Who is the most likley from TN. to Qualify For ASA nationals

[intheshadow]

I love how these poasts get turned into a bragging contest. If all of what is on here is true then 75% of the teams shouldnt even show up at the qualifiers. ASA should just hand the berths out to the Falcons.... no one can catch them with 6 players in sub 3's. Worth should get one just because a few parents think they are the strongest team in the state & "really" do have 2 girls throwing in the 60's... That just leaves 2 berths for the other team to fight over.

 

Funny how no one has spoke a word about DEFENCE, SMALLBALL, HITTING YOUR SPOTS WIH A 65mph PITCH or other aspects of the game that really decides who wins a game. Can thse flamthrowers hit there spots regulary or do thay just throw 70mph bb's intot he parkinglot? Can the rest of the team field a 60+ ball comming back at them at over 100mph....what if its 40' high & flys 400'? Can all 6 of them spedsters even make contact with a ball? if they can what about the rest of the team? Or are they planning on winning all there games just scoring 3 runs once threw the line up?

 

Bottom line is.... Speed or pitching alone will not earn any of these team a berth. Last time i checked this is a TEAM sport & takes 9-12 quality players, solid coaching & a little luck to be successful. It should be interesting to see who is pulling there foot out of there mouth in Aug...

 

FYI: my 10yo will be trying out for the Falcons & Worth both next season. She throws 10 pitches all over 70mph & has a home to 1st time of 1.3... O ya she also hit 150 HR in T-ball last season. She has decided to take this season off to concentrate on learning Trigonomerty before she enrolls at Harvard. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

I was wondering who the other speedster was in t-ball. My is only running a 2.1, but hit over .900 (would have been 1.000, but she would run backwards just to make it a challenge) She was considering Harvard also, but Princeton is going to let her teach a couple of quatum physics classes.

[5-Sport Dad]

A horse tagging up from second?? That is stupid!!! The horse would never fit in the batters box, so would be out for leaving the box to early.......however....a CHEATA might fit... /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

 

It would if it was standing on its hind legs...like this one was. /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

 

The right fielder and her cutter did NOT do their jobs. They figured she would only move up one base and the right fielder took her time and the relay was poor to home. Coach Murphy would not have waved her on if she did not have wheels.

 

Ohhhh, well, then I've seen this done before, many times...at 10U. And it was also caught on video: Mommy&DaddyTV.

 

 

 

FYI: my 10yo will be trying out for the Falcons & Worth both next season. She throws 10 pitches all over 70mph & has a home to 1st time of 1.3... O ya she also hit 150 HR in T-ball last season. She has decided to take this season off to concentrate on learning Trigonomerty before she enrolls at Harvard. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

I was wondering who the other speedster was in t-ball. My is only running a 2.1, but hit over .900 (would have been 1.000, but she would run backwards just to make it a challenge) She was considering Harvard also, but Princeton is going to let her teach a couple of quatum physics classes.

 

Now this is what I'm talkin' 'bout! By the way, I heard that Harvard and Princeton's softball teams are terrrr-i-ble!!! And their players aren't very good sports. They get mad because other teams talk trash and they don't understand the slang. I'd reconsider if I was y'all.

[soreshins]

I was wondering who the other speedster was in t-ball. My is only running a 2.1, but hit over .900 (would have been 1.000, but she would run backwards just to make it a challenge) She was considering Harvard also, but Princeton is going to let her teach a couple of quatum physics classes.

 

 

 

 

We saw yours running backwards & she wants to try it... I told her she couldnt until she perfects the "behind the back" drop curve that rises we are working on. She also considered the teaching job at Princeton but was afraid it would take too much time & cut into her furure political carrer as the next president. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[CoachJV]

Some good points you wrote but you are confused. I don't have anything to do with Worth or Frost. I think Worth will run away with everything and Frost will fall flat on their faces but I am not Worth or Frost. It doesnt sound like nighthawks mom has anything to do with them either. 5 sport daddy sounds like he is from Worth but nobody else. Can guarantee you CoachJV and bulldawg is Frost and mocmom might be too. I'd put good cash on betting a junior who verbals early to a school like Louisville can hit a spot or two. Weve been on the losing side to them enough to know they are all about defence and smallball. I only heard a rumor they were loaded. Now Ive seen who they have I only agreed I heard right. I'm not jealous I'm only glad they are going 16.

