Back and mostly recovered from the cross-country trip to check out the 210 talent-laden teams who participated in the Diamond9 Sun Classic over the weekend, we get back to the club profiles with a look at a Midwestern program that was down in the Sunshine State.  We also profile a 6-foot-3 recruit from Minnesota who’s very fun to read about and have a boatload of verbal news to cover.  We also have a 2014 player who’s uncommitted for all those schools still looking for talent…

 

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CLUB PROFILE: ST. LOUIS CHAOS

Brentt note: One team I’ve wanted to learn more about for the past month or two is the St. Louis Chaos. 

Who would’ve thought that I’d get to catch up with Head Coach Evan Beatty during a rainout Saturday at the Diamond9 Sun Classic Fall Showcase?  As the rain poured around us as we sat in the covered bleachers, I got to know the coach and his players much better… here’s some of what I learned:

Going back to the beginning of Coach Beatty’s career, he led a team called the St. Louis Blast from 1998 to 2004 when he joined the Chaos organization led by John Conway, now the head coach at Saint Leo and Bob Fuhr.

“We saw that the Chaos was the only team in our area going to Colorado and playing ASA Gold and the only team that got coaches to come to its games.  They were doing it the right way and they had a brand.  The coaches asked me if I would help in the organization and it was an easy decision to make because the Chaos name opened doors for our players.”

Flash forward to today and Beatty has not only found a formula for putting players  in programs in the SEC and Big Ten, among others, but has a clear mission on what he wants the Chaos to do and become.

“We’re a ‘Mom and Pop’ organization in some ways,” Beatty begins, “and what we want to do is we have to standardize the teaching and fundamentals from the 10U level on.  From a talent standpoint, there’s not a lot of numbers here so making sure we work with the younger kids and get them to be taught by the older ones is the only way.”

He continues saying that the problem has been that the Chaos was “an island organization,” meaning the different teams were inconsistent in their level of education and preparation.

“One key to making it work is bringing back players who’ve graduated from college to coach younger players,” the coach explains, noting his own daughter, Shannon Beatty, who attended Missouri-St. Louis, and Chelsea Carmody, who went to Iowa.

“We believe in doing a lot of ‘paying it forward,’” states Beatty. “I’m confident in these older players because they’re teaching what I taught them.”

To be in the Chaos organization, you have to show more than just talent between the lines. Beatty emphasizes that players need to be in good standing off the field as well.

“We make sure we have character kids, girls who are good citizens first because any bad behavior, be it on Twitter, Facebook or elsewhere, won’t be tolerated.

Although this Gold team has players going to major programs ranging from Louisville to Penn State, Coach Beatty explains in his impressive bass voice that he’s proud of his players going to the next level wherever they go.

“My principal job,” he remarks, “is to get the players as many opportunities as a I can so I’m not thinking they have to go to the biggest name they can.  We have two players at Alabama and one at Florida but that’s not the important thing.”

“I don’t care if one of our players goes DI or NAIA, it’s most important that she goes where it’s the best fit for her.  If it’s a name school or not, I couldn’t care less.

 

***

 

Here’s a player-by-player look at the St. Louis Chaos team with comments by Head Coach Evan Beatty:

— P Danielle Baumgartner  (2015, uncommitted)
“Danielle came on last year and pitched well but tore an ACL playing basketball.  Amazingly, she came back in April after getting the injury in December to show you how tough she is.  Danielle’s upside is high.”

— OF Allie Craft (2014, Northern Kentucky)
“Allie’s been in the Chaos organization since she was in 10U.  She’s fundamentally sound and gets the most out of her abilities.

— SS Kaylee Huecker (2015, Wichita State)
“I think Kaylee is one of the best shortstops in the country.  She has great hands and unbelievably athletic ability.”

— OF Josie Knesel (2014, St. Louis)
“Josie hits from the left side and is very fast.  She’s really a smart kid and we picked her out right away when we saw her because of her leadership abilities. She can hit too, as she had nine home runs in high school ball.”

— OF/P Kayla Landwehrmier (2014, uncommitted)
“Kayla has just started with us and nobody has really seen her play on a large scale.  She has good speed and athletic ability and can play at the next level.  She’s an outfielder and our third pitcher.

