MONDAY JULY 6
Freedom
Game 1 v. Springfield Diamonds, W, 6-0; Megan Elliott WP
Hits: Taylor Hedges, Jaelyn Halbrook, Tristia Patton, Megan Elliott (double); Abby Toler
The girls did a good job on defense and Megan Elliott did another outstanding job in the circle. We hit the ball well enough and put runners on to keep pressure on the defense and score runs. This group is developing well.
Gm 2 v. Ozark Express, W, 10-2; Tristia Patton, WP
Hits: Taylor Hedges, Sammy Jacobson 2, (double, triple); Summer Rash, (triple);
This is the game we have been looking for. Tristia did a very good job in the circle. They scored a couple of cheap runs. We know they are a good offensive team and Tristia kept them off balance and our defense was solid again keeping them from getting anything serious going. Offensively, we saw their best and we were able to rattle her. We had some loud hits from Summer and Sammy that started and ended a big 6 run inning to effective end the game. The girls did a great job tonight.
Up Next: @ Meador Park Monday July 13. 6 & 7:15.
Record: 8-4-2
Liberators
Game 1 v. Panthers W 20-7
Hits: Mackenzie Austin 3singles, 1 double, Carsyn Julien 3 singles, Jenna Halbrook 4 singles, Sydney Negley 2 singles 1 double), Jaeden Sharp 2 singles, Darci Cline 2 singles 1 double, Sydnee Kirby single, Libby Vess 3 singles, Jacey Follis 3 singles, Taylor Sullivan 1 single, Lauryn Lorimor 2 singles
These young ladies did a fantastic job seeing the ball. We had many singles--which won us the game. These girls are constantly increasing their knowledge of the game and it shows on the field. Coach Jamie Halbrook
Game 2 v. Fair Grove L 8-14
Hits: Mackenzie Austin 2singles; Carsyn Julien double, Jenna Halbrook 2 singles; Sydney Negley single, double, triple; Jaeden Sharp single; Darci Cline 2 singles; Sydnee Kirby single; Jacey Follis single
We didn't come out strong like we usually do & the score showed that. FG hit the ball well. They won the game in the 1st inning. They scored 6 and we could never get a lead. I have every confidence that we will learn from this game’s experiences.
Coach Jamie Halbrook
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Team Updates
Storm
Tuesday June 30 v. Norwood @ Meador, T 5-5
Hits: Haleigh Brown (double); Ashley Payne; Rachel Schrader 2 (triple); Jessi Bruce;
We were down 5-0 when we finally got on the board with 3. Haleigh Brown stepped up and hit a double scoring 2 to tie the game in the last inning. We were unable to get the winning run across. It is frustrating to play your heart out for 75 minutes and everything ends in a tie. We would have loved to play it out.
Wednesday July 1 v. Willard @ Ash Grove, L, 4-0
Hits: Haleigh Brown
We did not swing it well tonight. It was just not a good night at the ballpark.
Thursday July 2 v. Ash Grove @ Ash Grove, L 9-8
Hits: Haleigh Brown (2); Ashley Payne; Megan Vest; Rachel Schrader; Tristia Patton; Jessi Bruce; Brittany Wood;
Brittany Wood threw the ball very well tonight. She pitched 7 innings and the last 4 were under a lot of pressure. I am very proud of her efforts tonight.
This was a tough week, driving to ball parks for 1 game each night. Finally on Thursday v. Ash Grove we had a game with numerous learning opportunities. This was a game that will make us better down the road. Back and forth all game. We had 4 tie breaker innings and had opportunities to play under pressure. We had our chances and we had successes and failures. It was a great opportunity to learn who we are.
Record: 5-7-1; Up next @ Meador Park Saturday (11th) 11:30 & 12:45; @ Meador Park Tuesday 14th 6 & 7:15
Liberty
Wednesday July 1 v. Pleasant Hope, L, 8-3
Hits: Delpha Miller; Haley Rauch (triple) RBI; Taylor Sechler RBI; Haleigh Wallace; Brandi Cline (RBI)
Thursday July 2 @ Meador
Gm 1 v. Thunder, W, 4-1, Abby Toler WP, 6 strikeouts;
Hits: Taylor Sechler (2); Haley Rauch (2); Brook Townsend (2); Mikalyn Wheelbarger
Gm 2 v. Shox, L, 7-3.
