Happy Black Friday everyone, hope your Thanksgiving was excellent and you have a wonderful weekend taking us into December (wasn’t it just summer a week or two ago?!?).  We’re enjoying time with family as well, pulling out the lights and decorations to get ready for Christmas, but do have some recruiting profiles and coverage to feed you after the turkey gluttony from yesterday!

 

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RECRUIT PROFILE: KINSLEY WASHINGTON

Kinsley is the youngest player on the Corona Angels, perennially one of the most talented club teams in the nation.  She also just committed to UCLA and talks about that exciting news here…

Grad Year: 2017
Pos: SS/OF
High School: La Salle College Preparatory High School – Pasadena, CA
Club: Corona Angels-Tyson
College: UCLA

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: How exciting is it to be a Southern California player and you’re going to UCLA!
Kinsley Washington: I am super excited to be a Bruin! I think playing for UCLA is a dream most Southern California softball players have growing up.

SSS.com: Where did the Bruin coaches first see you and do you remember how you did to impress them?
KW: I believe the coaches first saw me at a UCLA Softball Camp a few years ago…i think I was about 10-years old. From time to time I’ve spotted UCLA Coaches at the Futures Elite Camps, Tournaments and Showcases.

SSS.com: When did the offer come in and what was it about your play that led them to extend the offer?
KW: I received a UCLA questionnaire in the mail last October (2012). I filled it out and returned it and was excited to be “on their radar”.  You’ll have to ask the coaches what they saw in me to be sure…but I’m hoping they saw a girl that loves the game and loves to compete.

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
KW: I decided to commit this year because I had a chance to unofficially visit other schools and realized that UCLA really has everything I was looking for.

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches?
KW: I called and spoke with the coaches as I danced around my house!

SSS.com: Did you and your family do anything to celebrate this exciting opportunity?
KW: I came home to find my room decorated with UCLA balloons, banners and Bear Wear. Then my entire family took me out to dinner to celebrate.

SSS.com: You’re the youngest player on the Angels… how did you get invited to play with the team?
KW: Corona Angels founder Marty Tyson invited me to guest-play with his 18 Gold team last season. I traveled to the Independence Day Tournament in Colorado and had a great time as I played with, and learned from, the older girls.  Coach Tyson then invited me to join his 18 Gold Team permanently. I was happy to accept the invitation!

SSS.com:  What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
KW: I’ve been told that I’m a ‘triple threat’ because I am a lefty that can bunt, slap and hit depending on what my team needs.  The defense never really knows what I’m going to do and it’s fun creating a little chaos on the field.

SSS.com: What is it about softball that makes it sport you love to play?
KW: I love softball because the sport is so exciting and unpredictable. I’ve played lots of softball (since I was 6-years old) and no 2 games have ever been the same.  I also love that softball is not just about being physical…it’s about being smart and knowing the game/situation and being mentally tough.

 

Quick Hitters (short answers)

What’s playing in your iPod/headphones right now? 
‘The Way’ Arianna Grande

Fill in the following sentence: When I’m on the field I’m…
… competitive to a fault. I live to compete!

Do you have any softball rituals or superstitions: 
I step into the batter’s box left foot first – always!

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know? 
I was a cheerleader for years and thought I was going to be a professional dancer/cheerleader when I grew up.

What’s your dream weekend?  
Skiing the slopes in Mammoth on Saturday and playing on the beach in Kauai on Sunday.

With this being Thanksgiving week, what’s something you’re thankful besides family and friends?
I am very thankful for all the opportunities (on and off the field) that I’ve been blessed with. 

What’s the one object you can’t live without? 
Coco –aka Cra-Cra– my destructive Boxer puppy. 

The Holidays are fast approaching, what’s the gift you want most this year? 
Clothes! I go to a private school with uniforms, so I can never get enough ‘normal’ clothes!

If you could have one superpower what would you want it to be?
I would love to be able to instantly transport myself anywhere in the world.

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Madi Bishop, the 2015 corner infielder (3B/1B) for Texas Glory-Shelton, writes to tell us about why she committed to the Univ. of Oregon when we asked what she based her verbal on.

“The coaches, the facilities and the program in general. Nothing is comparable to the University of Oregon!”

Madi, who attends Jonesboro High (Jonesboro, Ark.), says she was also offered by Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and South Alabama.

 

*** A pair of players for the KC Monarchs have picked their colleges: Regan Nash, a 2015 outfielder, has chosen Missouri and Sam Dellinger, a 2016 pitcher/first baseman, has committed to Creighton.

We asked Monarchs Head Coach Mike Ray to give his thoughts on his pair of college-bound players… here’s what he said:

“Regan is a tremendous athlete with elite level speed.  She runs the bases aggressively, covers a lot of ground in the outfield to make plays, and is able to do a lot of different things at the plate including hitting for power.”

“Sam is very athletic and strong, she plays the game smart and aggressively.  As a pitcher she throws hard with good movement and in the field she has a great glove and can play multiple positions.  At the plate she is disciplined and hits consistently with a lot of power.”

 

*** This week Shelbi Evans, a 2015 catcher who plays for the Batbusters-Fox organization out of San Diego, committed to San Diego Christian College.

We asked her about her commitment:

StudentSportsSoftball.com: When and how did you commit to SDCC?
Shelbi Evans: I committed Oct 7, 2013, by talking to Coach Cheryl Shaeffer.  It was very exciting and I have wanted to play for her for a while.  I feel very lucky.

SSS.com: What was it about the school you liked to commit (and why now)?
SE: I liked the school because it’s small, it’s Christian and it’s close to home so my family can still watch me play and I can watch my brother play sports through high school.

SSS.com: What did they say they liked about you enough to offer?
SE: They told me they like my attitude, work ethic, and I’m a good teammate and team player.  I give 100% every time I hit the field…and it shows.

 

*** Here are the latest commitments from the Indiana Magic Gold team (thanks to Brian Green, Head Coach of the 14U team, for the info):

— P Jose Wood (2015, Indiana)
— P Maggie Armstrong (2016, IUPUI)
— C Mallory Baker (2015, Purdue)
— IF Haley Hostelter (2014, Eastern Michigan)
— P Carolyn Wilmes (2014, Ball State)

 

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PROSPECT TO WATCH: MEGAN CHOINACKY

… and speaking of the Indiana Magic Gold team…

Position(s): OF/1B

Grad year: 2015
High school: Roncalli 
(Indianapolis, Ind.)
Club: Indiana Magic Gold 18U
Height: 5-9
Academics: Honor roll student, Junior Class President.
Honors/Stats: Set a school record with 50 RBI in a season. Lead the 16U Indiana Magic in batting average, hits and doubles and stolen bases; 1st Team All County and All District as a sophomore.
Scouting Report: plays outfield for the Indiana Magic Gold 18U with sub 3.0 speed to first as a righty. Considered one of the best Outfielders in Indiana.
College: uncommitted

 

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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.