Pictured: Brigette Nordberg gets a warm welcome after hitting a home run.

Though we’re well underway in high school softball—and will be covering it more and more now that states like California and Florida are up and running—it’s always “in season” to talk about elite club teams!

One of those is the PA Chaos coached by Joe Spina which surprised many by making it all the way to the championship game at the Boulder IDT last summer.

Loaded with talent, including two Top 10 members of the 2016 Hot 100—pitcher Maggie Balint (No. 4) and outfielder Hannah Edwards (No. 7) along with slugger Caela Abadie (No. 98)—the Chaos won’t sneak up on anybody this year and, in fact, are one of the few choice teams invited to the prestigious So Cal A’s Invitational hosted by Bruce Richardson and his Athletics program.  The tournament begins June 17.

We caught up with Coach Spina to get a read on his program and learn more about how this team from Pennsylvania is drawing respect from every corner of the country…

***

When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be?
The Chaos was formed in 1995 as a team to allow local high school kids to play over the summer.  I joined the program in 1996 and took over running the program in 1997.  From that point we slowly focused on building a highly successful program. 
 
​Where are you based and where do your athletes come from primarily?
We are based out of Delaware County in Pennsylvania and draw kids from as far north as Binghamton, New York and as far south as Virginia.  
 
What was the purpose of creating the Chaos and was is it now—is it to showcase players, win titles, develop skills or a combo of all the above?
The focus of the team is to provide our players the opportunity to compete at a collegiate level that fits the athlete's academic and athletic needs.  We also prepare them for the highest level of softball they can reach.

What have been some of your top accomplishments in terms of winning or placing at events?
We have won a lot of games and tournaments over the last 10 years; however, I would say that making it to the championship game in Boulder last year was the greatest success of any tournament we have ever been in due to the outstanding level of competition.
 
What makes the Chaos organization unique in your opinion?
I believe that what makes us unique is that we teach the game and create a culture within our program.  We don’t bring in college coaches to run our practices.  The college coaches want to come to watch us run our workouts and recruit our kids.   All of the kids practice in the same space, at the same time and we have about 20 coaches that are all on the same page.  At any given time you can find the Gold coaches working with our 14U  players or our 14U coaches coaching our Gold kids.   We are not only a great family of players but the coaches are great people as well.   All of our coaches volunteer their time and do a great job with the kids.    

Also we will not go out and pick up players just to win tournaments.   Many of the other programs near us just want to find the best players and put them out there.  We love to coach great athletes into becoming great softball players.   The final thing that makes us unique is the fact that we don’t make money off our players.  We don’t run tournaments or overcharge kids to pad our pockets.  We charge what is needed to cover our costs and run a top notch program--no more.  
 
What’s your own softball background and how did you get to the point of leading the Chaos?
I played baseball growing up and ended up having a daughter very young in my life.   When I was actually still in high school I started helping out in the local girls club which needed coaches at the time.  From that point I fell in love with the game and started searching for clinics, books or people who could teach me the game.  It quickly became a passion and has stuck with me for over 25 years now!
 
How many teams are there in the organization overall?
We currently have four teams in the organization: 18U Gold, 18U Showcase, 16U and 14U. I’m really excited about the young talent in the organization.
 
Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team's history?
That is a tough question because we have had a lot of key moments.  However, I can really point to one that kind of set the stage for our success.  About 10 years ago Jim Barsalona, who runs the Team NJ Showcase in Edison, New Jersey, allowed us into his event and started telling coaches about what we are doing and that they should be taking a look at us.   Jim really took notice of how hard we were working and what we were able to do with our athletes.  So when we caught his eye and his endorsement, things started taking off for our program.   

What is your primary focus or goal with this team?
We really feel as though we are one of the top teams in the country.   We want to continue to play well at these national events and hopefully make a run at a few titles.   More importantly, we want to continue to develop our players so they can head to college and help their teams win games at the next level.

