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There are not very many college coaches at these tournaments but it is not about how many coaches that are there. It is are the coaches that there are looking to sign your kids. I have had a couple of kids signed at these tournaments and as a softball community we need to support these local tournaments as much as possible. The Coles work very hard at making these tournaments a success for the local kids and have done a good job at. We need to make sure that everyone is emailing these coaches to get them there. The responsibility for getting coaches there really lies with us, the teams that are playing there. I hope that everyone continues to go to these tournaments support the local people that support our softball community.

Congratulations, you are going to good program and good luck.

Roids or not Barry Bonds could hit and he had great technique doing it. He was a great hitter before the roids, they just allowed him to have huge Homerun numbers. Ted Williams could hit with great technique also. Manny has a good looking swing, he is just flaky and very odd. The best swing in the world is the one where the batter adjusts to the pitch location and speed to hit the ball solid. Enough said!!!!!!

Very few are completly one or the other. Teach what you know and be sure that it works or you will hear about it.

We GT Shockers Gold are a Gold team and play in the exposure tournaments and Gold Qualifiers. WE qualified for ASA Gold Nationals last year. We also played in the same National Tournament that the Intensity did. We finished a very respectable 9th place. We did not win, the Intensity did so for that week they were the best team there. Things change from week to week but no matter what, THE INTRNSITY WILL BE THE NATIONAL CHAMPS FOREVER, IT IS IN THE BOOKS AND WILL BE THERE WETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT.CONGRADS ON A GREAT TOURNAMENT AND BEING THE CHAMPS. A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ANY TEAM. I believe I gave them credit for what they accomplished and stated that even though we are a quality Gold team we were not able to do what they did by winning the Championship. Also never said anything about prior to that tournament.

The GT Shockers Gold we practice 2 days during the week and either play or practice every weekend until our last tournament November 14 then we stop so the kids have some time to recharge for HS. We are playing in the Ronald McDonald and are the only area team that can get in, we also play in 2 Easton Elite tournaments in Dallas and both Stars over Texas. We have Jimmy Weise being our team recruiter and we have had a 100% signing. We have a large video collection and discussions with various college coaches and Jessica knowledge of what colleges are doing now and access to current college players. I am the pitching coach and work with the outfielders. Jessica Lemoine works with the catchers and infielders and Robert Verde works with the hitters. At times we all help each other in all phases of the game to make the team the best it can be.We are proven winners as coaches and the only coaches who have ever qualified a team for ASA Gold Nationals in the local area. We work our kids hard and our practices are intense so they are prepared for college when they get there and get them to the exposure tournaments they need to be able to live there dreams. This is what we do and some of what we have accomplished. Lets hear from everyone else. I guess no one else has an answer for this question?

We GT Shockers Gold are a Gold team and play in the exposure tournaments and Gold Qualifiers. WE qualified for ASA Gold Nationals last year. We also played in the same National Tournament that the Intensity did. We finished a very respectable 9th place. We did not win, the Intensity did so for that week they were the best team there. Things change from week to week but no matter what, the Intensity will be the National Champs forever, it is in the books and will be there wether people like it or not. Congrads on a great tournament and being the CHAMPS. A great accomplishment for any team.

Everybody wants to be good even the best and almost all say they are willing to do whatever it takes but few have what it takes to take that chance. Few are willing to make a strong enough commitment to live their dream. You have to be willing to dive in the deep end. You have to be willing to take a chance where others are not. If this was easy everybody would be doing it. I am willing to help as always. I have been a assistant on teams that have qualified for ASA Gold and been the head coach also. I can even sit in the stands and watch. As most people know I still coach because I have a love for the game, my kid is married and giving me grandbabies right now. I will step up, down or sideways to help. I just don't know if our area is ready for this but I am willing to do whatever needs to be done to help the kids if they want it bad enough even if that means staying out of it. I have made scarifices before for the good of the team and will do again.

The GT Shockers Gold we practice 2 days during the week and either play or practice every weekend until our last tournament November 14 then we stop so the kids have some time to recharge for HS. We are playing in the Ronald McDonald and are the only area team that can get in, we also play in 2 Easton Elite tournaments in Dallas and both Stars over Texas. We have Jimmy Weise being our team recruiter and we have had a 100% signing. We have a large video collection and discussions with various college coaches and Jessica knowledge of what colleges are doing now and access to current college players. I am the pitching coach and work with the outfielders. Jessica Lemoine works with the catchers and infielders and Robert Verde works with the hitters. At times we all help each other in all phases of the game to make the team the best it can be.We are proven winners as coaches and the only coaches who have ever qualified a team for ASA Gold Nationals in the local area. We work our kids hard and our practices are intense so they are prepared for college when they get there and get them to the exposure tournaments they need to be able to live there dreams. This is what we do and some of what we have accomplished. Lets hear from everyone else.

Congratulations

I understand wanting for your kid to play a certain position but is that the best position for them to get recruited to play college. Sometimes others are able to make a more realistic decisions that the parent or kid because there is sentimental attachment. If the coach has a constant level of success there should be no problem there. If the amount of practice time is a issue then we have a committ problem with the kid. What abut all the good experiences the successful kids have had. If your are not getting the exposure you are in the wrong place to start with but, then again if your team is always losing then you will not ever get seen. The parents have to be willing to give the reins to someone else and trust them. Just my thoughts and your points are very well taken Pirates 88 at least you show an understanding and that you care.

