It’s Thanksgiving Eve and know that we will have content every day the rest of the week so be sure to check back! Today, we profile the commitment of arguably the top eighth grader in the country as she announces this week where she’ll play.  Also, we profile a Texan heading out of state and have more commits and recruiting news.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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RECRUITING NEWS: TOP 2018 PROSPECT ALLY SHIPMAN COMMITS

It’s rare when an eighth grader commits so when one does we tend to stop and notice.

And the way 2018 catcher Ally Shipman let her future college coaches know she had made up her mind was one for the ages.

Ally’s older sister, Madison, is a senior All-American shortstop at the Univ. of Tennessee and their father, Bill, is Ally’s club coach on the So Cal Choppers-Shipman/Ziese team.

The co-head coaches for the Vols, Ralph and Karen Weekly, were in town for the Early Thanksgiving Fall Showcase and last Sunday night were able to have dinner with the Coach Shipman at a Southern California Outback Steakhouse (legal by NCAA standards because he’s a club coach and because Madison is already on the college team).

Ally and her grandparents were also in the restaurant but couldn’t be at the coaches’ table.

But the outstanding 14-year-old catcher certainly made her presence known.

When the check for the bill came, it was handed to Karen who opened it up to see a handwritten piece of paper inserted inside.

Colored with orange and blue marker, the paper stated: “It’s great to be a Lady Vol… and that’s what I want to be! – Ally”

“I’m pretty sure Coach Karen started crying,” Ally said about the exciting way she let it be know that she’d someday be playing at Tennessee.

“We have such a crazy relationship,” Ally continued, “because we’ve been close since I was six or seven years old.”

The only downside?

“Coach Jim (Ziese, the other coach for the Choppers team) was mad he didn’t get invited to dinner.”

Overall, it was a joyous weekend for the Shipmans and for Vols softball fans everywhere, because in a few years (OK, maybe several years), the SEC school will get the player who many think is the best in the 2018 class.

Ally certainly had her choices of major schools to choose from: she visited ASU, LSU, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, UCLA, Oregon, Texas and obviously Tennessee and could have gone to any of them.

She’s been to the UT campus several times adding, “The first time I went to UT was to see Madison play and my last one was a few weeks ago which was for me to see the school.”

But she’s long had an affinity for Tennessee and not just because her sister is there.

“I love everything about it,” the young catcher explained about her choosing the university.  “I love the coaches, the atmosphere and how they balance being serious and competitive on the field with having fun.”

“Personally, I wanted to get away from California. I like seasons and was looking for a place with that and wanted to find a school with a college town atmosphere.  Plus, it’s a place that doesn’t have traffic like here in Southern California!”

Obviously, Madison and Alley won’t play together although there’s a chance Madison could possibly be coaching there as the older sibling is looking to be a grad assistant for the Vols and would love to continue there as an assistant under the Weeklys.

There’s six years between the sisters and Ally says, “I remember going to a lot of her tournaments and being around her a lot when I was younger.  I have a picture of me in catching gear when I was just starting out.”

“We’re really close even though far apart in age and we talk a lot.  Actually, when Madison’s home we go out and work out together, but when she’s away we’ll talk about things that don’t have to do with softball.  It’s kind of a relief for both of us.”

As for comparisons of the two… well, not the best topic to bring up to the young player.

“I love my sister, but really don’t want to be her,” she laughs.  “I started off as a pitcher and moved to shortstop until I decided I don’t want to be compared to my sister all the time.  I became a catcher when eight or nine and for the last five years have loved catching.”

Catching apparently loves her too.  She’s already over 5-foot-9 and could get taller as Madison is 6-foot-1 and her brother, Billy, is a 6-foot-4 offensive lineman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

College coaches rave about Ally’s presence on the field at such a young age and how she already is proficient in handling a game, calling pitches and working with pitchers.

“That’s one thing I love about being a catcher,” she says enthusiastically, “being able to direct the game and being involved in every pitch.”

What’s interesting to consider is Ally has longer before she gets to Tennessee than she’ll actually play at Tennessee.  Knowing there’s a long time before she steps on the campus, the fact she’s committing early was discussed on every trip.

“We asked every school I visited if the coaches will be there when I get to college,” she remembers.  “Some said, ‘Totally’ and some said ‘I hope we’re still here.’  That worried me, honestly, but at Tennessee they straight up said they’ll be there.”

Any chance the junior high student could get complacent and cruise through high school?  First off, probably not with her father as coach.

“I love playing for him,” Ally laughs, “but he pushes me harder than anybody else.  Sometimes I’ll even get a hit and he’ll say, ‘That could’ve been a double if you’d have hit the ball there.’  It’s comforting, though, knowing he’s there to push me and I definitely won’t settle.  I want to be an All-American and I want to win.  That comes from working hard and not settling for anything but your best.”

The “aha” moment when Ally made up her mind is also trackable to a specific date: the morning of Monday, November 11, 2013.

“I was in the airport coming home from Tennessee and was with my grandparents, actually, as my parents stayed an extra day to be with my sister.  I was looking around and saw a sign that said ‘Knoxville’ and it came to me: ‘This is where I want to be.’”

“I called my dad and he said, ‘OK, we’ll talk about it when we all get back home.’”

