We’re speeding through another week and do something different today:  we visit one of the top training facilities in the country for softball teams and players and profile one of the notable success stories, a player close to the founder’s heart who’s also going to a big-time program.  We learn about a Hot 100 2015 candidate who’s small in stature but big in potential.  

 

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TRAINING SPOTLIGHT: EM SPEED & POWER TRAINING

If you’ve followed softball closely over the past year or two, especially in Southern California, you’ve seen the EM logo somewhere.

And if you were paying attention yesterday you saw that we put up our first of what will be a weekly series of videos tied into EM Speed & Power Training.

So what is “EM” and what does it stand for?  More importantly, what does it do?

I visited the Rancho Cucamonga headquarters today and had a chance to meet with founder Ed Halstead and talk to seven elite softball players who were there to work out.

The group included Ed’s daughter, Paige, a 2015 shortstop headed to UCLA (who we profile below), her Explosion teammate Carly Thomas, a senior outfielder who’s signed with Illinois plus several college standouts: Ashley Carter, an outfielder who just graduated from Cal State Fullerton, senior shortstop Cheyenne Coyle of Arizona State, senior pitcher Jessica Hall from UCLA, junior infielder Emilie Valadez from UNLV and freshman catcher Kirsten Mack of Missouri.

That video interview will be coming in the next week or two, but back to the backstory of the seven year old company.

Ed worked in the manufacturing business and retired several years ago.  However, as he helped his son, Ryan, currently a senior pitcher at the Univ. of Indiana, and other athletes work out at a park, he drew a following and soon was forced to set up a facility for athletes to work out in.

The company was originally called “Explosive Methods,” a training reference, but Halstead explains that whenever he got a package, the delivery person was hesitant “thinking we were building bombs.”

“I shortened it to EM, which some people think is for my name and my wife Mari’s, but it was just the shortened version of the original name.”

Seven years after it was founded, EM Speed and Power training has worked with close to 35,000 athletes now and includes among its clients noted SoCal teams like the Corona Angels, Firecrackers and the OC Batbusters, which is led by Mike Stith who is tied into the Anaheim EM facility, one of the five located in Southern California.  The others are the Rancho Cucamonga headquarters, which surpasses 30,000 square feet, and locations in Pasadena, Chino and Corona.

EM has 30 employees and a strict screen and training process for its trainers, some of whom have worked with major colleges like USC and professional organizations like the New York Mets.

As I spoke to the seven softballers, they mentioned that the key to EM was they felt motivated by the trainers and that it was like being part of a family.

“Here, you drive yourself to be the best you can be,” explained Cheyenne.  “I’ve seen players in college who will cut reps—instead of doing eight they’ll only do six.  EM gives you the mentality to do your sets and then do one more.”

Ed says a location will be opening soon in San Diego and that he has a 10 year plan to grow the business even further.

“We’re here to help the athlete be the best he or she can be,” he explains.  “Our trainers have to be on top of it, if an athlete gets injured or doesn’t get everything out of a workout then we’ve failed, but what’s rewarding is seeing how they drive themselves and each other and tell others about the atmosphere here where they can become the best they can.”

Note: we’re happy to announce we’ll be having regular video content provided by EM Speed and Power Training to help softball players everywhere learn how to improve their game. 

 

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RECRUIT PROFILE: PAIGE HALSTEAD

Speaking of Paige Halstead, the 6-foot infielder has been described as one Pac-12 scout as being “one of the top 15 players in the junior class because of her versatility and solid foundation.  She will hit a ton and can play anywhere—infield, outfield and even catch.”

Here’s more on the standout who is mature beyond her 16 years, especially in her answers about her family…

Grad Year: 2015
Pos: SS/C
High School: Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
GPA/SAT or ACT: 3.5 GPA
Club: Explosion
Stats: hit .571 with five home runs
Honors: 1^st team Baseline All-League
College: UCLA

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: Tell us how UCLA come to find you, follow you and then ultimately offer?
Paige Halstead: UCLA found me on Mike Stith’s team where I rotated in at shortstop and outfield. They liked me at shortstop and followed me and I was definitely interested in them.  They sent me e-mails and I e-mailed them back and eventually I took two visits that fall of my freshman year.  The first trip they said they were really interested me and on the second one they officially offered when I was on campus.  Later that day I committed.

