One of the newest club programs in the country, today’s spotlight program put together last summer after a couple of teams fell apart and now the organization is considered as one of the best in Arkansas.

The 18U team has four commits including one going to the SEC and seven others going to Div. 2, NAIA and JC programs.

Below you’ll learn more about the three-team organization which includes several 2017 and ’18 players who are being recruited by top Div. 1 programs…

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FullCountSoftball.com: When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be?
Todd Edwards: The Arkansas Angels began in the summer of 2014 actually. Essentially you had one team after another splitting up, with several of the state’s highest caliber athletes not having a place to play. So in the beginning there were seven players and through a myriad of pick-up players here and there, there came to be 11. Then a handful of them had to move up to 18U and the rest remained down.

So now there’s an 18U and a 16U. Following high levels of success and our clear mission of doing things the right way, for the right reasons, a team of like-minded athletes, parents and coaches known as “Xtreme Force” and “Next Level Prospects” determined it was a perfect fit for them as well. As the fall showcasing began, there came to be an 18U, 16U-Premier, and 16U-Elite.

The mission was simple:

1. Put the girls in front of the coaches they want to play for.
2. Nobody makes any money off these athletes and their parents. Dues, fees, uniforms, etc. are all what the athlete’s portion is or percentage is.
3. Do the right things, for the right reasons, always.
4. Educate the kids as well as the parents on the entire showcase process and the “do’s and don’ts” of showcase ball.

FCS.com: Where are you based?  Where do your athletes come from (all locally, some out of state?)
TE: The Arkansas Angels are based out of central Arkansas. However, we have athletes from Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri.

FCS.com: What was the purpose of creating the team (showcase players, win titles, develop skills, etc.)?
TE: The Arkansas Angels was created to give the girls who had the drive, passion, talent, and family support to play college ball, the opportunity to get in front of the college softball coaches of which they want to play for. Of course competing is the fun part, but showcasing what you have as an individual while supporting your team philosophy, now that’s the key.

FCS.com: What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events?
TE: We’ve had some big battles with some great organizations but again, we’re looking past the “trophy ball” aspect of playing now and focusing on playing in the right places on the right weekends. Of course we’ve “beat” some of the best talent at these showcases, but when we’re not keeping score in hopes of promoting the “showcase aspect” of the event, who focuses on score?

FCS.com: What makes the organization unique?
TE: The Arkansas Angels are unique in the fact that we actually practice what we preach. We don’t see other organizations as “enemies.” We go out there to have fun, go crazy, make some big time plays, showcase as an individual while contributing to the overall team. We’re happy for each other when it’s our time to shine, and not bitter. We truly do things for the girls, not for the brand, not for the organization, for each individual girl. Each girl playing for the Arkansas Angels has aspirations of playing in college and half or more are already committed. Therefore they are all going through the same process, the same struggles and stresses, and are able to support and help each other because they understand what the other is working towards. This goes for our parents as well.

FCS.com: How many teams are there in the organization overall?
TE: The Arkansas Angels have three teams in our organization: the 18U, 16U-premier and 16U-elite. We are currently partnered with the Angels in Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona and soon to be a few other states.

FCS.com: Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team’s history?
TE: In the fall, when we realized how many of our girls were committed and we were approached by several organizations about partnering/franchising, as well as individual teams who wanted to become part of the organization. It was interesting and flattering, really. Our mission is not to grow to a thousand teams nationwide and lose the closeness and manageability of things. We intend on maintaining quality over quantity, absolutely.

FCS.com: What is your primary focus or goal with this team?
TE: The Arkansas Angels chief goal is to give the girls/parents alike a reliable showcase team to be able to showcase, compete, and without breaking their pocketbooks on dues and fees. The girls have the talent, drive, academics; the parents have the support and all they need is the reliable vehicle to get them there and the opportunity to show what they have to the coaches they want to play for. We call it “getting back to the basics” in college softball recruiting. No big ideas, no big domination take over, no big money scheme of things, just go play ball and show the coaches what you got!

FCS.com: What do you think are the strengths of the team?
TE: The Arkansas Angels biggest strengths is knowing who “we” are and understanding the philosophy behind the team. A bunch of individual goals that are similar, working together to further themselves while supporting each other. Obviously we have some of the best hidden gems in the state talent-wise, but for us, our biggest strength is knowing who we are, and owning who we are, and focusing on the tasks at hand – being recruited.  

FCS.com: If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be?
TE: The ability to focus on the individual player while harnessing the power of the team. We try to operate in a moral fashion such as not stealing players, being classy on and off the field, not turning it into a business, and playing as a team while working the recruiting of the individual athlete. Our parents and athletes would likely tell you the most surprising thing about our organization is that we bring everything to the parents and athletes for a “say-so.” If a majority of our team doesn’t want to play in this showcase considering all factors, we don’t. We discuss everything with our parents and our players, and collectively we determine the most applicable path. If the kids are happy, the parents are happy, and when the girls are happy, they play better and therefore, coach is happy.