 

 

Connell always runs a good program. I don't know all of those girls but the ones I know are good players. It has been a while since we played them but years ago they were good and I have no reason to believe that has changed. I can hear Michael saying what he was quoted as saying, that they will show up and play....they will be good.

 

I am glad that we have good competition here in the state...as I stated in the school ball thread because to me it is not as much about Falcons against Worth or who ever as it is all of us getting kids ready to play so these state schools don't have to spend so much of our tax dollars on kids from California.

I hope Cat Hossfield sets records at Tennessee and I hope Caralisa Connell makes Louisville a national contender...why wouldn't we all?

All this is just guessing and bull anyway. We have some fast kids that play for us. Can they hit, catch and play defense? We will see.

Pitchers? We have a couple that can throw pretty hard. Will they throw that in a game? Not much...because we don't throw many fast balls. A fastball is the easiest pitch to hit.

Frost Falcons fall on their face??? I totally agree. We will. All our kids are taught to slide head first. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Good luck everybody. Let's all meet up somewhere and we can have a group hug. /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

[intheshadow]

It would if it was standing on its hind legs...like this one was. /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

 

 

Ohhhh, well, then I've seen this done before, many times...at 10U. And it was also caught on video: Mommy&DaddyTV.

 

 

 

 

 

Now this is what I'm talkin' 'bout! By the way, I heard that Harvard and Princeton's softball teams are terrrr-i-ble!!! And their players aren't very good sports. They get mad because other teams talk trash and they don't understand the slang. I'd reconsider if I was y'all.

 

Yeah I know the team ain't very good and they don't speak southern, but with DD getting a Princeton edjamacation I mite be able to retire early or at least not have to depend on Obama to pay fer my housing.

[Mr knowitall]

Connell always runs a good program. I don't know all of those girls but the ones I know are good players. It has been a while since we played them but years ago they were good and I have no reason to believe that has changed. I can hear Michael saying what he was quoted as saying, that they will show up and play....they will be good.

 

I am glad that we have good competition here in the state...as I stated in the school ball thread because to me it is not as much about Falcons against Worth or who ever as it is all of us getting kids ready to play so these state schools don't have to spend so much of our tax dollars on kids from California.

I hope Cat Hossfield sets records at Tennessee and I hope Caralisa Connell makes Louisville a national contender...why wouldn't we all?

All this is just guessing and bull anyway. We have some fast kids that play for us. Can they hit, catch and play defense? We will see.

Pitchers? We have a couple that can throw pretty hard. Will they throw that in a game? Not much...because we don't throw many fast balls. A fastball is the easiest pitch to hit.

Frost Falcons fall on their face??? I totally agree. We will. All our kids are taught to slide head first. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Good luck everybody. Let's all meet up somewhere and we can have a group hug. /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

 

So how has the Falcons and Worth done the last few years at the ASA A Nationals????

[dore83]

Connell always runs a good program. I don't know all of those girls but the ones I know are good players. It has been a while since we played them but years ago they were good and I have no reason to believe that has changed. I can hear Michael saying what he was quoted as saying, that they will show up and play....they will be good.

 

I am glad that we have good competition here in the state...as I stated in the school ball thread because to me it is not as much about Falcons against Worth or who ever as it is all of us getting kids ready to play so these state schools don't have to spend so much of our tax dollars on kids from California.

I hope Cat Hossfield sets records at Tennessee and I hope Caralisa Connell makes Louisville a national contender...why wouldn't we all?

All this is just guessing and bull anyway. We have some fast kids that play for us. Can they hit, catch and play defense? We will see.

Pitchers? We have a couple that can throw pretty hard. Will they throw that in a game? Not much...because we don't throw many fast balls. A fastball is the easiest pitch to hit.

Frost Falcons fall on their face??? I totally agree. We will. All our kids are taught to slide head first. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Good luck everybody. Let's all meet up somewhere and we can have a group hug. /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

 

I appreciate the kind words about our program and players. Not sure who you are, but I'm guessing maybe Jay Vincent?? If so, I noticed that Casey is about 8 feet tall now and flat bringing it. I remember her as a 10-12 year old at the clinics way back when, although she had really grown the last time I saw her a couple of years ago... they grow up way too fast don't they? I've also been told that she has developed into a very nice pitcher, but that doesn't surprise me.

