gthomp24

java script:emoticon('', 'smid_13') VTec - absolutely the best post I have ever seen concerning high school athletics.

fpfanatic, Thanks for the props! The Grissom girls seem to be coming on. Honestly, Holly was not as sharp as she was at Border Battle. She's nursing an injury and couldn't get into her normal groove. Anna's hitting on all cylinders right now. It has taken her a bit of time learning how to marathon pitch. Hopefully Geri will get more plate time as she heats up for state. Anna and the rest can't wait until summer ball starts. She's really been blessed having Fallon Felts and Stephanie Pinto to work with. They have to be (IMHO) amoung the top catchers in the southeast. BTW - I can't do anything about that bunch on al live. That forum is setting our culture back a 100 years! thanks, coach gary I forgot to mention that we actually beat Robert E. Lee out of Montgomery for the championship (10-0 after 5). Hoover was eliminated in the first round by Baker (#2 ranked team in Al.) in the 8th. Lee then beat Baker and the rest is in the books. Just wanted to clarify. [Edited by gthomp24 on 4-28-03 1:56P]

ERA, Actually Grissom and Pisgah have split 2 games this year. GHS beat them 6-2 and Pisgah, as reported, beat GHS in the semi-finals 5-0. Outclassed, I don't think so. However, Holly is in a class all by herself! Oh, and GHS squares off with Pisgah this Thursday night. Should be a great game. In my opinion, the best team at border battle was coffee county. Top to bottom, very good ball team. Played hard. just my $.02 ... BTW - on any given day, any one of 6 teams at that tournament could have walked away with the big trophy. gt

You'll exit I565 at Wall Triana. Go left (North) to railroad tracks (about a mile). Go left (I don't remember the road name, but there is a sign just before the intersection directing you to Palmer). Palmer park is 2 or 3 miles down the road on the left. Hope this helps ...

Using live pitching is a win/win. We take it a step further by having the catcher call balls and strikes. Each k requires all batters to run a triple. Each walk requires a triple by the pitchers (we use to live stations - one for bunting only and the other for hitting away). The pitchers learn what and when to use their pitches and the batters learn the pitchers methods. We also setup a machine and tee station. We rotate all our pitchers (including those that don't get a lot of game time) to give the batters a lot of different looks. The experience they (both batter and pitcher) gain in just one practice pays off huge over the course of a couple of years. my $.02

Jimmy Braden is doing a great job with the Hurricanes 16u team. He is a student of the game and works hard for the girls and they return in kind. Very positive influence on the girls. I'd like to also second Indian's nomination of the staff for the Chattanooga-Eagles 18u. I don't know who is responsible for their players attitudes and effort (maybe it is just a good group of girls), but they are a pleasure to compete with.

Check www.alabamaasa.com and www.alabamansa.com. Both draw pretty good teams. The Huntsville NSA tournaments are usually pretty well attended. Birmingham has several very good tournaments ... White Lightning draws teams from across the southeast. I also recommend the Inman-Rose (Columbia) and the Crieve Hall Classic (Nashville) tournaments. Hope this helps.