Why Texas Sudden Impact Will Be The Team To Watch
Why Texas Sudden Impact Will Be The Team To Watch
FloSoftball features 2016 PGF and ASA National Champions 14U Texas Sudden Impact led by Troy Falterman.
Texas Sudden Impact was the hottest team to watch last summer in the 12U division winning PGF Premier Nationals and ASA Nationals. Coach Troy Falterman talks about the history of the program and the expectations moving into the 14U division.
When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be? The Sudden Impact 18U Gold Team was created in the late 1980s and became one of the premier fastpitch teams in the Houston area. In 2009 the Texas Sudden Impact Organization was formed by adding a 14U & 12U team to the existing 18U Gold team and moved the Organization to SMGSL in The Woodlands, Texas. To date, the Sudden Impact Organization has one team in each age division starting with 8U thru 18U Gold and does not franchise it's name out to non affiliated teams. The organization is currently under the direction of 3-time All-American, Olympic team member, and NPF alumni Lindsay Schutzler.
Where are you based? Where do your athletes come from? All locally, some out of state? We are based in The Woodlands, Texas, but draw athletes from all over the Houston area. All of our players are within about a 45-minute drive from our base in The Woodlands.
What was the purpose of creating the team (showcase players, win titles, develop skills, etc.)? The main purpose of the team is to foster a culture where the girls can become great softball players but even better people. We have high standards for the girls both on and off the field and believe that softball is such a great game that teaches life lessons each and every day.
What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events? We have a great group of young ladies that have been successful at the highest level. Our team's accomplishments include: 2016 12U PGF Premier Champions, 2015 12U ASA Champions, and 14U. We finished the Fall 32-9, including going 5-1-1 at the D9 showcase in Orlando. We also went 5-0 at the Birmingham Thunderbolt exposure in Montgomery, Alabama.
What makes the organization unique? Texas Sudden Impact has been a very successful organization over the years at both the national and state level. We only have one team per age group which make us unique in the travel ball world.
What's your softball background and how did you get to the point of leading the team? I grew up a baseball guy, including playing four years at Tulane University. I was first introduced to softball when my daughter decided to play 6U league ball. I ended up coaching a few of her all-star teams through 8U and was asked to join the Sudden Impact organization as a first year 10U team. The speed and the level of play of the girls even at a young age is amazing. It has been a tremendous experience coaching such talented players and watching them grow through the years.
How many teams are there in the organization overall? There are six teams in our organization with one team each in the 8U-18U gold division.
Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team's history? It would have to be winning the 12U PGF Premier division last summer. It was such a great tournament with so many talented teams and to be the last team standing holding that trophy was surreal. It taught the team some great lessons regarding hard work, never giving up, and setting and reaching goals.
What is your primary focus or goal with this team? The primary focus of this year's team is to get better every day. We have a very challenging summer ahead playing in the Tulsa Elite Invitational, Colorado Junior Sparkler Power Pool, Atlanta Legacy Tournament, and the PGF 14U Premier division National Championships. We have a very talented group that would all like to play at the college level and of course win another PGF championship, but we remind them every day that there are no shortcuts in this game and it demands your very best each and every day.
What do you think are the strengths of the team? The strength of our team has to be our pitching staff that is complemented by an offense with great team speed and above average power. We have two pitchers that faced off in last year's PGF 12U championship game, plus two other pitchers that are also very talented. Our offense has a great mix of speed at the top and bottom of the order complimented by some plus power in the middle of the lineup.
If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be? I would have to say it is our back-to-back national championships. It is very, very difficult to win one national championship, and the fact that we have won an ASA and PGF championship in back-to-back summers is a testament to our girls and organization.
Anything else interesting or fun that I could use to portray your team as a top organization? Our girls have great team chemistry both on and off the field. When they are not together, they are constantly communicating through Snapchat, texts, and any other social media that is out there.
#00 Amanda Allen P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Amanda is a left-handed pitcher with great spin. She is a two-way threat as she is also a very good hitter with the ability to come up big in clutch situations.
#10 Skylar Sirdashney UT (2020 Uncommitted)
Skylar is our team leader. She is an outstanding catcher and can also play just about anywhere on the field except pitcher. Every coach needs a Skylar on their team.
#28 Mia Rivers INF (2020 Uncommitted)
Mia is an amazing athlete. She is a multi-sport athlete and was a starter as a freshman on her high school's varsity basketball team where she was the district's co-newcomer of the year. She is a true five-tool softball player and routinely makes the most difficult plays easy.
#40 Katie Cimusz C/INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Katie has the best power on our team. She is also an outstanding catcher that is just rounding into form after suffering an arm injury last summer. Katie has unlimited potential and is a key contributor to our team.
#24 Kaylee Hornberger INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Kaylee is a solid infielder that can play just about any position on the infield. Her versatility is a real asset and she also has great power that she will display on a regular basis
#2 Samantha Landry P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Sam is the newcomer to our team. She amazingly threw five game in one day at last year's 12U PGF National Championship tournament to lead her team to the championship game. Sam is a great competitor and is consistently clocked in the 61-63 MPH range and has a great change up as her out pitch. Sam is a great leader with unlimited potential.