 

I was getting so many emails asking whether or not we were playing 16U this year that I knew we had to be popping up on a board somewhere, but my time is a little stretched right now and it took me a while to figure out that it was CoachT.

 

To answer a few of the questions in this thread... we moved away from the straight 92 age group the past couple of years and have been playing a straight exposure schedule with about half of our players being 90 and 91. We played in the ASA State a couple of years ago (with no plans to advance to Nationals) but haven't played in any other ASA qualifiers the past two years. Now that those 2008 and 2009 graduates have moved on to college softball (or are on their way following graduation in May) we decided to return to the 92-93 age group around our long term core group and shoot for the 16U ASA Nationals because of the number of college coaches who regularly attend that event.

 

Like every other 16U team in the state seeking a berth to Nationals, we hope to qualify early. Earning a berth early will allow us to spend the bulk of the summer participating in exposure tournaments instead of chasing the elusive berth every weekend. But, we certainly aren't counting on blowing everybody away in Hendersonville or Chattanooga at the Memorial Qualifier to get one of those early berths, and we certainly won't be playing with that attitude... and we aren't assuming any certainty of snagging a late berth either. We haven't even checked the price of air fare to Sioux Falls, and I don't even know if they have an airport there or not, although I assume they do. There are a lot of fine 16U teams in Tennessee and it is going to be a dog fight for those berths.

 

I'm at a little bit of a disadvantage because it has been three years since I have seen any of the teams mentioned play a single game - Frost Falcons, Fury, Thunderbolts, Thunder, White Lightning, etc. I know that they all have outstanding teams which have had outstanding seasons for many years, but I couldn't even begin to estimate how we will match up with any of them. Players mature and change so much between 12 and 16 that trying to determine how good a team or player is now based upon what they were like at 12 or 13 is futile. We might be the best in the bunch. We might be the 10th best (or worse) in the bunch. Since we haven't played any of them in at least 3 years and half my team is new to me this year, there isn't any way to know or even speculate with any accuracy. We'll just have to wait until late May to see how we match up. I have no doubt that there are other teams out there who haven't been named in this thread who will show up with very nice teams and will compete very well. I've seen two predominately 93 teams in my facility (Tennessee Dream and Lady Maniax) who haven't been named but are very talented and will make some noise this year.

 

If anyone is interested, I like this group of players as much as any group I've had over the past 30 years. They are serious about softball and their softball futures and they work very hard. Off season workouts have almost been mundane to me because they come in, stay focused, and do their work without any pushing or prodding... but they are a fun group as well. I think it is a very special group and I believe they will all eventually become NCAA Division I scholarship players (my opinion for whatever that's worth) - but that may or may not translate into wins or berths. In reality though, if these young women develop as players and receive scholarship offers, then wins and berths are pretty irrelevant anyway.

 

As for our name, we will use Team Worth this year. Another team in our organization began using the 92 name when we moved up with older girls a couple of years ago, and I don't want to take it back from them. We won't use the Gold part of the name, except perhaps during Gold exposures if we get the chance to play any of those. I'll probably leave it as Gold on the web site simply to avoid confusing those college coaches who have known us by that name, but we are 16U and not 18 Gold. We have four 2010 players and six 2011.

 

And as for Frost having a roster full of sub 3.0 home to first runners... I hope they do, and I hope there are a lot of other teams with more speed than we have as well. I thought we were pretty quick, but our team speed isn't anywhere near that so Frost and others with good speed will really make us step it up a notch. If my players have true aspirations to play college softball, they have to be able to field and throw out fast runners - and there is no better way to learn than to play teams that force them to learn. The same goes for flame throwers in the circle. I'd love to see gas every game and tons of 65 mph rise balls. That's the best way to get better.

 

So now, we have to sit around and endure the endless and often futile high school season before we all get to step on the field together in May - without the chance to practice since Tennessee ASA decided to cram that qualifier right on the top of Spring Fling. My prediction? Some good softball in Tennessee ASA this summer... and if the four berths go to the Falcons, Thunderbolts, Thunder, and White Lightning, then they will have earned it on the field, and we'll get busy right away to get our program up to their levels. Other than that, I'll leave the prognosticating to everyone else.

 

Best of luck to all of these teams. I look forward to seeing you in May!

