjoys the fellowship and comraderie more than the brotherhood of umpires.
This group is having dinner prior to the 2011 USSSA Major World Series.
it reflects poorly on the entire organization. When you don’t hustle or know
the rule book frontwards, backwards and in six different languages, it reflects
poorly on the entire organization. When you don’t communicate with your
partner, you reflect poorly on the entire organization. When you run out of
gas because you didn’t grab a bite on your way to the fields, you reflect
poorly on the entire organization. When you pursue conflict or don’t back
your partner, you reflect poorly on the entire organization. When you’re out of
uniform, playing, out at a bar, whatever and you badmouth a fellow umpire,
director or even a player….you guessed it….you reflect poorly on the entire
organization.
The State Director I work with says it best; “You’re not the show, you’re
there to make the show go smoothly” and he invariably follows that up with
“Remember, you GET TO UMPIRE TODAY!” I can’t say it any better than that
because that’s where it all starts. It’s a privilege to put on your uniform and
the umpires and directors you work with deserve your professionalism and
respect. The players in your games deserve your professionalism and respect.
The fans in the stands deserve your professionalism and respect. If you look
at it as anything but the privilege it is working for the finest softball organization in the nation, well, you’re probably umpiring for the wrong reasons.
It all starts EVERYDAY with the understanding that you’re a USSSA umpire
even when you don’t have the uniform on and that you handle yourself
accordingly. It continues on game day when you leave the days problems
behind and they don’t come to the fields with you. By the time you step out
of your car, fed, on time, in uniform and with a smile on your face, anything
that might negatively impact your shift is stowed in your trunk.
It continues in the complex where you let your Director know you’ve arrived,
get the days particulars and pre-game with your partner. Your professionalism
and teamwork continues when you step on the field with a great attitude,
hustle, support your partner and are firm, friendly and respectful with every
player and fan you come in contact with. Finally, it continues when you pick
up your pay and say thank you for the opportunity to have worked.
You know why you’re going to do all those things? Because you’re a professional USSSA umpire, the best in the business and YOU GET TO UMPIRE
TODAY!
2012
2011
Garland Softball Association
GARLAND
Date
Garland
04/14/12
D/E
04/28/12
D/E
05/19/12
D/E - X Friday (AN)
06/02/12
C NIT
06/16/12
D/E - W
07/14/12
D/E - X
08/04/12
E State
08/18/12
D/E - X Saturday (AN)
09/08/12
E-W
10/13/12
D/E Ironman
ROWLETT
Date
Rowlett
Date
Rowlett
04/21/12
E
08/11/12
D/E
05/05/12
D/E - X
08/25/12
D/E - X
05/12/12
E
09/15/12
D/E
06/09/12
D/E - X
09/22/12
D/E - X
06/23/12
E-X
09/29/12
D/E - X
06/30/12
D/E - X
10/20/12
C/D/E - X
07/07/12
D/E
10/27/12
C/D/E - X
07/21/12
D/E - X
11/10/12
C/D/E - X
07/28/12
E-X
11/17/12
C/D/E - X
C = Men’s C
D = Men’s D
E = Men’s E
Garland
M. G. “Jerry” Carter, Sr.
Softball Complex
550 West Oates Drive
Garland, TX 75043
Tourney Line (972) 613-7729
Walter Reed , Tournament Director
W = Women’s
X = Mixed
Rowlett
Rowlett Community Park
10200 Saint Andrews Lane
Rowlett, TX 75088
Tourney Line (972) 475-9988
Mike DeLatte, Tournament Director
USSSA Slow Pitch Softball Invitational
5-7 October 2012
Divisions of Play: Men’s B/C, Men’s D, Men’s E
Women’s C, Women’s D/E
Entry Fee: $325.00
Information: Bert Frederick 575-647-3034
or email [email protected]
27th
presents
Annual Budweiser
Softball Festival
In Bryan/College Station on
May 5th & 6th, 2012
Brought to you by
Jack Hilliard Distributing,
Bryan/College Station,TX
To enter your team,
contact Greg Huchingson
at (979) 774-9408