Hits: Karli Duren; Haley Rauch; Brook Townsend; Brandi Cline;
The girls are learning to make adjustments at the plate and we are incorporating more phases of fastpitch, such as bunting and slapping. We are putting pressure on defenses. We need to continue to run the bases hard and play solid defense including pitching.
Up Next: v. Morrisville 5 and Pleasant Hope 7:30, Wednesday July 8; @ Meador Park Thursday 6 & 8:30
Patriots
Wednesday July 1 v. Morrisville, L, 10-1;
Sydney Julien struck out 3 and AnnaMarie McGlone struck out 4....McGlone had a single....Morrisville did a good job hitting the ball hard and we made a few mental mistakes in the field. (Nathan Rothdiener)
Thursday July 2 @ Meador
Gm 1 v. Irish, W 9 - 3 AnnaMarie McGlone pitched the win and struck out 5 in effort. sydney julien recorded a hit....we took advantage of what they gave us...which was a number of walks and errors in the field. (Nathan Rothdiener)
Gm 2 v. Strafford won 9-8 Sydney Julien struck out 4 in the winning effort...Julien also recorded a hit...
This was a good game for our girls. Strafford was a very athletic team. We held the lead most of the game but Strafford fought back late and we had to battle back to win it. Our girls were aggressive on the bases which scored most of our runs. Jenna Halbrook stole home to score the winning run on a wild pitch. Our girls are learning the importance of playing error free ball and for most of the game we did that.
Up Next: v. Morrisville 6:15 and Pleasant Hope 8:45 Wednesday July 8; @ Meador Park Thursday 6 & 8:30
Record: 7-7
Tuesday June 30 v. Norwood @ Meador, T 5-5
Hits: Haleigh Brown (double); Ashley Payne; Rachel Schrader 2 (triple); Jessi Bruce;
We were down 5-0 when we finally got on the board with 3. Haleigh Brown stepped up and hit a double scoring 2 to tie the game in the last inning. We were unable to get the winning run across. It is frustrating to play your heart out for 75 minutes and everything ends in a tie. We would have loved to play it out.
Wednesday July 1 v. Willard @ Ash Grove, L, 4-0
Hits: Haleigh Brown
We did not swing it well tonight. It was just not a good night at the ballpark.
Thursday July 2 v. Ash Grove @ Ash Grove, L 9-8
Hits: Haleigh Brown (2); Ashley Payne; Megan Vest; Rachel Schrader; Tristia Patton; Jessi Bruce; Brittany Wood;
Brittany Wood threw the ball very well tonight. She pitched 7 innings and the last 4 were under a lot of pressure. I am very proud of her efforts tonight.
This was a tough week, driving to ball parks for 1 game each night. Finally on Thursday v. Ash Grove we had a game with numerous learning opportunities. This was a game that will make us better down the road. Back and forth all game. We had 4 tie breaker innings and had opportunities to play under pressure. We had our chances and we had successes and failures. It was a great opportunity to learn who we are.
Record: 5-7-1; Up next @ Meador Park Saturday (11th) 11:30 & 12:45; @ Meador Park Tuesday 14th 6 & 7:15
Liberty
Wednesday July 1 v. Pleasant Hope, L, 8-3
Hits: Delpha Miller; Haley Rauch (triple) RBI; Taylor Sechler RBI; Haleigh Wallace; Brandi Cline (RBI)
Thursday July 2 @ Meador
Gm 1 v. Thunder, W, 4-1, Abby Toler WP, 6 strikeouts;
Hits: Taylor Sechler (2); Haley Rauch (2); Brook Townsend (2); Mikalyn Wheelbarger
Gm 2 v. Shox, L, 7-3.
Hits: Karli Duren; Haley Rauch; Brook Townsend; Brandi Cline;
The girls are learning to make adjustments at the plate and we are incorporating more phases of fastpitch, such as bunting and slapping. We are putting pressure on defenses. We need to continue to run the bases hard and play solid defense including pitching.