— 3B Alex Linck (2014, uncommitted)
Alex is the best third baseman I’ve ever seen, but like Kayla she hasn’t been seen a lot either.  At Longmont, Col. she hit nine home runs.  She has offers at this point from Northern Colorado and Indiana State.”

— OF Alina Maher (2014, Northern Kentucky)
“I think Alina is the most ‘unexpected’ player I’ve seen as she gets in a game and has so many big hits when the game is on the line. She’s a quiet kid, but don’t let that fool you, she lives for the moment.”

— 1B Ashley Murphy (2014, Truman State)
“When I started with Ashley, we really didn’t have a position as she played some second and outfield, but we decided to play her at first which I think is a very underrated position.  Now, I wouldn’t have anyone else play there as she gets every ounce out of her ability.”

— OF Cheyenne Pratt (2014, Iowa)
“Cheyenne has an older sister who plays at a Div. III school and she knows softball.  Her game is speed fro the left and she is one of the hardest workers you’ll find.  She will run through a wall for you and physically is as tough of a kid as there is.”

— 2B Katie Reed (2015, Louisville)
“Katie is a unique story, she’s probably the best player on our team and is also a top girls hockey player because she’s so fast.  I watched her play against a boys’ team two years older and you couldn’t tell the difference in ability.  Katie is one of the top players in her class and committed to Louisville at a camp in the eighth grade.  She had SEC offers and could’ve played anywhere.

— C Jenny Schaper (2015, Kentucky)
“Jenny first drew attention when she hit five home runs as a sophomore.  She can hit BBs with a barbed wire and is the kind of player pitchers and coaches can trust.  Jenny had Georgia, Arkansas and Louisville after her and could have gone anywhere she wanted.”

— P Maddie Seifert (2015, Penn State)
“Maddie holds a special place in my heart because she gets it, not just in softball but in life.  She accepts responsibility and is probably the most mentally touch kid I’ve ever coached.  She’s 6-foot-1 and is a good athlete, having played basketball.  The throws in the low 60’s and can hit a spot and change speeds.  Her riseball and change will only get better in time too.”

— C Alison Szydlowski (2014, Louisville)
“We call her “Sid” and she’s extremely physically gifted.  We say she has a ‘man arm’ and mean that as a positive because she’s an eliminator, she changes the course of a game with her great defensive plays.”

 

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RECRUITING PROFILE: EMMA HYLEN

Club Team: Minnesota Force 16U Gold
High School: Roseville
Grad Year: 2015
Key Stats: Height is 6-foot-3
Top Honors:  All Conference; All Section; Varsity Letter Softball (3); Varsity Letter Academics (2); Varsity Letter Basketball (1)
College: Iowa State

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: Tell us about your recruiting process, how Iowa State found you up until you committed?
Emma Hylen: They first saw me at 14U ASA Nationals in 2012. My team had an amazing run and placed fourth. I attended one of their camps that winter and went on an unofficial visit shortly after.

I had worked with their pitching coach, Brittany Weil-Miller, at previous camps and was thrilled to hear she was now coaching at ISU. I fell in love with the campus and the college atmosphere in Ames. They watched me play in Colorado at the OnDeck Jamboree and in the Sparkler Tournament. They saw me strike out the side in nine pitches in an all-star game and I committed about a week later.

 

SSS.com: How challenging has it been to be in a state where you have to travel a lot to play in tournaments?
EH: It is definitely challenging. Preparation is a key aspect in sports and while my team is on the road, other teams are getting in pre-game workouts and chalk talks.  I have gotten pretty good at making adjustments to different fields and environments. The dry, hard fields in Texas are a little different than the soft, usually flooded fields back home.

But all of the challenges that my team and I go through improves our mental game and forces us to stay focused every pitch. I cherish the time I get on the field. It’s a privilege to be playing at this level, no matter how hard it is.

SSS.com: How do you handle working out living in a cold weather state?
EH: I practice indoors at the Minnesota Fastpitch Academy’s turf facility.  I practically live there in the winter! My coaches are incredible and I am able to get in a great practice whenever I want to. I also workout in gyms and we play games in domes. I have made my mark in a few gymnasiums by breaking bleachers. Oops!

