Let’s start off the last week of January by heading to the Southeast to spotlight a young club team with a lot of talent—as in three freshmen and one eighth grader already committed to SEC schools!  We learn about a tragedy the team had to deal with two years ago as well that still drives them today.  We also spotlight a Nevada player who’ll call the Big 12 home someday and learn about an Iowa prospect who’s committed as well.

 

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CLUB PROFILE: GEORGIA IMPACT-JEFFREYS

In our November 26, 2013 Daily Update we profiled one of the Georgia Impact teams… the 14U squad led by Coach Patrick Lewis.

Today we look at another 14U team, this one led by Rick Jeffreys.

As we detailed in our first Impact profile, one unique factor about the organization is that it is set up as an association of coaches who play under the name “The Georgia Impact Fastpitch Organization” so each team is proprietary and runs itself.

The man who behind it all was Will Tomasello, who started with one 12U team in 1993 and has grown the organization to include 11 squads who have done well at Nationals—for example, last year five of the teams finished fifth or higher in either ASA or PGF Nationals and 10 of the 11 made it to Nationals.

Jeffreys current team took fifth at ASA last year and already has four players committed to SEC schools.

His team was formed in 2010 as a second year 10U team and while the team is based out of the Metro Atlanta area, it includes players from as far away as Texas and Minnesota.

That’s what success, both on the scoreboard and in the recruiting process, will do for you.

Both coaches have had daughters come and go through Gold travel ball and Tomasello adds, “we wanted to take another group of special ladies back through Gold using our contacts and resources.”

Each certainly has vast array of experience to draw upon.  Jeffreys has coached fastpitch for over 15 years, starting with the East Cobb Bullets and moving over to the Georgia Impact in 2009 with a Gold Team.

Tomasello played college football and then continued in sports by playing men’s slowpitch softball before starting the Impact Organization almost 11 years ago.

“Rick and I have love the time we spend instructing, coaching and mentoring our players,” he adds.

While the victories and developments on and off the field, have been rewarding, there have been trying times as well.

Tomasello looks back two years, to the fall of 2011, when the Impact picked up a pitcher out of Warner Robbins, Ga. named Bridget Sullivent who played on the Women’s Little League Championship team.

“She was an amazing young lady with an incredible future,” he remembers. “She would have no doubt been a major contributor on our team and very likely a top prospect.”

“While on the way back from a church choir practice, Bridget and her older sister were killed in a tragic car crash. This team galvanized like none other we have ever seen.”

“To this day, they honor her before and after each game by putting her number on the pitcher’s mound and saying a quick prayer for her and her family. It was through that tragedy that they developed a ‘never give up’ attitude.”

Going through such a traumatic experience so young has led to Jeffreys’ team developing an inner strength and drive that serves them well in competition.

“While the team possesses a number of gifted athletes,” Tomasello adds, “they exude an incredible amount of poise and tenacity in big games.  Simply, they never quit.”

The coaches remember that their core focus is to get their players exposure and to be in a position to play at the next level if they so choose.

“Since Day 1,” the Impact founder continues, “our focus was to position our girls in such a way that they would have the best opportunity to earn a college scholarship. Through showcases, Nationals, clinics, camps or individualized instruction, we have exhausted every measure of our personal contacts and resources to get them ‘first looks.’

In a state loaded with talented and competitive teams, Jeffreys and Tomasello appreciate their successes, but know they constantly have to work to remain on top.  They feel fortunate to have recruited and developed what they believe is one of the most talented teams in recent Georgia history with the players going to Tennessee, Florida and Arkansas along with four more who will likely commit in the next few weeks.

“We have many fine clubs and programs in our area that provide for top competition,” Tomasello says. “As a faith based organization, we try and keep our players focused on what is truly important. The moniker of The Georgia Impact is simple: Give thanks for our gifts, take nothing for granted and go out and “Earn It.”

 

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Here’s a player-by-player look at the Georgia Impact-Jeffreys team with comments by Head Coach Rick Jeffreys:

— SS Hannah Adams (2017, Florida)
“Hannah (aka “The Franchise”) is a five tool player with an uncanny knack for making the extremely difficult play look routine. There have been many plays made by her over the past few years that leave the coaches saying to each other, ‘Did we just see that?’ She has the added dimension of having a very high softball IQ. She uses all parts of the field offensively and has home run power as well. She is a true leader in all aspects of her game.”