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
PH: Every since I learned they were interested in me I knew I was going to go there.  As soon as I stepped foot on campus it was a done deal.  I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to be able to play at UCLA and go to school there.

SSS.com: Describe the moment you told the Bruins you were going to play there…
PH: I was in Coach I’s (Head Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez) office and they were just talking to me and asked if I had questions about their program. It came around to talking about the offer and I was definitely overly excited and blurted out, “I would be honored to take this offer!”

SSS.com: You’re not far from Westwood… did staying close at home factor into your decision or would you have out of state if the fit was right?
PH: It’s only an hour or an hour and a half with traffic to UCLA, but distance wasn’t a factor, it was because of the school which I know will help me excel academically and athletically.

SSS.com:  What is it about your game that you think makes you a major college prospect?
PH: I really think it’s my work ethic. I feel UCLA saw how hard I work and the work I put in to be the best I can.  They believe I can become a leader and step up through my years there.

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
PH: It’s a while back, but in 10U I played on Team Smith and that year we lost the first game of double elimination at ASA Nationals. All day we had to fight back and we eventually had to win four games to get the title game.  We beat the Angels in the first game and in the second game—which was the really true championship game— we won.  I think it was because of all our training that prepared us for that moment.

Quick Hitters (short answers)

 

What do you want to major in?
Anthropology.

Fill in the blank… I’m happiest when:_________________
… I play softball.

What do you think is the No. 1 issue in the world today?
I think it’s the amount of homeless people we have.

Favorite food:
Bean burritos.

Least favorite food:
Celery.

Favorite place in the world:
The Bahamas, we went there for a family vacation one year.  It was really nice.

What’s your dream vacation?
Probably Hawaii.

Who always makes you laugh?
Definitely my family.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I play the drums.  My dad and brother also play the drums.

How would your friends describe you in one word?
Awkward!

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
Food.

Christmas is almost here, what’s the No. 1 gift request you have in for Santa?
Love from my family.

What’s your No. 1 goal/New Year’s resolution for 2014?
Probably to become more of a leader and voice my opinion more often.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
My grandma (Kathryn Thompson), she was recently with diagnosed with lung cancer and she’s been really strong through the whole thing.  She’s been fighting it for about a year and she’s a great person, you wouldn’t know that she has cancer.  She’s really positive and it inspires me.  The love I have for her is overwhelming.

 

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HOT 100 2015 CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT: KYLIE BASS

Kylie Bass is the daughter of EC Bullets 16U coach Buster Bass but don’t think this is a case of a father pushing his daughter for honors.

We spoke to several club and college coaches and all said the Georgia Southern commit i one of the top pitchers in the South if not the entire nation.

Kylie stands in at 5-feet and isn’t a blow you away pitcher, but one coach put it best: “She’s like a Greg Maddux (probable first ballot Hall of Famer with the Atlanta Braves) in that she’s a pitcher, not a thrower.  Kylie will make you go a comfortable 0-for-4 meaning she won’t embarrass or overpower you, she’ll just get you out.”