 

SSS.com: Describe what you think are your strengths that allow you to play at the next level?
EH: Being 6-foot-3 is definitely an advantage for me. Height is intimidating and I get noticed.  I have heard comments like “She’s only good because she’s tall” or “it’s not fair, it’s natural for her”. Yes, my height has helped me along the way but it’s not what got me on the road to playing D1 softball.

Like most pitchers, I am a perfectionist and won’t stop until I get something the way it has to be done. I am a natural leader in the circle and I play for my team. I trust my defense behind me and I know I can rely on them when I need to.

At ASA nationals in 2012, I had to win six games in a row to get us to fourth place fighting back up through the losers bracket.  Determination, and I’m sure a little adrenaline, got me through all those games and that is also what got me to my goal of playing college softball.

 

SSS.com: Playing at the level you do takes a lot of sacrifice… describe some of the things you go without and how you feel it’s worth it (or not!)…
EH: Last year was my last season of basketball. When I joined a club softball team, I quit dance after ten years of it. I love music but do not have time to add an instrument in my life. My social life at school is quite a bit smaller than most teenagers.

Although I will miss these, they all have given me more time and energy that I can devote to softball and my team. My teammates are the only social life that I need! I do not regret making any of those sacrifices because I am following my dream and doing it with my favorite people. The friendships and bonds that are made when playing at this elite level will never be broken. I cherish all of those bonds, which I wouldn’t have without sacrifices.

 

SSS.com: You have two great Arizona grads as coaches; what do they teach or instill in you that makes playing for them special?
EH: Julie Standering and Lisa Bernstein have been the most inspirational people to enter my life. The energy that they bring is amazing. There is no dull moment with them. Of course they teach mechanics and physical aspects of the game, but I have learned the most from their mental approach. I learn new concepts, ideas, or perspectives every practice.

They have really changed my attitude not just towards softball, but towards life. They always try to look at the positive outcomes of situations and negativity is not even an option. The biggest thing that stands out to me is how much they care. I was injured in the spring and Julie came to most of my physical therapy appointments with me. She calls just to check in with how I am doing. Lisa always does everything for the players. She makes sure that every girl has what she needs to get better. These two truly know the game of softball and they made it to the top level. Now they live to pass on their love for the game and I have had the opportunity to train with both of them.

 

SSS.com: What’s been the highlight of your softball career so far? 
EH: My team from 2012 has been the best part of my career. That was the team, Minnesota Renegades, placed 4^th at 14U ASA/USA Nationals. Three players from that team are committed to top Div. I schools and I am sure there will be several more. We all pushed to make each other better and if you were down, the whole team picked you up.

That summer is unforgettable and I am grateful to have played with them. I am still very close with most of those girls and I have the honor of having two of them on my current team.

My grandpa recently passed away and the support from my old and current teammates is amazing. They sent baskets of flowers and their families came to the service. It’s cliché but your team really is your family. You can rely on them, fall back on them, and then lift them up and create memories together.

 

Quick Hitters:

Favorite dinner entrée: Pasta of any kind
Living in a “snow” state, what’s the most fun winter activity you’ve ever done (snowmobiling, skiing, skating, etc). Definitely sledding
Fill in the blank: I really hate it when people don’t listen.
Favorite TV show: Vampire Diaries and Under the Dome
What song would we find playing in your iPod (or similar device) right now? Any song by Lorde
If you were forced to get onstage suddenly at a talent show, what would your talent be? I would make up some dance and hopefully I remember everything from my ten years of dance!
What’s the one gift you want Santa to bring this year?
A bell from his sleigh like in the movie Polar Express!

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Sometimes with coaching changes comes a switch of college verbals and that’s the case for Dale Ryndak, a 2014 P/OF who plays club ball for the Beverly Bandits.

According to her Downers Grover North High coach, Mike Johnson, Dale is committed to Arizona State now after having previously committed to Purdue.

Says Coach Johnson:

“Dale is a tough, tough, competitor, she really hates to lose and always wants to compete with and against the best players, and best competition in the country. She wants to win a National Championship at ASU! It’s not just talk, she really means it.”