What do you think are the strengths of the team?
We are a pretty well-rounded team.   We obviously like what we have in the circle with Maggie Balint and who wouldn’t?  However, this team is no one-trick pony.  We have a great blend of speed and power and can field with the best of them.  Also, we have some good pitching along with Maggie.  It should be fun leading this group this summer.  And let's not forget that we have a great group of parents who make sure to get their daughters to all the practices and help the coaching staff at every tournament!
 
If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be?
Besides the obvious answer of talent, I think it would be our culture.   We cultivate a winning attitude both physically and mentally better than most.   The kids buy into what we are doing and it shows on the field.   Also, even though we have kids coming from as far as three to four hours away, we believe it is extremely important for our teams to practice each week.  We believe this is important not only to make the players (and teams) better, but it creates a bond between the players and parents.  We do not take any extended time off.  A lot of teams take time off during high school and we just don’t believe that is the best thing for the girls.
 
How would you describe the mindset or mentality of the Chaos teams?
We respect everyone but fear nobody.  When we step on the field we expect to win.  Not that it always happens but we instill a winning attitude within our program and make the girls understand that it’s very important to win.   We feel as though this helps our girls prepare themselves to assist a college team coach and team to win.  

***

Here’s a player-by-player look at the PA Chaos Gold team with comments from Head Coach Joe Spina:

--- P Maggie Balint (2016, Oregon)
Maggie is an extremely hard worker who has dedicated herself to her craft. She is the senior pitcher on our squad and I will rely on her to lead this team in the circle.  She is a kid who plays for her coaches and wants the ball when the game is on the line.  We have had Maggie since she was a freshman (4 years) and have enjoyed watching her develop into one of the best pitchers in the country.   The Univ of Oregon is getting another great athlete in Maggie and I know Mike White will make her even better than she already is.  We can’t wait to see her succeed on the national stage.

---  OF Hannah Edwards (2016, Pitt)
Hannah is mature beyond her years.  She is another extremely hard worker that is very successful in the leadoff spot.  Hannah is one of the fastest kids in the country and is a terror to deal with once she gets on.   We have been working very hard on developing her power game from the left side of the plate and I am expecting her to once again lead our team offensively.   Hannah has been with us for a couple years now.   I would urge any young player to not only watch Hannah and emulate her, but also engage her in conversation and take every word in she has to say!  Hannah is a great teammate and is loved by all.

--- 1B/3B Caela Abadie (2016, St Joseph’s)
Caela Abadie is pure power!   She has the fastest hands to the ball that I have ever seen and the ball jumps off her bat.  There is not a pitch that she cannot hit and she has a gun for an arm. I believe she will set records in the A-10 for coach Terri Adams and St. Joseph’s.  Caela has been in our program for 10 years and I have enjoyed watching her develop as a person and player.  She will be counted on to once again drive runs in for our team this summer.   She is one of the best hitters that I have ever coached and I enjoy watching her compete at the plate.  

--- SS/3B Sam Tomasetti (2016, Hofstra)
Sam is another young lady who has been in our program for over 10 years.   She is one of our best athletes who is smooth as glass at the SS position.  Sam has all the tools and has been blessed with many talents that make her a force on the softball field.   She hits for both power and average and can play any position in the infield.  Coach Larissa Anderson will have many options with Sam and I’m sure she will find her to be an asset in her storied program at Hofstra Univ.

--- 2B/SS Spenser Gray (2016, UNC Charlotte)
Spenser has been with us a couple years and is a freak athlete! Nobody is better in our program on the defensive side of the game.   Not only can she play any position (except pitcher and catcher), but she can dominate any position!  She is a human highlight reel with her glove and has saved us in games more than once.  Spenser is also a threat from the left side of the plate and has made great strides with her offensive skills.  With her great speed and athleticism along with her tremendous work ethic, the sky is the limit and UNC Charlotte will be very pleased with her in the future.  

--- OF/C Brigette Nordberg (2016, Maryland)
Brigette is another young lady who came to us a couple years ago and is a tremendous athlete with many tools.  She has a great bat, great speed and a great arm.  We count on Brigette to not only patrol our outfield but also call our games from behind the plate.  She has proven to be one of our most productive offensive players and relishes the big stage.  Coach Julie Wright will find good use for Brigette in the competitive Big 10 at Univ of Maryland.   When the game is on the line, Brigette has proven that she can get the job done with her bat!