#3 Samantha Graeter UTL (2021 Uncommitted)
Sam was one of our leaders of our 12U PGF championship team and there is nothing this young lady does on the softball field that surprises us anymore. She can do it all. She hits for power and average and runs well. She also has an above average arm and makes ESPN top 10 plays on a routine basis. This young lady can really do it all.
#6 Amanda Skivington INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Amanda has been one of our clutch hitters since 8U. She always seems to come up in the biggest situations and comes through almost every time. She plays a solid 3B and is a very good hitter. She has plus power but also hits for a very high average.
#8 Erna Carlin P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Erna led our 12U PGF National championship team in the circle last year. She is truly a dominant pitcher that wants the ball in the biggest situations. There is no ceiling for Erna' s potential.
#11 Delayne Moreno P/UTL (2021 Uncommitted)
Delayne is a talented young lady that can play every position on the field. She is a slapper offensively with her above average speed and also is a very good pitcher with an outstanding change up. Delayne's versatility is a great asset to our team.
#13 Savannah Boyd P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)
Savannah is an outstanding pitcher that is just beginning to understand how good she can be. She is a also great athlete as she is one of the fastest players on our team. Savannah was very impressive in last year's PGF 12U National championship tournament and we are looking forward to big things from her this upcoming summer.
#19 Kayla Falterman OF (2021 Uncommitted)
Kayla is a true triple threat slapper with great speed. She has a very high softball IQ and has tremendous range in the outfield. She leads the team in stolen bases and is one of our leaders on the field.
#4 Jacey Meade OF (2021 Uncommitted)
Jacey is another one of our slappers with great speed. She also has an above-average arm that she uses to her advantage in the outfield. In addition to being a very good softball player, Jacey is an outstanding track athlete including anchoring her Junior High's recording breaking relay team in the 4x4 and 4x1 events.
#44 Giselle Villareal OF (2022 Uncommitted)
Giselle is our table setter as she is usually at the top of our lineup and maintains a high on-base percentage. Giselle is another one of our outstanding athletes and while you can usually find her in the outfield she also has the skills to play middle infield. Giselle is also an accomplished basketball player and a very successful track athlete.
#1 Madelyn Lopez IF (2022 Uncommitted)
Madelyn is a smooth fielding infielder with great mobility and a quick release. She also is an elite slapper with very good bat control. Madelyn is one of our most competitive players that appears to get that competitiveness from her father, who is a former world champion boxer.
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When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be? The Sudden Impact 18U Gold Team was created in the late 1980s and became one of the premier fastpitch teams in the Houston area. In 2009 the Texas Sudden Impact Organization was formed by adding a 14U & 12U team to the existing 18U Gold team and moved the Organization to SMGSL in The Woodlands, Texas. To date, the Sudden Impact Organization has one team in each age division starting with 8U thru 18U Gold and does not franchise it's name out to non affiliated teams. The organization is currently under the direction of 3-time All-American, Olympic team member, and NPF alumni Lindsay Schutzler.
Where are you based? Where do your athletes come from? All locally, some out of state? We are based in The Woodlands, Texas, but draw athletes from all over the Houston area. All of our players are within about a 45-minute drive from our base in The Woodlands.
What was the purpose of creating the team (showcase players, win titles, develop skills, etc.)? The main purpose of the team is to foster a culture where the girls can become great softball players but even better people. We have high standards for the girls both on and off the field and believe that softball is such a great game that teaches life lessons each and every day.
What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events? We have a great group of young ladies that have been successful at the highest level. Our team's accomplishments include: 2016 12U PGF Premier Champions, 2015 12U ASA Champions, and 14U. We finished the Fall 32-9, including going 5-1-1 at the D9 showcase in Orlando. We also went 5-0 at the Birmingham Thunderbolt exposure in Montgomery, Alabama.
What makes the organization unique? Texas Sudden Impact has been a very successful organization over the years at both the national and state level. We only have one team per age group which make us unique in the travel ball world.
What's your softball background and how did you get to the point of leading the team? I grew up a baseball guy, including playing four years at Tulane University. I was first introduced to softball when my daughter decided to play 6U league ball. I ended up coaching a few of her all-star teams through 8U and was asked to join the Sudden Impact organization as a first year 10U team. The speed and the level of play of the girls even at a young age is amazing. It has been a tremendous experience coaching such talented players and watching them grow through the years.
How many teams are there in the organization overall? There are six teams in our organization with one team each in the 8U-18U gold division.
Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team's history? It would have to be winning the 12U PGF Premier division last summer. It was such a great tournament with so many talented teams and to be the last team standing holding that trophy was surreal. It taught the team some great lessons regarding hard work, never giving up, and setting and reaching goals.What is your primary focus or goal with this team? The primary focus of this year's team is to get better every day. We have a very challenging summer ahead playing in the Tulsa Elite Invitational, Colorado Junior Sparkler Power Pool, Atlanta Legacy Tournament, and the PGF 14U Premier division National Championships. We have a very talented group that would all like to play at the college level and of course win another PGF championship, but we remind them every day that there are no shortcuts in this game and it demands your very best each and every day.