I believe that the pitching is close if we can play enough defense behind her. We started Shockers Gold 2 years ago and we did have to go outside the GT area just so we would have enough players to make the team. That team qualified for ASA Gold in our first year and finished 9th at IFA this year and went 3 and 2 in our ASA Gold qualifier this year which means we finished in the top half or about 30th out of 81 teams. I coached with RVerde for 8 years and Jessica Lemoine(Shockers Gold coach) played for RVerde for 6 years and played 4 years of College at ULL. No other team in this area has the experience of playing at ASA Gold in Oklahoma or the experience of competing against the best teams in Houston. Right now we are as close as you can get. We played Nederlands Intensity team and won 1 and lost 1 against them. We play in several tournaments in Houston where there are always 30 plus college coaches. We are the only local team to be accepted into the 18U Ronald McDonald which is the biggest college exposure tournament in the Fall in Texas. I have coached 2 State Championship teams at Kelly HS and made it to the top 4 once . I have coached College All Americans and at least 40 D1 players and 20 JUCO players. This is not bragging just stating a few facts. We know what it takes and how to get there. We have done it before, we have the experience. We (GT Shockers Gold) will have tryouts starting next week.

I guess nobody wants to bite? I believe that we could put together a team that would be able to qualify ASA Gold. Who coaches it and who evaluates the talent to pick the team and would everyone make their self available.

WE the GT Shockers Gold played almost all of our games at the Ronald McDonald at Dyes Park and we always had at least 8 and at the most 18 different college coaches at our games. The important thing is letting the coaches know where you are and with so many games going on at the same time the college coaches will be there to watch your games and others also. Most of your top 10 D1 schools will be at Collins Park front 4 fields, but then again you have to realistic about where your kids are and what schools they will be going to. Right now we do not have any top 10 D1 kids in the area right now. Do we have D1 kids yes but there is a big difference in the talent level. We will have a couple of big time kids in a few years if they can keep developing. There is no bigger recruiting tournament in the Fall than the Ronald McDonald and the good old boys put it on, go if you get a chance.

They are accepted in the 16U age group which has 23 teams accepted. The 18U group has 150 accepted teams in it.

o one could argue, and I certainly would not want to take away from what they have accomplished. The point is, if we could do more to get the very best on one team, we would see girls accomplish more than they ever dreamed any year, not just this year. Congrats on a great run. Not going to happen JT. The scarifies of letting some else being in charge is something people are not willing to do. We attempt to do our best by teaching hard work does payoff and giving the kids the skills they need to be successful in both softball and life. Sorry JT nobody wants it bad enough to do what it would take.

Congratulations on a huge win. The kids deserve credit for doing a great job. With Caitlin Austin back they showed why they went to the State Tournament.

Intensity makes the final four. They have Houston Power in their first game today. I am glad to see a local group of kids have a chance at the big prize. I am proud of my group the GT Shockers Gold, we finished tied for 9th. It is great to see that our local area was able to put 2 teams in the top 10. I wish the Intensity the best of luck and finish strong.

The GT Shockers Gold will announcing our tryout dates in the next couple of days. We will be looking for at least 10 kids and will probably carry a roster of 14 in the Fall. We did not qualify ASA Gold this year but did make a good run at it. We went 3 wins and 2 loses in our Gold Qualifer. We are making a run at IFA but after our our lost last night we will have a tough row to hoe today with having to play as many as 5 games to get to the finals. I believe we can do it but it will take some luck and endurance to finish the deal.

The Intensity are one of only 8 teams that are left undefeated as we start play on Friday. They are making a great run. Nobody ever questioned wether these kids could play just the timing of when the team was formed. Hopefully we have all moved past that and can give the kids the recognition they deserve for being good players and a good team. Good luck to all the teams that are left and for those moving on to college be safe and enjoy.

I also believe that kids and parents have a certain comfort level where they are and to move to somewhere new creates a level stress that a lot of people are not willing to live with. The fear of the unknown or a new team keeps alot of kids from trying out for a new team. The fear of trying out for a team and not making it keeps people from attempting it. It is easier to stay where you are and be safe than try something new. I understand why people feel the way do but, it can hinder your ability to achieve your dreams when these things get in your way. Tryouts for teams will be announced soon so if idea is going to be pursed it needs to happen soon.

I still think money would be a big issue. I know teams from Houston that go to every ASA Gold Qualifier there is. That means 2 to 3 plane trips out of State and the team pays for it either thru their teams dues or from corpart sponsors. I also know of teams that charge as much as $1500.00 in the Fall and $2500.00 in the Spring. The team then arraigns and takes care of the all the Hotels and plane tickets and what ever equipment is needed. These teams have strong support from the local corpart companies. If you had 1 group that was able to secure these kind of funds or families that were able to come up with this kind of money I believe that the kids would come. Just my take on the matter. I also know of some of the California teams that pay ther coaches as much as $70,000.00 a year inculding lessons given.

Personalities will always get in the way. How do you judge who would be the best coach and staff for this team? Everyone has thier own opionion and not every kid can play for certain coaches. How do you handle kids that develop and pass others on the team after the team is formed. The only way to do it is to have the finicail backing at a high level so you can enter the biggest and best tournaments all over the country and not be a burden on the parents. Then you could get players to move towards that team and they would live with whatever they had to to be sucessful.

Most teams will be having tryouts sometime after IFA Nationals in a couple of weeks. Keep checking for new posts I am sure they wil be out soon.

They Will! DISCUSSION IS OVER! Lets move on.