In today’s Daily Update, we look at two college players who escaped near-death experiences and have gone to great softball success, we list six new players joining Tony Rico’s Firecrackers team, cover the recruiting situation for one of the top pitchers in the country and see if you can identify a USA National Team member when she was in high school… plus, we reveala big announcement from someone we consider family!
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TWO COLLEGE PLAYERS WHO “BEAT DEATH”
*** Earlier this morning we spoke Firecrackers Head Coach Tony Rico and got on him on video talking about what excites him about the future of softball.
One thing he was particularly proud of was a photo he had taken recently with two players who’ve played in his program: Bella Secaira, who will be an incoming freshman at Utah, and Mary Massei, who’s going to be a senior at Wisconsin after leading the Bagdgers in hitting with a .421 avergage.
The reason the photo is special is because, as Rico puts it, “I never sat to have my picture taken before with two players who’ve beat death.
Secaira survived a four-story fall that broke her neck and was so severe doctors were forced to induce unconsciousness so her body stayed still; if she had moved the wrong way, she could have been paralyzed. She had a miraculous recovery and amazed everyone when she was back on the field playing only four months after the accident.
Massei beat thyroid cancer her freshman year and has been one of the Big Ten’s top hitters the last three years, hitting at or near .500 each season despite draining treatments that effected her for the first two years.
At 8 am the day both left for college—when the photo was taken—both players were at Rico’s batting cages getting a few practice swings.
The coach says their tenacity to get better has put their near fatal situations well in the rearview mirror.
“They don’t think about it much, “ he explains. “When I told them about being with two girls who escaped death, they just looked at each other and, without saying a word, gave fist bumps.”
*** The Firecrackers-Rico team has added six new players to their team for this year. Here they are with comments by Coach Rico:
— 1B/3B Anna Kufta
“Anna came up from our 16U Firecracker team, she’s a dynamic player.”
— IF Kristin Inouye
“She can play either middle infield spots and has athleticism in the family as her mom, Lea, won Junior Wimbleton (tennis).
— SS Nicole Bates
“Nicole comes from our Firecrackers NorCal 14U team. She’s a fiery shortstop who’s an early commit to Washington”
— OF Sammie VanDiver
“Sammie is an uncommitted senior of my Hunting Beach High team I help out with… she’s a smooth-hitting lefty outfielder.”
— P Kourtney Shaw
“A junior at Poway High School, Kourtney has committed to Cal.”
— P Mel Olnos
“Another talented young player, she’s a sophomore who’s already committed to Oklahoma.
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SO CAL EXPLOSION ADDS TALENT
We spoke with So Cal Explosion (Tustin, Calif.) Head Coach Bret Denio and he says the program that has made it to PGF the last few years has added some good players including:
— 2B Angie Vasquez (was on So Cal A’s- Smith, 2014 grad)
— SS/2B Paige Halstead (was on OC Batbusters-Haning, commited to UCLA)
— P/OF Kristin Cullen (was on OC Batbusters-Haning, committed to Cal)
— One other Explosion note… it looks like 2014 SS Jazmyn Jackson will play on the Corona Angels-Tyson after being with Explosion this year.
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TAYLOR MCQUILLIN LISTS FINALISTS & ANNOUNCE DATE
One of the top players in the country, 2015 P Taylor McQuillin looks like she’s got her college list down to four and will announce where she’s heading in the next two and a half weeks.
Looks like it’s going to be Southwest heat or Northwest cool for McQuillin, who took the OC Batbusters-Haning team to within one game of the PGF 18U Premier title game earlier this month.
Taylor wrote Student Sports Softball last night saying:
“I have decided to stay in the Pac 12 for softball due to my family situation. I visited the University of Arizona in June right when school got out and just recently got back from visiting University of Oregon, Oregon State, and University of Washington after PGF.
That is where my recruiting process is at during this point. I set the date that I will decide to be no later than September 10th.”
If you follow Taylor’s blogs (here’s the latest one, Looking Back, Moving Ahead), you know that she had originally committed to Oklahoma State, but reconsidered when a family medical situation dictated she stay closer to home.
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NAME FINALIZED?
Speaking of the Batbusters… not sure if it’s officially official, but we’ve heard from three sources that the name of the team created between the merger of OC Batbusters and Team Mizuno-Stith will be the “OC Batbusters powered by Mizuno.”
Anyway that can confirm, let me know (brentt@studentsports.com)
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USA TEAM MEMBER… DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS?
Student Sports Softball: In one sentence, why did you pick the university you did?
US National Team Member: I picked Cal Berkeley for its diverse experience, and for the great education and awesome softball program (also so my family can be apart of my experiences).
Student Sports Softball: What was the best part of the recruiting process? The worst?
US National Team Member: The best part of the recruiting process was playing in front of lots of coaches and later seeing your hard work paid off. The worst part of the recruiting process was waiting anxiously after I verballed.
Student Sports Softball: Finally, how excited are you!?!
US National Team Member: I am extremely excited for this opportunity, the coaching staff, and the girls are great!
— Have an idea who this is? Scroll down to the very end to find out!
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KEILANI RICKETTS INTERVIEW
Very good interview with Keilani Ricketts as she transitions from winning a national title at Oklahoma just weeks ago to in the NPF.
Interesting note at the bottom of the page: Keilani Ricketts joined Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006) and Danielle Lawrie (2009 and 2010) as the only multiple USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year honorees. All three have pitched for the USSSA Pride.
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ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PEOPLE HAS SOME BIG NEWS…
Finally, a little birdie told us that one of the nicest people in softball, Amanda Freed, is expecting her first baby!
Had a chance to work with Amanda and she’s great… and what a softball pedigree. How many people can say they won a high school championship (CIF title at Pacifica H.S. in Garden Grove, Calif.), club championship (Gordon’s Panthers), college championship (UCLA) and won an Olympic Gold medal?
We wish her all the best…
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ANSWER to USA TEAM NATIONAL MEMBER—Valerie Arioto P/OF (Sorcerer) CA; Cal-Berkeley