Up Next: v. Morrisville 5 and Pleasant Hope 7:30, Wednesday July 8; @ Meador Park Thursday 6 & 8:30
Patriots
Wednesday July 1 v. Morrisville, L, 10-1;
Sydney Julien struck out 3 and AnnaMarie McGlone struck out 4....McGlone had a single....Morrisville did a good job hitting the ball hard and we made a few mental mistakes in the field. (Nathan Rothdiener)
Thursday July 2 @ Meador
Gm 1 v. Irish, W 9 - 3 AnnaMarie McGlone pitched the win and struck out 5 in effort. sydney julien recorded a hit....we took advantage of what they gave us...which was a number of walks and errors in the field. (Nathan Rothdiener)
Gm 2 v. Strafford won 9-8 Sydney Julien struck out 4 in the winning effort...Julien also recorded a hit...
This was a good game for our girls. Strafford was a very athletic team. We held the lead most of the game but Strafford fought back late and we had to battle back to win it. Our girls were aggressive on the bases which scored most of our runs. Jenna Halbrook stole home to score the winning run on a wild pitch. Our girls are learning the importance of playing error free ball and for most of the game we did that.
Up Next: v. Morrisville 6:15 and Pleasant Hope 8:45 Wednesday July 8; @ Meador Park Thursday 6 & 8:30
Record: 7-7
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tournament Food by Stacie Mahoe
One of the things that really hit home for me while watching the Bobby Sox tournament a few weeks ago was the importance of planning for food!
Now the organization my daughters' were playing for was excellent at making sure the girls had something to eat after their day was done. Both parents and kids had some great food to chow down after the games were done for the day. However, I think we (parents included) could have done a better job at making sure our kids had "fuel" THROUGHOUT the day.
Why do I say that? Because my youngest daughter completely "ran out of gas" in the last game of the day. She was on the 8U team and had to be at the park at 9:00am because their first game was scheduled at 10:30. Not too bad. At least we didn't have to wake up too early to make sure she had breakfast and everything before getting to the field (as opposed to the 6U team that had to be at the field at 6:45am! Yikes!!!).
So we all (our whole family) had breakfast before heading to the field which was great. But because my daughter's 8U team was coming from the loser's bracket, they weren't going to have a short day unless they lost quick.
They didn't lose quick.
In fact, they won their first game and had to play again right after. I'm not complaining. I love to see my kids play, but it meant that there was NO time for going back to the tent to eat.
They ended up winning that game too which forced an "if necessary." Cool! Except for the fact that the "if necessary" game had to be played down the road at another park and the team had just an hour to get there. Again, not enough time to get all the girls under a tent to sit and get some food in their bellies.
About half way through that 3rd game of the day, I noticed how hungry I was! You see, I my 3 daughters were playing in 3 different age divisions and, every other game, I was running back and forth between the 2 fields trying to catch at least parts of all my daughter's games. Between going back and forth and trying to take pictures during the games, I never really stopped to grab food and by the middle of that 3rd 8U game, I was starving (and I wasn't even in the sun playing or coaching).
Yes, I was driving back and forth (in an air conditioned car), but the rest of my time was spent under a tent in the shade with the camera in my hand...and I could sit down any time I wanted. I can only imagine what my daughter felt like after having been on the field for 3 straight games.
Right about the time I realized I was hungry I heard my daughter's coach letting the players know who was going to go where on the next defense (there are minimum play rules in Bobby Sox). Then I heard my daughter ask one of the coaches if she's going to stay in or go out. The coach told her that she was going to be playing the whole game. She burst into tears (a strange reaction to getting an entire game of playing time right?).
Of course, the coach asked her what was wrong and she cried, "I'm tired." The thought that immediately crossed my mind when I heard that was that she was probably starving too!
I'm pretty sure part of her exhaustion was due to the fact that she hadn't eaten much since breakfast that morning and it was already after 2:30pm. That's a long time not to eat when your in the Hawaiian sun burning your energy playing softball game after softball game after softball game.
3 games in one day is already a lot for 8U, but throw in lack of "fuel" for the body and it becomes even tougher. I know many people's first reaction to crying and taking yourself out of the game is not necessarily positive - what kind of softball player does that anyway?