--- OF Reva Alderman (2016, Lehigh)
Reva is another young lady who has worn Chaos Blue for many years.  She is also another great offensive power threat for our team.   She is an intense player with great focus on the team’s goals.  Reva plays outfield for us but can also play 1B, 2B and Catcher.   If you want to see the right things to do on and off the field just watch Reva.   She is another great young lady who has come up through our organization and has contributed at every level in our program.  Always a team favorite with the other players, Reva is a “Coach Fran Troyan kind of player” and will help Lehigh Univ continue to win a lot of games in the future.

---  P Megan Butts (2016, New Haven)
Meg is a pitcher/1B and can hit for power in our line-up.  Meg is a kid who has been in our program for 3 years and has developed into a great pitcher for us.  She has a devastating drop ball and produces a ton of ground ball outs on the mound.   Meg is a terrific young lady who will help Univ of New Haven win a lot of games in the future.  

--- C Devyn Losco (2017, uncommitted)
Devyn is new to our program and is one of the few uncommitted players on our Gold team.  That won’t be the case for very long as she is not only a very hard worker but also one of the most coachable kids I’ve ever had play for me.  Devyn is going to be asked to catch a lot of innings for us this summer but can also play a great CF. She has great speed and a cannon for an arm!  With every workout we put her through we see more progress and confidence.  We can’t wait to see her develop this winter and look forward to watching her mature into an elite catcher over the summer.  She is a super positive young lady and can always be found motivating her teammates.

--- OF Reyna DeJesus (2017, Delaware)
Reyna is an outfielder with great range and a great arm.  She is a left-handed hitter who can both succeed with her short slapping game and power game.  Reyna is another stellar athlete with very good speed.   Also an excellent teammate Reyna has a burning desire to always help her team win games.    The Univ of Delaware will rely on Reyna to be a key contributor and a mainstay in the outfield.  

--- C/3B/SS Serenity Stewart (2017, Illinois)
Serenity is new to our program this year and will be counted on to be a utility player for us this summer.   She continues the theme of top notch athletes with many tools in her bag.  Serenity is powerful and has a great arm.   She is versatile with a complete defensive skill set that allows her to play Catcher, 3rd, SS and 1b.   Her hands are extremely quick and we can’t wait to watch her contribute to our teams success this year.  We will have her ready for coach Donna Dubios of the Univ of Illinois.

--- 2B/SS Rory Kendle (2018, uncommitted)
Rory is a middle infielder with good size and power.   She is smooth with her glove and has a pure swing.   We believe that by playing with and against the best players in the country Rory will continue to find confidence at the gold level and dominate in the near future.  She too has a strong arm and is very athletic.  The coaches love Rory’s skill set and she is sure to find a college home soon.  

--- 3B Mikaela Simons (2018, uncommitted)
Mikaela is a strong young lady who is a very good corner infielder.  She is a power hitter who is in the transitioning stages of playing at the Gold level.   Being the first time with our program she has been asked to change a few things that she has been doing for a long time.  With that being said Mik is working hard and making great strides.  She will be a key contributor to our Gold team for the next 3 years.   When she walks into a room her radiant smile and attitude brightens up the space!  

--- P Julia Longo (2018, Penn)
Julia is also new to us and has just verbally committed to the Univ of Penn.  It’s not a surprise by her choice in colleges in that Julia has a very strong academic profile.   Coach Leslie King and I agree that Julia spins the ball very good and has a tremendous upside that will be developed and honed within our program.   Julia also looks to have a good swing that may be developed into a productive D1 hitter.  

--- P Mikayla Pourby (2018, Syracuse)
Mikalya is another new kid to our program and we are extremely excited about her potential.  She has the great opportunity, as does Julia Longo, to learn by watching Maggie Balint work hard and compete at the highest level this summer.  We are expecting Mikayla to become another dominant Chaos pitcher in the near future.  Mikayla also has a huge upside in the batters box with a lot of potential power.   We will surely prepare her to succeed at Syracuse Univ.