September 23, 2011
This is an insanely busy time for us as we continue to prepare for our October National Elite Camp and our Phoenix Jamboree. Basically, our day is up at 5:30, to school at 7:00, teach until 3:00, home by 4:00 or 4:30, jump on the computer and begin to work until 10:00 pm. Whew! But what a blast we are having. And before we move on, we want to reflect on last Friday’s NorCal Jamboree - an event that exceeded all our expectations.
112 players got together at Arnaiz Park in Stockton, CA for the fourth NorCal event, but the first NorCal Jamboree. In the past, we ran a camp; however, this time following the tremendous success of our Hemet event, we decided to make this event a Jamboree. We had twenty-three major Division 1 schools show up, including several who flew in from the Big 12 and the Sun Belt. Given the fact that all these coaches have their own teams to worry about at this time of year, we really appreciated their getting away and evaluating our group of players.
The players did an exceptional job throughout the day. We had many outstanding performances – certainly too many to recount here. But, in the 2013s, Colorado’s Kayla Mathewson, San Diego’s Jackie Buechler, SoCal’s Lauren Lombardi, and NorCal’s Emily Sanchez turned in exceptional performances. Utah’s Andi Smith exploded on the pitching scene with a scintillating performance in the circle, and former KG Hitter Rochelle Roberts continued her strong play from the Summer season. For the 2014s, Ashleigh Hughes, McKenzie Long, and LT Torres showed very well on the dirt. Mollie Sorenson, Ellie Fisher, and Allie Wood were exceptional on the grass. And Kathryn Donovan, Mary Dettling, and Sydney Lahners looked like rising stars in the circle. We got great performances from many of the young kids, too. Briana Perez, Maddy Nickles, and Shawna Burke showed they are stars in the making.
Finally, the launching of our ODM (OnDeck Measurement) Division was a HUGE success. We are posting the Jamboree’s ODM Speed & Agility times right now. The velocity measures should be compiled by the beginning of next week. There was intense interest in this new aspect of our camp. The players had a great time with this experience, and we are anxious to begin compiling the data that will surely establish some statistical baselines for the sport. If you have a moment, click on these times and check out the performances.
Next up is the National Elite Futures Camp that will be held at Mt. San Antonio College on October 13-14. This is a two day event that showcases 75 players from around the country. It is a fun time for all of us, and we will be looking forward to these wonderful days. Stay tuned, and if you see us at any events in the next few weeks, please stop by and say hello.
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