What do you think are the strengths of the team? The strength of our team has to be our pitching staff that is complemented by an offense with great team speed and above average power. We have two pitchers that faced off in last year's PGF 12U championship game, plus two other pitchers that are also very talented. Our offense has a great mix of speed at the top and bottom of the order complimented by some plus power in the middle of the lineup.
If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be? I would have to say it is our back-to-back national championships. It is very, very difficult to win one national championship, and the fact that we have won an ASA and PGF championship in back-to-back summers is a testament to our girls and organization.
Anything else interesting or fun that I could use to portray your team as a top organization? Our girls have great team chemistry both on and off the field. When they are not together, they are constantly communicating through Snapchat, texts, and any other social media that is out there.
Meet 14U Texas Sudden Impact
Coach Falterman introduces every player on Sudden Impact and what they bring to the team.
#00 Amanda Allen P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)Amanda is a left-handed pitcher with great spin. She is a two-way threat as she is also a very good hitter with the ability to come up big in clutch situations.
#10 Skylar Sirdashney UT (2020 Uncommitted)Skylar is our team leader. She is an outstanding catcher and can also play just about anywhere on the field except pitcher. Every coach needs a Skylar on their team.
#28 Mia Rivers INF (2020 Uncommitted)Mia is an amazing athlete. She is a multi-sport athlete and was a starter as a freshman on her high school's varsity basketball team where she was the district's co-newcomer of the year. She is a true five-tool softball player and routinely makes the most difficult plays easy.
#40 Katie Cimusz C/INF (2021 Uncommitted)Katie has the best power on our team. She is also an outstanding catcher that is just rounding into form after suffering an arm injury last summer. Katie has unlimited potential and is a key contributor to our team.
#24 Kaylee Hornberger INF (2021 Uncommitted)Kaylee is a solid infielder that can play just about any position on the infield. Her versatility is a real asset and she also has great power that she will display on a regular basis
#2 Samantha Landry P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)Sam is the newcomer to our team. She amazingly threw five game in one day at last year's 12U PGF National Championship tournament to lead her team to the championship game. Sam is a great competitor and is consistently clocked in the 61-63 MPH range and has a great change up as her out pitch. Sam is a great leader with unlimited potential.
#3 Samantha Graeter UTL (2021 Uncommitted)Sam was one of our leaders of our 12U PGF championship team and there is nothing this young lady does on the softball field that surprises us anymore. She can do it all. She hits for power and average and runs well. She also has an above average arm and makes ESPN top 10 plays on a routine basis. This young lady can really do it all.
#6 Amanda Skivington INF (2021 Uncommitted)Amanda has been one of our clutch hitters since 8U. She always seems to come up in the biggest situations and comes through almost every time. She plays a solid 3B and is a very good hitter. She has plus power but also hits for a very high average.
#8 Erna Carlin P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)Erna led our 12U PGF National championship team in the circle last year. She is truly a dominant pitcher that wants the ball in the biggest situations. There is no ceiling for Erna' s potential.
#11 Delayne Moreno P/UTL (2021 Uncommitted)Delayne is a talented young lady that can play every position on the field. She is a slapper offensively with her above average speed and also is a very good pitcher with an outstanding change up. Delayne's versatility is a great asset to our team.
#13 Savannah Boyd P/INF (2021 Uncommitted)Savannah is an outstanding pitcher that is just beginning to understand how good she can be. She is a also great athlete as she is one of the fastest players on our team. Savannah was very impressive in last year's PGF 12U National championship tournament and we are looking forward to big things from her this upcoming summer.
#19 Kayla Falterman OF (2021 Uncommitted)Kayla is a true triple threat slapper with great speed. She has a very high softball IQ and has tremendous range in the outfield. She leads the team in stolen bases and is one of our leaders on the field.
#4 Jacey Meade OF (2021 Uncommitted)Jacey is another one of our slappers with great speed. She also has an above-average arm that she uses to her advantage in the outfield. In addition to being a very good softball player, Jacey is an outstanding track athlete including anchoring her Junior High's recording breaking relay team in the 4x4 and 4x1 events.
#44 Giselle Villareal OF (2022 Uncommitted)Giselle is our table setter as she is usually at the top of our lineup and maintains a high on-base percentage. Giselle is another one of our outstanding athletes and while you can usually find her in the outfield she also has the skills to play middle infield. Giselle is also an accomplished basketball player and a very successful track athlete.
#1 Madelyn Lopez IF (2022 Uncommitted)Madelyn is a smooth fielding infielder with great mobility and a quick release. She also is an elite slapper with very good bat control. Madelyn is one of our most competitive players that appears to get that competitiveness from her father, who is a former world champion boxer.