 

 

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RECRUIT PROFILE: RYLIE SPELL

Grad Year: 2015
Pos: Catcher
High School: Pearland (Texas)
GPA/SAT or ACT: 4.19 GPA, 1860 SAT
Club: Texas Aces Gold
Honors:
2012 – ASA Gold Nationals Runner-Up, Triple Crown Nationals, 5^th place, Triple Crown All-American, Texas 5A State Runner-Up, All-District, Academic All-District
2013 – ASA Gold Nationals, 9^th  place, Triple Crown Nationals, 3^rd place, Triple Crown All-American, PHS Newcomer of the Year, 1^st Team All-District
College: Tulsa

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: How did Tulsa first find out about you and how long was it from when they first started following you to when they offered?
Rylie Spell: I was impressed with how Tulsa finished the last few years, so that has always kept them in my top list of schools.  In October, my good friend Jonathan Lampl called Coach Bargfeldt to see if they were in need of a 2015 catcher/power hitter.  They were, so they came and watched me play in Dallas.  A month later, I went on an unofficial visit, and verbally committed the day after I got home.

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what were the primary factors in you choosing them?
RS: I decided to commit about 10 minutes after I received the offer.  I fell in love with the campus, even though it was cold on the weekend I was there.  There was really no question in my mind that Tulsa was where I wanted to be.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches you were choosing them?
RS: After I spoke to Coach J about the offer, I talked to my parents about it and called him right back.  It went something like this: “Well, Coach, it looks like I’m going to Tulsa!”

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around finalizing your choice… and did you do anything afterwards to celebrate?
RS: It was easily the happiest day of my life.  It’s a good feeling to know where I’m headed when I graduate.   My family and I went out for Cajun food to celebrate.

 

SSS.com: How far away is Tulsa from Pearland?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
RS: Tulsa is eight to nine hours away from Pearland.  The distance was not a factor in my decision at all.

 

SSS.com:  What are your strengths as a catcher? What areas would you like to improve before hitting the college field? 
RS: My strengths as a catcher are my arm, my blocking, and my pitch calling.  I like to develop a good relationship with my pitchers so that they trust me and feel comfortable throwing every pitch.  I would like to get faster on the bases before I get to college, and will also continue to work in the weight room.

 

SSS.com: What’s been the highlight of your softball career so far?
RS: During the summer of 2012, I played in both the Texas 5A State Championship and the ASA Gold National Championship.

 

Quick Hitters:

 

What is the best thing—and the worst thing—about being a catcher?
The best thing is being able to view the game from a different standpoint.  The worst thing – there’s no bad thing about being a catcher.

Fill in the blank… when I put on the catcher’s mask:
… it’s time for business

Pick one of the following vacation spots and explain why you prefer it… beach, ski slopes, cruise, mountains, historical location
I prefer the beach because I like to tan and it’s always warm.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I am a fourth generation catcher.  My dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa have all been catchers, so it definitely runs in the family.

What’s one food you refuse to eat?
I eat everything.

With Thanksgiving this week, what will you do from Thursday to Sunday?
I will be spending the holiday with my family in Rayne, Louisiana.

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

What do you want most for Christmas?
Tulsa stuff.

Where would you like to live someday? 
Home will always be Texas, but I’ll go wherever softball takes me.

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Alyssa Barrera, a 2016 OF/2B for the Firecrackers-Brashear team, has committed to Utah.

“(I chose Utah because of) the chance to compete against current and former travel softball teammates and friends in the Pac-12 Conference,” she said today.

Also, Alyssa added she picked the Utes because of “the possibility of earning playing time as a freshman in the best softball conference in the nation.”

The SoCal sophomore, who maintains a 4.0 GPA, attends Bishop Amat High in La Puente, Calif. and started as a freshman as the team’s leadoff hitter.

Alyssa has been part of two national championships: an ASA 10U title and a PGF 14U title and has good speed and bat control.

 

*** Yesterday we listed Kayla Konwent, the 2016 C/3B with the Illinois Chill who’s committed to her homestate Badgers of Wisconson.

Chill coach Gerry Quinn, who’s doing a great job with placing his players, wrote to tell us why Kayla is Big Ten material.

“Kayla swings the bat as hard as any player we have ever had yet she rarely (if ever) strikes out,” Coach Quinn explains.  “It is somewhat unusual to see a young player with such great power that is also a contact hitter.”

“I believe she is developing into the type of hitter that can bat in the middle of any college lineup in the country. She made up her mind early in the recruiting process that she wanted to play close to home. As a Wisconsin resident, the University of Wisconsin is a logical destination for her to fulfill her athletic and academic goals.”

 

*** Thanks to a fan of the BYU-Hawaii program who send us this updated list of signed and verballed players:

Signed (2014s):

— 3B/OF Lizabelle Talataina (Pure Fastpitch Gold)
— IF/OF Courtney Hiruko  (AZ Killer Bees Gold)
— P/IF Madelyn Merrill  (AZ Lady Cats)
— C/UT Molli Garcia  (California Quakes)
— OF Greta Bodine (Empire State Huskies)

Verbals:

— IF KK Lopez-Lui (2015,  San Diego Renegades)
— OF Tara Hilton (2015, Lil Rebels)
— P Rosalia Keirns (2015, OC United)
— OF Sarah Flanders (2015, East Cobb Bullets-Bass)

*** More verbals:

— UT Riley Strandgard (2014, Illinois State)… plays for the Milan Aces
— 2B/C Brooke Sullivan (2014, George Mason)… plays for the Tri-State Thunder
— IF Rylee Rodriguez (2016, Texas-San Antonio)… plays for Texas Bombers Gold
— OF Kaitlyn Biley (2015, Dixie State)… plays for Explosion-Borzilleri
— IF/OF Lindsay Clare (2016, San Diego)… plays for So Cal Choppers-Shipman

 

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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.