— C/UT Ashley Morgan (2017, Tennessee)
“Ashley (aka “Megatron”) is another five tool player who possesses a very high softball IQ. She literally can play every position on the field at an elite level except for the left side of the infield. If she wasn’t left-handed, she could play those as well. Ashley hits with major power to all fields. She has great speed, a tremendous arm and positive attitude. Ashley’s game focus in uncanny. She takes great pride in her physical fitness and looks as fresh at the end of a tournament as she does in Game One. Simply put, she is very close to being college ready at 14.”

— OF Haven Sampson (2017, Arkansas)
“Haven is one of the best outfielders I have ever seen. She gets the best reads on the ball of any player that Will and I have ever coached (boys or girls). She may be small in stature but she is big in heart and plays with swag. She is a big-game player who controls the game from centerfield. She is the kid that you want at the plate when you have to have a hit or the one that you hope a ball gets hit near in the outfield. More often than not she will make something happen offensively or make a game saving play in the field. She is a gamer!”

— P Gabby Sprang (2017, Tennessee)
“Gabby is a left-handed pitcher with tremendous speed, location and movement. At 6-foot-2, she has a significant mound presence. At 14, we have yet to even see her full potential. Gabby is one of those players that puts a team on her back and says ‘Hang on for the ride.’ Her mental toughness on the mound exceeds her years. She almost seems immune to the moment. Even in her failures, she reaches back and challenges batters with the voracity of a much older pitcher. Gabby hails from Minnesota and we are glad to have her here in the South. We will have to work on her accent before she gets to Knoxville!”

— IF Sam Thomas (2017, uncommitted)
“Sam is a pure athlete. She primarily plays infield for us but she can play outfield just as well. She is a tremendous hitter and many coaches say that the ball just comes off her bat different than anyone else. We nicknamed her ‘the Assassin’ because of her incredible bat speed. As such, Sam can let balls travel deeper into the slot and hit with authority. It’s no wonder that she leads our team in home runs. She has a great glove and arm and is very fast and aggressive on the bases. She has a tremendous work ethic and attitude.”

— P/1B Skylar Hayward (2017, uncommitted)
“Skylar is a pitcher with great speed, movement and location. She has the size, strength and skills to play at the next level and has a bulldog mentality on the mound. Skylar is fearless in the circle and also plays a very good first base. She has a very strong arm and glove and is very competitive and athletic. She wants the ball! Skylar was a tremendous part of our success in 2013—at ASA Nationals, she put up career numbers in leading our team to a fifth place finish.

— C/IF Niki Carver (2017, uncommitted)
“Niki is all heart. She gives everything she has on every play and, always having the dirtiest uniform on the field, we dubbed her ‘Mudcat.’ She just gets after it! Niki is yet another five tool player with tremendous power, speed, size and hands. She plays a fearless third base and manages the pitching staff and the game very well from behind the plate. Niki is a great defensive catcher with a very strong arm and has a fantastic personality—she always seems to be smiling and you can tell she just loves to play. She is a very good basketball player as well and it would not surprise me if she plays free safety on the football team one day!

— IF/OF Gabby Moreno (2017, uncommitted)
“Gabby is built like a thoroughbred. She is tall, strong and fast. She is another player with tremendous athletic ability and can play anywhere on the infield or outfield. Gabby is a tremendous hitter and just gets on base.  She has been our 5-foot-10, right-handed leadoff hitter for over a year now because she just gets it done. Gabby hits for high average but can also hit the long ball. She recently moved with her family to Houston, Texas but still calls the Georgia Impact home.

— P/OF Hannah Todd (2017, uncommitted)
“Hannah is one of our new players. She is a pitcher/OF for us. At 6’ tall, she spins and locates the ball well. She has great speed and mound presence as well. She is very athletic and plays outfield very well too. She is a great base runner and has great foot speed and arm as an outfielder. We are very excited to have Hannah as part of the Georgia Impact and look forward to her being a big part of the success of this team.”

— UT Jaydra Von Behren (2017, uncommitted)
“Jaydra is one of the hardest working kids on the team—she will not get outworked. Jaydra has a great glove, arm, speed, and attitude. She is also a very smart player and one of the best teammates a player can have. She is such a positive person and leader. Jaydra always wants to know what she needs to work on and how she can get better to help this team. She wants to get there early and stay late to put in the extra time to get better. Jaydra has tremendous speed and plays outfield and middle infield for us. She hits for average and uses all fields very well. Defensively, she has a strong arm and glove as well.”