“I’m sure Dale isn’t on your top 100 list cause she hasn’t played this spring, summer, or fall as she tore her ACL, meniscus, and fractured her tibia in the first inning of our first game last spring. She has been rehabbing real hard and will be ready come spring.”

“Being hurt has really made her realize how much she misses the competition. She has told me on numerous occasions over the last few months that she never knew she loved softball so much, and even though being hurt she is lucky and blessed for what the game has done for her growing up, and what opportunities the game will be providing for her moving forward toward adulthood. The kid really gets it.”

*** Thanks to Coach Jeff Filali who wrote:

“Kelsey Eropkin, a 2016 outfielder who plays for the Tulsa Elite, has committed to play softball for the Univ. of Tulsa.

Kelsey was the leadoff hitter for the Tulsa Elite 16U team that finished 13th at USA/ASA 16A Nationals this summer and 3rd at Colorado Fireworks.

She now leads off and plays leftfield for Tulsa Elite 96 Gold team.  Kelsey becomes the 90th college commitment for the Tulsa Elite since their first class in 2008.”

 

*** Angelina McQuire, a 2014 outfielder for the NJ. Pride, has committed to Fairfield.

McQuire was 3^rd team All-State last year playing for Immaculate Heart Academy (N.J.)

 

*** Miranda Miles, a lefty throwing and hitting P/1B for the Nor Cal Firecracker 98, has committed to Texas A&M.  The 2016 grad attended the OnDeck Western Elite Camp.  We hope to have more on Miranda later this week…

 

*** More verbals:

— P/3B Amanda Ablan (2016, Georgia)… plays for the Georgia Elite
— OF Kylan Becker (2015, Florida International)… plays for the Miami Stingrays
— C Madison Casiano (2016, Fresno State)… plays for Firecrackers-Brashear
— SS/C Katie Collins (2014, Georgia)… plays for the Angels Gold
— 1B/OF Carleigh Herrington (2014, Eastern Michigan)… plays for the Sun Dogs
— P/1B Megan McCune (2015, Providence)… plays of the Irvine Sting
— 3B Morgan Modesto (2015, Santa Clara)… plays for the OBS Monarchs
— OF/SS Quinlan Moore (2014, Lafayette College)… plays for the Virginia Legends
— 3B/2B Megan Pittman (2014, Mercer)… plays for the Georgia Knockouts Gold
— SS Samantha Schmidt (2015, Northern Illinois)… plays for the Illinois Chill
— P Celeste Verdolivo (2015, Albany)… plays for Southern Force Gold

 

*** Finally, one of the interesting things I saw at the Sun Classic was when younger teams would play up and compete with older ones.

Case in point Sunday morning as the Mizuno Impulse 14U team out of Dallas/Ft. Worth played the strong OC Batbusters-Smith 16U team and barely lost 2-1 even though they were playing up.

Pitcher Katelyn Terrell went five innings and held the Batbusters to three hits and a walk.  She did this with the help of an amazing defensive team effort as evidenced by the lack of a single strikeout in the game.

The14U Mizuno Impulse team is made of 2018s and 2019s and will be a squad to watch in the next couple of years.

 

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UNCOMMITTED 2014 PROSPECT TO WATCH:

I talked to some coaches in Florida who are still looking for players including catchers… here’s one to check out:

Name:  Keiko (Madison) Saacke
Position:  Catcher/3B/OF
High School:  Los Alamitos High School, (Calif.)
GPA:  3.2
Travel Team:  Strike Force Gold – Guerra
Stats:  .394 fall batting average, arm velocity – 68 and pop time 1.65
Events: 2012 Zoom Into June OnDeck Jamboree, 2012 On Deck National Elite Camp
Contact Info:  keikomadison@yahoo.com
Recruiting Profile: NCSA 
Video: YouTube (click on the link)

 

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Players, parents and coaches:  want to know the best way to get us info on your favorite player? 

Fill out our Recruit Form link and complete.  It comes directly to me (Brentt) and you very likely could see the info used somewhere on our site!

 

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If you’d like to submit information, forward to brentt@studentsports.com.  Also, follow us on twitter at @SS_Softball.