But I have to admit, as a coach, I'd rather have a player tell me that they're sub-par so I can put someone else in that is more fresh and ready, than go out there anyway, not feeling well and play terrible ... AND risk getting seriously hurt or more sick.
Sometimes it's just not smart to keep pushing. As and athlete, as a parent, and as a coach, we need to realize when that is...even though it can be a very tough line to define at times.
So, do you have a tournament food plan? The best way to make sure you have "good" fuel for your players (not just packaged junk food) is to prepare ahead of time. It's true you may end up with more than you need (if your team loses sooner than expected), but it certainly beats not having enough - especially when the well being of our kids are at stake.
Now the organization my daughters' were playing for was excellent at making sure the girls had something to eat after their day was done. Both parents and kids had some great food to chow down after the games were done for the day. However, I think we (parents included) could have done a better job at making sure our kids had "fuel" THROUGHOUT the day.
Why do I say that? Because my youngest daughter completely "ran out of gas" in the last game of the day. She was on the 8U team and had to be at the park at 9:00am because their first game was scheduled at 10:30. Not too bad. At least we didn't have to wake up too early to make sure she had breakfast and everything before getting to the field (as opposed to the 6U team that had to be at the field at 6:45am! Yikes!!!).
So we all (our whole family) had breakfast before heading to the field which was great. But because my daughter's 8U team was coming from the loser's bracket, they weren't going to have a short day unless they lost quick.
They didn't lose quick.
In fact, they won their first game and had to play again right after. I'm not complaining. I love to see my kids play, but it meant that there was NO time for going back to the tent to eat.
They ended up winning that game too which forced an "if necessary." Cool! Except for the fact that the "if necessary" game had to be played down the road at another park and the team had just an hour to get there. Again, not enough time to get all the girls under a tent to sit and get some food in their bellies.
About half way through that 3rd game of the day, I noticed how hungry I was! You see, I my 3 daughters were playing in 3 different age divisions and, every other game, I was running back and forth between the 2 fields trying to catch at least parts of all my daughter's games. Between going back and forth and trying to take pictures during the games, I never really stopped to grab food and by the middle of that 3rd 8U game, I was starving (and I wasn't even in the sun playing or coaching).
Yes, I was driving back and forth (in an air conditioned car), but the rest of my time was spent under a tent in the shade with the camera in my hand...and I could sit down any time I wanted. I can only imagine what my daughter felt like after having been on the field for 3 straight games.
Right about the time I realized I was hungry I heard my daughter's coach letting the players know who was going to go where on the next defense (there are minimum play rules in Bobby Sox). Then I heard my daughter ask one of the coaches if she's going to stay in or go out. The coach told her that she was going to be playing the whole game. She burst into tears (a strange reaction to getting an entire game of playing time right?).
Of course, the coach asked her what was wrong and she cried, "I'm tired." The thought that immediately crossed my mind when I heard that was that she was probably starving too!
I'm pretty sure part of her exhaustion was due to the fact that she hadn't eaten much since breakfast that morning and it was already after 2:30pm. That's a long time not to eat when your in the Hawaiian sun burning your energy playing softball game after softball game after softball game.
3 games in one day is already a lot for 8U, but throw in lack of "fuel" for the body and it becomes even tougher. I know many people's first reaction to crying and taking yourself out of the game is not necessarily positive - what kind of softball player does that anyway?
But I have to admit, as a coach, I'd rather have a player tell me that they're sub-par so I can put someone else in that is more fresh and ready, than go out there anyway, not feeling well and play terrible ... AND risk getting seriously hurt or more sick.
Sometimes it's just not smart to keep pushing. As and athlete, as a parent, and as a coach, we need to realize when that is...even though it can be a very tough line to define at times.
So, do you have a tournament food plan? The best way to make sure you have "good" fuel for your players (not just packaged junk food) is to prepare ahead of time. It's true you may end up with more than you need (if your team loses sooner than expected), but it certainly beats not having enough - especially when the well being of our kids are at stake.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
My 5 Favorite Foods for Softball Players
by Coach Becky Wittenburg:
1. Whole grains- Whole grain food such as cereal, bagels, pasta, and bread give good, long-lasting energy to the whole body. As the most important food group, athletes should eat many whole grain carbohydrates before an event.
