Today we finish our first round or initial club pre-season rankings by listing the top 12U teams after previously releasing the FAB 50 Club Rankings for the 18U, 16U and 14U divisions.

As with the 14U division in particular, the 12U ratings were tough as there were 10U teams from last summer moving up to 12U, first year 12U teams moving up to “second year” status and some second year 12U’s moving up to 14U.

Yes, the phrase “like herding cats” comes to mind, but still we powered through and feel we have a pretty strong group of teams!

If you have input on teams below, corrections that should be made or teams not included that should, feel free to send your info/arguments to Brentt@FullCountSoftball.com! Remember: we WILL be updated all FAB 50’s throughout the year!

Finally, our thanks and congratulations go out to those teams at all levels who’ve made the initial round of rankings… now you have to go out and prove it on the field!

---

The Top 25 12U Softball Club Teams

1. OC Batbusters – Mascarenas
Comments: As a first year 12U team, Toni Mascarenas’s squad finished 5th at PGF Nationals last summer and was undefeated in fall tourney play winning the TCS Pre-Thanksgiving Cup and American Athletics Toys 4 Tots.

2. Corona Angels – Dominique Tyson
Comments: Dominique Tyson’s team has good lefty pitching and big power bats on offense. After finishing 17th at PGF as a first year 12U team, they’ll be one of the favorites at this year’s PGF Nationals.

3. Georgia Impact – Newland
Comments: The Impact finished 1st at the USFA Fastpitch Classic where Scott Newland’s squad beat another strong Georgia team, the Georgia Select 02 squad. The Impact also won the Turf Wars Championship and finished 3rd at ASA Nationals.

4. Firecrackers – TJ
Comments: This highly-respected Firecrackers team wins with solid pitching and hitting that carried them to a 17th place finish at PGF last summer.

5. So Cal Choppers – Gibson
Comments: The Choppers have gone 39-3-2 this year and has won or been co-champion in every tourney including Best of the West and Turkey Bash.

6. Texas Glory
Comments: Coached by Kevin Shelton, who oversees the Glory organization, the Glory 12U team has great athletes up and down the roster with strong depth as it has a PGF invite and will play at USSSA Elite Championship too.

7. Louisville Lady Sluggers – Hull
Comments: The Lady Sluggers went 96-28-1 as a 10U team and played up in three 12U tourneys. The squad also tied for 13th at ASA Nationals in Tenn.

8. Firecrackers – Young
Comments: The Firecrackers return four players from the team that finished 5th at PGF last summer and with new talent and experienced coaching should be a force when Nationals rolls around.

9. Vienna Stars 02
Comments: The Stars had an excellent fall winning all five of its 12U tournaments including NSA Fall States and USSSA Winter World Series and was a runner-up at a 14U tourney.

10. OC Batbusters – Montoya
Comments: Coach Joaquin Montoya played for an ASA National Championship in 10U two years ago and has a strong team with solid fundamentals.

11. So Cal A’s – Keester
Comments: The A’s is a well-coached team which finished 33rd at PGF as a first year 12U team and will need to replace some holes due to transfers and injuries.

12. Oklahoma Force 02
Comments: The Force won the 40-plus team Triple Crown Sports Ronald McDonald Tournament held in Houston last October and had a great fall heading into 2015.

13. Georgia Select 02
Comments: The Select 02 team took 1st place at the USSSA Children’s Healthcare Classic and 2nd at the USFA Fastpitch Classic and looks dangerous for a run this summer.

14. Tennessee Mojo
Comments: Last year’s 10U ASA champions, the Mojo looks strong again and has already been invited to the PGF Nationals.

15. OC Batbusters – Amador
Comments: Another strong OC Batbuster team, this squad tied for 25th at PGF Nationals last year as a first year 12U team.

16. Atlanta Vipers – Holbrook
Comments: One of the top teams in the South, the Vipers will be playing at PGF Nationals this summer and have the respect of most of the top 12U coaches in the nation.

17. Georgia Intensity – Taylor
Comments: The Intensity won the USFA A Fall World Series and finished no lower than 3rd in their four fall tournaments going 23-6 in the fall.

18. Team Long Island 02
Comments: Team Long Island won the 10U Pony National Championship in 2013 and has kept the core of the team together. The New York team always seems to be in the title games, even against 14U competition.

19. Texas Sudden Impact
Comments: The Sudden Impact team went 45-10 with two tournament titles and tied for 3rd at the Ronald McDonald Tournament. This winter the team has gone 14-1 and won the USFA tourney in Cypress.

20. Birmingham Thunderbolts 02
Comments: The Bolts went 18-1 in the fall and draw talent from not just Alabama, but also Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. The team has already invited to this summer’s PGF Nationals.

21. Team Georgia 02
Comments: It’s a strong year for 12U teams in the Peach State and Jeff Aycock’s team showed it can play with most anybody by winning the USSSA Pre-Spring Slam title.

22. Tulsa Elite – Holder
Comments: Kevin Holder’s team finished 2nd at the USSSA 11U World Series and and finished 4th playing up at the USSSA 12U World Series.

23. So Cal Choppers – Downey
Comments: Many coaches feel the Choppers are the sleeper team to watch in So Cal as they’re well-coached and “will be scary” (per one coach) at the PGF Nationals.

24. Jersey Flames 2k2
Comments: The Flames finished 5th at the USSSA World Series and has qualified also for the Pony Nationals with strong pitching, power and speed.

25. Suncoast Storm 02
Comments: The Storm won the Diamond9 Presidents Day Challenge last month going 5-1 playing 12U and 14U teams and have won four straight tournaments this year.

---

Next 25

26. Wagner-Schaefer

27. Impact Gold – DFW

28. Lady Tigers 02

29. East Cobb Bullets – Byars

30. Birmingham Vipers

31. OC Batbusters – Macon

32. Mizuno Storm – Holtorf

33. Orion Hunter Black

34. Jersey Outlaws

35. So Cal 3D 2K2

36. Germantown Red Devils 02

37. Team Bucked Up

38. Corona Cats 02

39. Tampa Mustangs 02

40. Firecrackers – Grisley

41. Midway Orange Crush

42. Louisville Lady Sluggers 02

43. CA Breeze – Jacquez

44. Northwest Speed 02

45. Tampa Predators 02

46. OC Batbusters – Garcia

47. Indiana Horsepower 02

48. TSI Lady Titans

49. Firecrackers – Humble

50. Florida Storm

---

Next Teams In (listed alphabetically)

• Banshee’s Black
• Bay River Rumble Blue
• Birmingham Mustangs
• Cal Breakers – Casillas
• Cannons Blue
• Corona Angels – Natividad/Rojas
• Diamond State Swoop – Henry
• Fielder’s Choice
• Firecrackers – Cerritos
• OC Batbusters – Blake
• OC United – Viles
• OK Ultimate – Walde
• Oregon Thunder 02
• Power Surge – Bachtell
• SC Illusion
• Texas Glory Adkins – Camacho
• The Core – Carter
• Virginia Crushers – Murphy