 

Michael Connell

Team Worth Fastpitch

[CoachJV]

I appreciate the kind words about our program and players. Not sure who you are, but I'm guessing maybe Jay Vincent?? If so, I noticed that Casey is about 8 feet tall now and flat bringing it. I remember her as a 10-12 year old at the clinics way back when, although she had really grown the last time I saw her a couple of years ago... they grow up way too fast don't they? I've also been told that she has developed into a very nice pitcher, but that doesn't surprise me.

 

Guilty as charged coach. I still remember those rump whoopins we took from you guys back when Casey was just starting out. Yes she has grown, thank goodness she gets her athletic ability

from her mother. She has worked hard and she has done well in spite of her father. /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> We made the move to Chattanoooga last year just because she and I wanted to have a couple more years of me calling pitches for her.

I'm like you, I have no idea how good we will be. We have played pretty well at times and not so good at others. We struggled last year with freak injuries. Taylor Neal made the Chattanooga paper several times last year as one of the better hitters until she tore her ACL, so we lost her for the season.

Millie Putnam was in a car wreck early on and messed up ligaments in her hand. She pitched a little for us after that but couldn't hit and then Casey finished up school ball with what we thought were shin splints but wound up being a stress fracture.

Mariam Wood was hurt in school ball. She had a finger on her throwing hand that was dislocated and required surgery, so we were without those 4 bats for most of the season.

That's not whining just fact. We hope we got all our bad luck out of the way last year but you never know. We think everyone of the kids we have can play at a D1 level. I do know they are all good kids and good students.

One of our "part time" coaches is Kami Tucker Edwards. We get her when she is not in "TSSAA Blackout" because she coaches one of our kids in school ball. We don't take any chances with that but it is nice to have someone that has played the game at a

high level as an advisor. She played at Texas A&M and at UTC for the Weekly's. I'm going off her word on how good they can be...not mine. I figure she ought to know.

The new kids we picked up all were fast and several left handed bats in the mix. I will get in trouble for mentioning some and not others so I will post our roster here.

 

Again good luck to you guys and maybe we will see you at some of the tournaments.

 

Bethany Jones L/R Inf - OF 2011 Gainesboro, TN Jackson Co.

Lee Ann Garrett R/R Inf - OF 2011 Canton, GA Creekview

Haylee Blaylock R/R Inf - OF 2011 Chattanooga, TN GPS

Tori Jones L/R Inf - OF-RHP 2011 Calhoun, GA Calhoun

Amanda Lawson S/R Inf - OF Catcher 2010 Ringgold, GA Heritage

Amelia Putnam L/R RHP 2011 Soddy Daisy, TN Soddy Daisy

Casey Vincent L/L LHP 2011 Manchester, TN Coffee County

Chelsea Howell S/R Inf - OF Catcher 2012 Manchester, TN Coffee County

Taylor Neal R/R Inf - OF 2011 Chattanooga, TN Boyd Buchanan

Amanda Patterson R/R Inf - OF 2011 Chattanooga, TN Silverdale

Marissa Patterson R/R RHP 2011 Ringgold, GA Heritage

Cheyenne Willis L/R Inf - OF 2011 Manchester, TN Coffee County

Mariam Wood R/R Inf - OF Catcher 2011 Soddy Daisy, TN Soddy Daisy

[Bulldawg45]

[i didn't know they had picked up Lawson and Patterson from Heritage. The Patterson kid is the one I couldn't place but now it make sense. I only saw her from a distance and didn't know who she was. She has a ton of talent as a pitcher, just needs to refine it some.

 

Who is the head coach on that team?

I know the guy that used to coach them left a couple of years ago.

[CoachJV]

I didn't know they had picked up Lawson and Patterson from Heritage. The Patterson kid is the one I couldn't place but now it make sense. I only saw her from a distance and didn't know who she was. She has a ton of talent as a pitcher, just needs to refine it some.

 

Who is the head coach on that team?

I know the guy that used to coach them left a couple of years ago.

 

Chris Edwards is the head coach.

[Bulldawg45]

Chris Edwards is the head coach.

 

Edwards is a big cry baby.....all he wants to do is whine about umpires all the time.

[bullseye25]

Chris Edwards is the head coach.

 

 

Edwards is a big cry baby.....all he wants to do is whine about umpires all the time.

 

heh...whatever.he is a dang good coach.everybody complains about umpires.it is as much a part of the game as anything. /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />