Today’s Daily Update has a strong NorCal flavor as we highlight some of the top talent that participated at last Friday’s OnDeck NorCal Jamboree and profile one player who launched herself into national consideration.  We travel down to SoCal next to profile an SEC-bound infielder who’s so used to winning that anything less than a National Championship is a let down!  We touch on a top event that’s set for next summer and close with some articles of note around the Olympic situation…

 

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ONDECK NORCAL JAMBOREE RECAP

The 2013 OnDeck NorCal Jamboree held last weekend at Arnaiz Park in Stockton, Calif. showed that, according to event director Derek Allister, the “year’s talent pool ran deeper than it has ever run and that was noticed by the majority of D-I college recruiters who were in the park.

In fact, says Allister, “One SEC school left the Jamboree with a dozen new names of players they will be tracking over the course of the next year.  Schools from the Pac-12, SEC, Mountain West, Big West and the Big Sky attended the event as well as some smaller local colleges.”

Here are some of the players who grabbed scouts’ attention (with comments from Derek):

—  2015 MI Shyann Crutcher from the Atwater Synergy 18U exploded on the recruiting scene and before she put her head on her pillow that night had multiple scholarship offers.  Shyann is a powerful athlete who is as close to a five-tool player as you will find in NorCal.  Her scintillating performance has put her in the mix for a possible invitation to the prestigious Mt. SAC National Elite Camp in October.

*** Note: see our profile on Shyann Crutcher below!

 

 

Also in the 2015 class:

— P Gia Rodoni (Grapettes Gold) showed why she is one of the top uncommitted pitchers in the class

— C Marcella Kay of the San Jose Lady Sharks once again displayed her remarkable ability to hit consistently with power

— Taylor Stephen, an unsung mid-major corner prospect from Southern California’s American Athletics, continued to show why her star is ascending.

 

In the 2016 class:

— C/3B Quinn Giesick (Fresno Force), 1B/OF Miranda Miles (NorCal Firecrackers), and P Katie Kibby (Sorcerers), all displayed remarkable gifts.

— Quinn is an emerging talent who is simply one of the most focused and toughest prospects out there.

— Miles is a sweet swinging lanky athlete who just hits.  She has a real chance to be a major hitter with continued work and perseverance.

— And finally, Kibby is coming fast in the circle.  She backed up her success in PGF Nationals with an eye-opening performance in Stockton.  She simply blew away the four hitters she faced with a mix of superb location and a killer low rise that she can throw for strikes.  No one touched her, including some very good hitters who are being recruited at a very high level.

 

As for the young kids:

— 2017’s: P/MIF Kelsey Munoz (SD Power Surge); MIF Rhyann O’Mara (CA Breeze 16U) and 3B/MIF/C Saige Pye (All American Sports Academy) all showed why they will be major recruits in the year to come.

— 2018’s: Athletic P/UT Grace Green (Sorcerers); good hitting MIF Rachel Cid (KG Hitters) and the bubbly C Colleen Sullivan OC Batbusters/Team Mizuno) all displayed remarkable poise, athleticism, and skills.

There was even a junior high standout that Derek says to watch closely.

“We would be remiss in not mentioning seventh grader Deijah Pangilinan, a precocious young athlete with the KG Hitters, who will be a major recruit in the immediate future,” he says.

“All in all it was a great day of softball.  Next on the agenda is the Dallas Jamboree on the 27^th of September.”

 

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NORCAL JAMBOREE PROFILE: SHYAN CRUTCHER

Shyan Crutcher’s grandfather liked the name “Cheyenne.”  Her mother, however, decided to spell it like it sounded, thus came the spelling of “Shyan,”

“Yes, it’s pronounced like it sounds, but I’ll get teachers and others who’ll still call me ‘Shane.’”

In the softball world, that problem shouldn’t exist for too long, as the shortstop from Merced, Calif. made a strong impression at the OnDeck NorCal Jamboree last weekend where she looked good in the drills, especially the front toss for hitting.

Through friends and other connections she’s heard that several programs are after her and not just for her fielding.  The 2015 infielder is a talented hitter who led her league in average, but also can hit for power.

Shyan plays for the Atwater Synergy 18U team and will be at the USA Preps tournament in November and also will participate in some USSSA tournaments.

If you’re a college coach or recruiter, you may want to do your homework in the area Crutcher wants to major in college: nursing.

“I want to be a registered nurse, so schools with a good nursing program are important to me.”

 

 

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RECRUIT PROFILE: KENNEDY CLARK

 

High School: Ayala (Chino Hills, Calif.)
Club Team: So Cal A’s
Position: OF/2B
Grad Year: 2015
Twitter: @kennedyclarkk23
Academics: 4.0 GPA, ranked #1 in the freshman class (2012)
Key Stats:  batted .500 in high school; hit .450 for the OC Batbusters-Myers
Top Honors: 1^st team All-League, Offensive Player of the Year; PGF 16U 2^nd place with OC Batbusters-Myers; PGF 14U National Champions with OC Batbusters-McNee; ASA 10U National Champions with Teamsmith Craig Snow

You’ve been part of two National Championships in club play and just missed one this summer with the OC Batbusters-Myers… is it national title or bust for you?
Yea, I’m more expecting to win as I want to win so badly.  I’ve been fortunate to have won in the past so it’s a big letdown to not win.  I’m still not over the loss this summer, I’m still a little bitter, but looking forward to moving on for this season.
Your athletic resume says you play varsity water polo… are you still playing?  How does water polo compare and contrast with softball?
Yes, I’m still playing.  I started in water polo because it’s different and works your whole body.  It helps me get stronger for softball as you use different muscles, especially your leg muscles as you’re treading in water.  It’s a little more aggressive and gives me more grit to not be afraid of the ball I softball.  It’s a winter sport for girls and sometimes interferes on the weekdays when I have school, but I put softball first. If I have a hitting lesson, for example, I’ll leave water polo early.

South Carolina is doing very well in recruiting… how did you end up committing to the “other USC?”
My freshman year they had a mini-camp for the Batbusters, there were a few of us who attended and the South Carolina coaches watched me with a group of about 10 players.  They were interested and I started checking out the.  I got injured my freshman year and they pursued me all through the recovery so I was impressed with that. I went out to see the school the beginning of my sophomore year and fell in love with it.  I just went out again about two weeks ago with all the recruits that have committed and ones they’re looking at.
You’re a lefty power slapper… tell us what runs through your mind as you approach the plate and go through the pitching process…
Mainly, I read the defense. If it’s playing way up I’ll power slap or hit.  If they’re way back, I’ll bunt.  I base it on the situation and where the runners are.  I try to mix it up and do the unexpected to keep the defense on their toes.  I try to read the pitcher and see where she’s pitching—if she’s coming inside I’ll bunt, for example, but it’s mainly based around the defense.
What do you do to have fun when not on the field or in the water?
I’ll hang out with my friends and go swimming or go to the movies.  I like action movies, comedies, pretty much anything.  That’s my time to sit down and relax for a couple of hours.

You were first in your freshman class last year academically… is their pressure to stay on top?
If there is any, it’s from myself. I don’t have to be No. 1 in the class, I just want to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout high school.
What do you want to study in college?
I want to go into sports management and entertainment.

Quick hitters:
Favorite movie: The Avengers
One item you can’t go without: yoga pants
Horror movie fan, yes or no? yes, I liked The Conjuring
Cooking… would you impress or embarrass yourself? depends on what kind of cooking it is… I’d say impress
What celebrity would you love to sit down and have dinner with? Jennifer Lawrence, she’s down to earth and not caught up in her fame.
If you could go anywhere for a week, you’d go to… London
Where will you be in 10 years? hopefully, I have a successful job I like and I’ll be living in a house I like, I like California and coasts where the beach is

 

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EVENT NEWS:  TRIPLE CROWN NATIONALS SET FOR 2014

*** In cased you missed it, the 2014 Triple Crown USA Nationals will take place next July 14-17 in Cumming, Alpharetta and Lake Lanier, Ga.

The event will include 14U, 16U and 18U teams with the invited to included the top 100 of the 18U teams in the TCS national ranks and the top five 18U teams from the TCS regional rankings.

Also, any 18U team invited can bring their top 16U and 14U teams.

The format is two pool games and a double elimination to a single elimination.

According to Triple Crown, 2014 will be the third year of the Nationals on CBS Sports Network which will be in the Peach State next summer.

“The cities of Cumming, Gainesville and Alpharetta are excited to host this Gold Level National event. The plan is to continue making this a strong National event with top teams from each region represented. New this year will be the 14u division. The 16u and 14u teams are invited based on the TC National Rankings where the 18u teams get to invite their sister-club teams.”

“[This year] 2013 was a huge success in Reno/Tahoe, Nev. with 120 total teams in attendance. From the TC National Ranking system, there were 30 of the top 50 teams in attendance. Lake Tahoe was a nice back-drop for the 16U teams who attended”

“The TC/USA Nationals debuted in 2012 in grand style. The Big Apple played host to the inaugural gathering of the nation’s top fastpitch teams (based on the TC National Softball Rankings). Randall’s Island, featuring 31 fields nestled between Manhattan and The Bronx, provided a signature setting for game play. New York City provided the playground for everything beyond the ballfield. Every person involved in the 2012 event gets to say, ‘I was the first!’”

Triple Crown Sports also produces other national showcase events including:

— Colorado Fireworks (45th season)
— Colorado Sparkler (12th season)
— Triple Crown World Series (18th season)
— Florida Rising Stars Showcases (20th season)

 

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SOFTBALL & THE OLYMPICS

Finally, though it was no surprise, softball was kept out of the 2020 Olympics as wrestling was brought back in.  My gut tells me this isn’t over, that because it’s Japan where the event will be held and they’re the reigning Gold Medal winner from the last Olympics with softball, that somehow the sport will get in again.

Still, a disappointment nonetheless… but we’ll see.

Two good articles that deal with this subject are Christine Brennen’s Welcome back wrestling, sorry softball and Graham Hay’s What’s the next move for softball?

Interesting, though somewhat frustrating, reads!

 

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