— C/OF Jordan Barnett (2018, uncommitted)
“Jordan (better known as Jo Jo) is a terrific kid. I have often said that about many of our girls, but especially Jo Jo in that she is a kid that I want my child hanging around! Jordan is one of the best defensive catchers in the Southeast. She calls and manages the game very well and has a strong arm and a quick release. Jo Jo swings the bat well and uses all fields . She has a positive attitude and is always hustling. Jordan also works very hard at her craft and I look forward to seeing this kid develop over the next few years.”

— OF Gabby Benson (2018, uncommitted)
“Gabby is another new player to the team. At our tryouts in August we had over 50 kids competing for one spot. She is the one we took. Gabby has a tremendous work ethic and is very coachable. In the short time she has been with us she has already made an impact with her offense and defense. She covers a lot of ground in the outfield and hits for high average. Gabby is a slapper and can swing away to hit the ball in the gaps as well. She has a fantastic attitude and has fit in with this team right away. She has a strong arm and tremendous speed and I predict she will have a wonderful year.”

 

 

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RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT OF THE DAY:  SARAH MADDOX

High school: Foothill
City: Henderson
State: 
Nev.
Grad year: 2016
Club: Lil’ Rebels 97-98
Position(s): 1B/OF
Height: 5-10

 

College: Texas Tech
Why Texas Tech: “It’s a great university which offers programs fitting my interests, has great coaches and a good softball program, beautiful facilities, and is within driving distance from home.”

 

What is your favorite bat: Xeno, because it has great pop.
What bat does your team use? Xeno, many different brands.
What is your favorite brand of cleats? 
Mizuno
What is the uniform brand you prefer? TheGluv

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** One of the top players in Iowa, Morgan Christner, a 2016 P/1B with the Southeast Iowa Hawks Gold, team has committed to Illinois State.

As a freshman Morgan helped lead her New London High School team to an Iowa High School State runner-up finish and garnered an All-Iowa State Tourney Team selection.

She hit a school record 21 doubles and batted .425, but it was on the mound where the 5-foot-10 freshman put up the biggest numbers: using her 63-65 mph fastball combined with an excellent riseball, she collected 31 wins and came in second in the state with 379 strikeouts.

Morgan earned 1^st Team All State honors and was also voted The Hawkeye Softball Player of the Year in 2013 as a freshman.

On the club side, she helped lead the Southeast Iowa Hawks Gold to a championship in the USSSA Fall Nationals in Des Moines, went 3-0 in the circle in the PGF Stars of Tomorrow Showcase in Iowa City and put up a combined record of 5-1 in two years of competing in St. Louis Softball Showcase.

Morgan is a three-sport star and helped her volleyball team to a No. 4 Iowa state ranking at the end of the regular season as the team’s starting middle hitter.

In hoops, she finished third in the state with 13.1 rebounds per game for the New London High basketball team.  This season, Morgan is currently averaging 13.4 points and 12.6 boards per game as a sophomore.

The athlete entered the fall/winter season with a 4.0 grade point average and chose to play softball close to home for NFCA Hall of Famer Melinda Fischer at Illinois State.

Morgan chose the Redbirds while considering several other Midwestern DI’s including Wisconsin, Iowa State, Arkansas, Western Illinois, Northern Iowa, and Iowa.

 

*** More verbals:

—P/OF Sloan Hammons (2017, Florida Atlantic)… plays for Windermere Wildfire
—C/UT Kate Gordon (2016, James Madison)… plays for TNT Gold
—OF Haley Hoogenraad (2016, Michigan)… plays for Finesse Fastpitch
—P Devyn Terry (2015, Gardner Webb)… plays for Georgia Force
—P Valerie Vidal (2015, Northern Colorado)… plays for Arizona Storm Gold
—C/3B Jenna Pealor (2015, Lipscomb)… plays for Georgia Force
—2B Nicole Wieczorek (2015, Monmouth)… plays for Team Long Island-Gold
—OF/C Mallory Pollack (2015, UMBC)… plays for TNT Gold

 

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Players, parents and coaches:  want to know the best way to get us info on your favorite player?  Fill out our Recruit Form link and complete.  It comes directly to me (Brentt) and you very likely could see the info used somewhere on our site!

 

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If you’d like to submit information, forward to brentt@studentsports.com.  Also, follow us on twitter at @SS_Softball.