2. Peanut butter- Peanut butter is a good source of protein and essential fats, and it is easy to carry and eat on the go. Other protein sources will work as well, such as lean meat or dairy; the important thing is to get adequate protein before and after a work out. Protein helps the body in maintaining aerobic metabolism instead of anaerobic metabolism, which prevents the body from taking protein from lean tissue. Adequate protein speeds recovery and helps in actual performance situations.
3. Fresh fruits and Vegetables- Fresh produce is a great way to get vitamins and minerals that help the body function as normal. They are usually fat-free and contain lots of energy for the body to use during exercise. Some fruits, such as bananas, contain potassium, a mineral that regulates water levels in the body and stabilizes muscle contraction. Low potassium levels can lead to muscle cramps and fatigue, so eating potassium-rich foods is a good idea. However, it is important to regulate potassium intake, because too much too quickly can lead to a heart attack. Athletes should take in 435 milligrams of potassium for every hour they exercise.
While potassium does not aid in actual performance, it speeds recovery and should be considered as one of the most important supplements to an exercise program.
4. Calcium-Rich Foods- Foods such as cheese, yogurt, and milk contain necessary calcium, which creates strong bones and protects athletes from injury. These dairy products are also a good source of protein, but they should be eaten well before an event, as they take some time to process. If the body does not tolerate dairy well, supplements should be included to ensure that athletes receive the recommended daily intake of 1000 milligrams. As an example, a cup of skim milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium.
5. Fiber-Rich Foods- Fiber is the nutritional component that keeps athletes full and regulates the digestive tract. Many of the foods already mentioned include fiber, but it is important for coaches to know which foods help athletes regulate fiber levels. Examples of fiber-rich foods include whole grains, apples, berries, almonds, and legumes. A simple way to determine the necessary amount of fiber is to add 5 to the athlete's age. For example, a 10-year-old athlete needs about 15 grams of fiber daily. After the age of 15, athletes need 20-25 grams of fiber a day.
1. Whole grains- Whole grain food such as cereal, bagels, pasta, and bread give good, long-lasting energy to the whole body. As the most important food group, athletes should eat many whole grain carbohydrates before an event.
2. Peanut butter- Peanut butter is a good source of protein and essential fats, and it is easy to carry and eat on the go. Other protein sources will work as well, such as lean meat or dairy; the important thing is to get adequate protein before and after a work out. Protein helps the body in maintaining aerobic metabolism instead of anaerobic metabolism, which prevents the body from taking protein from lean tissue. Adequate protein speeds recovery and helps in actual performance situations.
3. Fresh fruits and Vegetables- Fresh produce is a great way to get vitamins and minerals that help the body function as normal. They are usually fat-free and contain lots of energy for the body to use during exercise. Some fruits, such as bananas, contain potassium, a mineral that regulates water levels in the body and stabilizes muscle contraction. Low potassium levels can lead to muscle cramps and fatigue, so eating potassium-rich foods is a good idea. However, it is important to regulate potassium intake, because too much too quickly can lead to a heart attack. Athletes should take in 435 milligrams of potassium for every hour they exercise.
While potassium does not aid in actual performance, it speeds recovery and should be considered as one of the most important supplements to an exercise program.
4. Calcium-Rich Foods- Foods such as cheese, yogurt, and milk contain necessary calcium, which creates strong bones and protects athletes from injury. These dairy products are also a good source of protein, but they should be eaten well before an event, as they take some time to process. If the body does not tolerate dairy well, supplements should be included to ensure that athletes receive the recommended daily intake of 1000 milligrams. As an example, a cup of skim milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium.
5. Fiber-Rich Foods- Fiber is the nutritional component that keeps athletes full and regulates the digestive tract. Many of the foods already mentioned include fiber, but it is important for coaches to know which foods help athletes regulate fiber levels. Examples of fiber-rich foods include whole grains, apples, berries, almonds, and legumes. A simple way to determine the necessary amount of fiber is to add 5 to the athlete's age. For example, a 10-year-old athlete needs about 15 grams of fiber daily. After the age of 15, athletes need 20-25 grams of fiber a day.
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