Who are the 16u teams to watch this Summer in Texas?

[bruisedshins]

I would like to add the Rebels (last yr Jets) to the S. Tex list, they picked up a few new faces that should help them along. Now that the HC is getting his Prozac daily , all should be good! Lefty that was a joke! see the winky guy![/quote]

It will take more than Prozac for that one; maybe an elephant tranquilizer gun before each game!!!

[Pontiac]

LoneStarGreed and 93players

Just a quick comment or two. I have a lot of respect for both the Austin Stars and the Texas Blaze Gold. First, the Austin Stars....Rollie and Placido have always done a great job with their players. They have one player currently commited to Texas State and I am 100% confident that both their DD's will end up at a D1 school playing softball. One is also being recruited for track. There are three (that I know of) DD's currently with Blaze Gold that used to be with the Austin Stars. Those 3 were really good players with the Stars and continued to progress with the Blaze Gold. Those 3 left when they did so they could be playing in exposure tournaments and be seen in time to be most beneficial to their 2010 graduation date. Most of the Stars are 2011's and the Stars were not playing at the exposure tournaments (at that time) to benefit the 2010's.

Now Blaze Gold. You cant deny the success the Blaze has had in helping girls reach their goals. Their website currently lists 8 kids on the Gold team signed or commited with 7 to Division 1 schools including Texas, Texas Tech, Texas State, and Univ of Houston. They have been to ASA Gold Nationals the last two years in a row. Blaire Luna (formerly with the Austin Storm and now at Texas) helped the team to qualify this last year but she was not with the Blaze when they qualified two years ago.

The Stix and Storm have done a good job as well with getting girls signed and committed to play college softball. The Bombers are up and coming on strong, making Gold Nationals this past year.

I guess I'm just really glad that Central TX is now known to have great softball talent and teams. In the past it was only about Dallas and Houston.

[LoneStarGreed]

LoneStarGreed and 93players

Just a quick comment or two. I have a lot of respect for both the Austin Stars and the Texas Blaze Gold. First, the Austin Stars....Rollie and Placido have always done a great job with their players. They have one player currently commited to Texas State and I am 100% confident that both their DD's will end up at a D1 school playing softball. One is also being recruited for track. There are three (that I know of) DD's currently with Blaze Gold that used to be with the Austin Stars. Those 3 were really good players with the Stars and continued to progress with the Blaze Gold. Those 3 left when they did so they could be playing in exposure tournaments and be seen in time to be most beneficial to their 2010 graduation date. Most of the Stars are 2011's and the Stars were not playing at the exposure tournaments (at that time) to benefit the 2010's.

Now Blaze Gold. You cant deny the success the Blaze has had in helping girls reach their goals. Their website currently lists 8 kids on the Gold team signed or commited with 7 to Division 1 schools including Texas, Texas Tech, Texas State, and Univ of Houston. They have been to ASA Gold Nationals the last two years in a row. Blaire Luna (formerly with the Austin Storm and now at Texas) helped the team to qualify this last year but she was not with the Blaze when they qualified two years ago.

The Stix and Storm have done a good job as well with getting girls signed and committed to play college softball. The Bombers are up and coming on strong, making Gold Nationals this past year.

I guess I'm just really glad that Central TX is now known to have great softball talent and teams. In the past it was only about Dallas and Houston.

The Stars are a great team with great people running the organization.

Go back and look at the 2008 ASA Gold Nationals and see who was the winning pitcher of the two games that Texas Blaze won. It will probably be Blaire Luna.

You defiantly can say that the Blaze has been a success by the commitments posted on their website. BUT.....go count the commitments and alumni section, add up what girls played for the Blaze for a extended period of time (a majority were approached and taken from other teams). I am not saying that the Blaze has not had home grown talent.

This guy running this organization has a track record. Go ask anyone who lives in the Round Rock area that has been involved in softball for the past 5-8 years. The writing is on the wall, tons of his players would not leave if he was a great guy or a fastpitch genius .

Enough said on the topic

[93players]

LoneStarGreed, you are an EVIL person with a grudge against one person. Act like a Man or Woman and have it out with Slimp. Pontiac gave you some FACTS and you twist them just like you did before. The things you are pointing out happen in every softball market -- players change teams and better players go to winning organizations and gold teams have a right to ask players from other teams from the region who have been eliminated to play Gold Nationals.

Softball has alot of mean, self interested people who insist that their kids play 100% of the time and that the team be built around them. If I were to guess, your kid left the Blaze and you somehow feel mistreated.

I know some current Blaze players and they are first class, talented kids who will play college and will be productive members of society. Your attacks are completely offbase. How did a post on best 16U teams turn into an attack on the head of an organization.

[Pooks]

There are three (that I know of) DD's currently with Blaze Gold that used to be with the Austin Stars. Those 3 were really good players with the Stars and continued to progress with the Blaze Gold.

Two of those kids started with the Blaze before going to the Stars then came back. So are the Stars player thieves too? No...those kids wanted something else at the time. 80-90% of the time players are NOT recruited from other teams. They're usually showing up at someones try-out looking for a new start. Brittany Mack....got her scholarship with the Houston Power......but finished playing with the Stix. Are the Stix thieves? Where do programs get players? If a kid comes in a program at 16u.......they stole them from someone? So to say anyone is stealing players.....is stupid. Won't that be a crime is someone was stolen? Parents, players make these choices.

[Pontiac]

"Go back and look at the 2008 ASA Gold Nationals and see who was the winning pitcher of the two games that Texas Blaze won. It will probably be Blaire Luna."

I took your suggestion and did go back and look. The Blaze record in double elimination play that year was 2-2. There were 3 pitchers.......Blaire Luna, Diedre Outon and Ashley Kirk.

Game 1 against CO Stars ....Ashley Kirk winning pitcher
Game 2 against Atlanta Vipers....Blaire Luna losing pitcher in ITB (high scoring very close game)
Game 3 against Texas Fusion.....Diedre Outon winning pitcher (threw a one-hit shut out)
Game 4 against NW Bullets....Blaire Luna losing pitcher

Personally I think Blaire Luna is going to propel Texas back to the top of the Big 12 this year. Can't wait to cheer her on.

[SnocatzDad]

Hopefully my DD's team will be the 16U one to watch this year in Texas, but you'll only get one week to see them in August at College Station (if all goes well )