Her club resume is impressive in that the last six years she’s been at Nationals at the 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U levels:

2013:
16U Premier Nationals – 5th Place
2AAAAA Pitcher of the Year, 1st Team All Region, 1st Team All State, MVP

2012:
14U Premier Nationals 3rd Place
2AAAAA Pitcher of the Year, 1st Team All Region, MVP

2011:
3AAAA All Region Team Honorable Mention – Pitcher
ASA Nationals 3rd Place
14U USFA State Champion

2010:
12U ASA Nationals Runner-up
12U Hall of Fame Champion
12U ASA State Champion

2009:
12U ASA Nationals 17th Place tie

2008:
10U ASA Nationals 4th Place
10U ASA State Champion

But it’s this recommendation from her high school coach, Blake Lyons, at Jones Co. (Ga.) High School that says it all:

Kylie Bass is one of the best all around softball players I have ever coached. She has been our No. 1 pitcher since her freshman year and has a career ERA of under 1.50. She has been named Region Pitcher of the Year twice in the 2012 and 2013 seasons and has been named All State the past two years being named 1st team this past season. She has led the Jones County Lady Hounds to the state tournament her sophomore and junior years.

Her knowledge of the game of fastpitch is unmatched for a player of her age. In my 22 years of coaching baseball and softball she is the first pitcher who calls her own pitches and game due to her abilities and command of her pitches. When she is not pitching or playing defense, she calls pitches for our other pitchers and works with them on adjustments and mental approach.

I have never coached a player who works harder than Kylie or wants to win more than she does. I would do anything for her as she would do anything for her teammates to help make them successful as individuals and as a team.

This was shown this past season. With all the talent she has her greatest three days were the end of our 2013 season. Kylie was 25-3 win-loss record as a pitcher and we were playing the defending state champions in a 2 out of 3 series in the state tournament.

I have had players play sick and I have had players play injured but Kylie battled through a hamstring injury and was fighting the flu, literally in the locker room between innings with her flu symptoms. She pitched strong and never let anyone outside our team know she was hurt or sick and pitched three games in 48 hours.

She helped win Game 2 beating out an infield single with a pulled hamstring to help score the winning run with two outs. Though we didn’t win the series she showed her dedication, her desire to win, and in a term that might be considered a cliche she showed a whole bunch of moxey.

She can play first base or her next best position of outfield along with her pitching. She has hit in our No. 3 spot in the batting order the past three seasons. She is an aggressive lefty that can hit to all fields and excels at situational hitting, leading our team in RBIs the past 2 years.

As a pitcher she has command of her pitches and the strike zone. Her junior year she had 169 innings pitched and only walked 14 hitters, four of those were intentional base on balls. She had 186 strikeouts and teams hit only .179 against her. She threw 75% strikes for the season.

Kylie Bass is the backbone and the leader of our program and she dedicates herself to success both in the classroom and on the field. It is not uncommon for a teacher to send a message to one of our coaches about a creative project or her hard work in class. If I’m picking teams, Kylie is one of my first picks from all players I have coached or coached against.

— Blake Lyons
Head Coach Jones County Fastpitch
Assistant Athletic Director
Two-time State Champion Head Coach and two-time State Coach of the Year
Eight-time Region Champion and eight-time Region Coach of the Year
364-138-2 fastpitch head coach record in 14 seasons.

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Thanks to a fan of Harding University a D2 school in Searcy, Ark., for these signings and underclass commits:

• Chandler Little SS/2B (2014, Northwest Arkansas Chicks)
• Anna Lowery OF (2014, Arkansas Phenix Gold)
• Kylie Stephens C/3B (2014, Georgia Force)
• Amanda Berry P/1B (2015, Arkansas Phenix Gold)
• Kristen Dempsey P/1B (2015, Arkansas Heat)
• Alexus Lawellin 3B/2B (2015, Arkansas Phenix Gold)
• Autumn Humes P/SS (2016, Arkansas Phenix Gold)

*** Gillian Michalowski, a 2014 C/1B with the Alleycats Showcase 18U, is headed to George Washington

*** Parker Conrad, a 2016 pitcher with the Central Florida Stingrays, has committed to Missouri

 

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EVENTS: SO CAL SKILLS CLINIC

Last weekend, about 150 top underclass softball players worked out in Santa Ana, Calif. at the So Cal Skills Clinic produced by Diamond9 Events.

Here’s a montage of drills the athletes took part in, including hitting, fielding, pitching and catching work.

 

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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.