FCS.com: Anything else interesting or fun about the Arkansas Angels organization?
TE: We have been called “the misfits” before (laughs). Because of the perfect timing which led to so many high caliber girls being without a team, and thus the ArkAngels was born. A couple handfuls of “misfits” led to a high caliber team, having fun, being recruited, and rejuvenating the love they have for the greatest game on dirt.

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Here’s a player-by-player look at the ArkAngels 18U team with comments from Coach Edwards…

— LHP/1B Emma Skinkle (2017, Louisiana-Monroe)
“Emma is a beast in the circle. She’s fierce and fiery. Emma always hits cleanup because of her consistency on the long ball. She gets a lot of easy outs and produces a lot of runs for us offensively. Emma performs the best under pressure and gets the job done. She’s a seasoned pitcher.”

— RHP/1B Sydney Wader (2016, Louisiana-Monroe)
“Sydney stands 6-foot-1 and throws in the mid-60’s with good movement. She’s seasoned and not afraid of anything and is a methodical pitcher.”

— SS/UT Keely Edwards (2016, Arkansas)
“Keely is a naturally born highlight reel, both offensively and defensively. She once hit an over-the-fence homerun with power, then followed it up with an in-the-park homer showcasing her speed. Keely is an early lineup hitter because she’s not afraid to move runners and do her job, however that may be. Defensively, you just have to see her to believe her talent.”

— MIF Mykenzie Livesay (2016, Jackson State)
“Mykenzie is a player similar to Ashten in that the only thing she can’t legitimately do is pitch. She is a seasonal player who plays primarily at second, but often is used at catcher, third and outfield. Mykenzie is a hard, line-drive hitter who is extremely sneaky on the short game. She demonstrates what “grit” really means as she’s tough as nails. Mykenzie is also a true bubbly kid who livens up the dugout.”

— OF Lyndsay Reeves (2015, Wallace State-Hanceville)
“Lyndsay is another seasonal player and is a home run threat from the left who can actually effectively slap with her 2.7 speed home to first. She’s best at centerfield because her reads on the ball are unparalleled. Lyndsay has a very strong arm and makes the difficult plays look effortless.”

— 1B/DH Courtney Rollans (2015, Lyon College)
“Courtney is a big bomb threat with a positive upbeat attitude. She plays a good first base and moves well.”

— OF Katie Strain (2015, Three Rivers CC)
“Katie has the fastest wheels on the team, bar none. She has 2.6 home to first speed, but is a switch-hitter although we typically keep her lefty. Katie is a five-tool slapper who can tell you where she’s putting the ball and get on base. She plays the outfield and the middle infield also.”

— OF/1B Katelyn Thomason (2016, uncommitted)
“Katelyn typically has the highest batting average and on-base percentage on the team. She doesn’t really have an off-day offensively. Katelyn has natural size and speed with the strongest arm I’ve ever seen. She typically plays in the outfield but plays first as well. A lefty, Katelyn actually played some middle infield and third when we needed her to and because of her athleticism and cannon for an arm, she was extremely effective.”

— UT Abigail McCauley (2015, Northeast Mississippi CC)
“Abigail is a switch-hitter who can legitimately compete on both sides of the plate. She’s not going to outrun anybody, but can place the ball so well she has a “knack” for moving runners. Defensively she throws lefty, but plays defense as a righty typically in the outfield.”

— MIF/OF Shayla McKissock (2016, Mississippi College)
“Shayla is a grinder type who doesn’t care where she’s at on the field as long as she’s there. She’s a switch-hitting slapper with homerun power, but has 2.72 speed from the right to keep you on your toes defensively. In the field she’s best in center or third, but performs well at short and catching too.”

— C/1B Julie Ward (2016, Henderson State)
“Julie has natural size and power and smashes the ball. She’s best on the corners and catching. Another strength is her natural leadership.”

— C/UT Ashten Graves (2016, Jackson State)
“Ashten is a natural athlete and a natural leader. She is the consistent gap hitter who can hit the bomb when she sees her pitch. There are very few behind the plate like her as she controls the game, calls the pitches, and baserunners don’t dare run on her. Ashten has the natural athleticism to play the middle infield, third and the entire outfield, all effectively.”

— UT Chase Paladino (2016, uncommitted)
“Chase is the true definition of an “athlete.” She plays catcher, both corners, shortstop, and outfield effectively. Chase also pitched for her high school team and won MVP honors in state championships in basketball as well. If it’s a sport and there’s a ball, Chase will look like a pro playing it. She has a strong arm, solid glove, and is a country girl who goes all out on every play.”

— C/UT Corbin Talbert (2016, Southern Arkansas University-Magnolia)
“Corbin is the “lead by action, not by words” kid. She smashes the ball, hitting bomb after bomb effortlessly. She’s best behind the plate catching, but does well at third or second as well. Corbin has a solid arm and good mechanics behind the plate.”

— OF Sarah Hulsey (2017, uncommitted)
“Sarah is the purest home run hitter I’ve seen. She is a mix of linear/rotational hitting that looks flawless. Sara is also one of the best in the outfield I’ve seen and not just because of her speed. She reads the ball so well off the bat that she gets under it regardless. Sarah never misses and has a strong arm to make accurate throws. Sarah is a quiet type who plays big enough where she doesn’t have to do much talking. She’s our cleanup hitter.”