Pictured: the KC Peppers - Clinton team that took 2nd at the PGF Platinum Nationals this summer and finished 3rd in the Colorado Sparkler Silver Division and returns all but two players.

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It’s time to launch our 2016 season Fab 50 16U Club Rankings and this week we’ll publish 10 teams per day with the following schedule:

• No.’s 50-41: Monday, Dec. 14, 2015
• No.’s 40-31: Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015
• No.’s 30-21: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015
• No.’s 20-11: Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015
• No.’s 10-1: Friday, Dec. 18, 2015

It is quite a challenge evaluating and rating teams at the 16U level as several elite teams last year—including the PGF National Champion Tampa Mustangs-TJ – moved up to the 18U level.

Also, some strong 14U second year teams moved up to this age level so you’re considering teams playing against older, already established competition.

But after looking at top club teams all fall and surveying club and college coaches, we have what appears to be one of the top talent groups at the 16U level in recent memory!

The club scene is always fluidly changing as players switch teams and we inevitably will miss a strong team here or there… if so, please e-mail FloSoftbal GM Brentt Eads with your thoughts and input at: brentt.eads@flosports.tv.

We start off our look at the class by listing the teams we feel are the “Next Ones In,” or the teams on the bubble to make the Top 50.  We feel these are the teams best positioned the crack the FAB 50 starting in the spring and going through the summer Nationals.

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FAB 50 16U “Next 50 In” (listed alphabetically):

•    Aces Express
•    American Sports Academy - Garcia
•    Atlanta Vipers - Laukka
•    AZ Desert Thunder
•    AZ Killer Bees
•    CA Grapettes - Renfro
•    Cal A's - Quinn
•    Cal Nuggets
•    DeMarini Aces
•    Diamond Sports Hotshots
•    Dirt Dogs - Davila
•    Dirt Dogs - Harger
•    East Cobb Bullets - Kittrell
•    EC Bullets - Kittrell
•    Firecrackers - Blanco
•    Firecrackers - Redmond
•    Florida Fire 2000
•    Florida Select
•    Florida Storm Orlando
•    Frost Falcons
•    Indiana Magic Gold
•    Irvine Sting
•    Jacksonville Storm 2000
•    Jersey Intensity National
•    KC Peppers - Clinton
•    Las Vegas Rage
•    Louisiana Voodoo
•    Mizuno Storm - Beach
•    Nebraska Gold
•    Originals - Self
•    Panthers Fastpitch
•    Rock Gold
•    San Jose Sting - Walljasper
•    So Cal Bandits
•    SoCal Breakers - Beddow
•    SoCal Diamonds - Parr
•    Southern Force (KY)
•    Sudden Impact
•    Tampa Mustangs - Bell
•    Team Knoxville
•    Team NC Elite
•    Tennessee Elite
•    Texas Blaze White
•    Texas Peppers
•    TXFC
•    USA Athletics - Porter
•    Vienna Stars Premier
•    Virginia Legends
•    Virginia Team Glory
•    WA Ladyhawks - Nelons