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JANUARY 29, 2008:
18U Team Indiana head coach Cara Johnson-Hirsch will travel to Kaohsiung, Taiwan February 11-March 11, 2008 to coach the Chiniese Taipei Olympic Softball Team. Share her experiences in Taiwan at her blog: www.softballone.com/blog
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JULY 2, 2007:
http://www.flyergroup.com/sports/local_story_183221322.html
http://www.softballone.com/camp2007.pdf
Summer vacation isn’t just rest and relaxation for local athletes, and one area softball team is spending its time racking up wins and helping young players learn the game.
Coached by SoftballOne founder Cara Johnson-Hirsch, the 16U Team Indiana squad is having a very successful summer on the diamond. Following a runner-up finish in Jasper and a fifth-place effort in Michigan, the team came in second in an Oklahoma City tournament featuring teams from all over the United States to qualify for the American Softball Association Nationals July 29 through Aug. 4 in South Dakota.
“It was a great honor to be there, the other teams’ rosters were stacked 18 or 19 deep and we have 10 (players),” Johnson-Hirsch said of the Oklahoma City tourney. “We’re sleeping four kids to a room and are eating out of our coolers, but we were able to compete. It was just a great experience, I was so proud of the girls. It gave them confidence that they can compete nationally.”
The team, which includes Jenny Esparza and Katie Mathieu of Avon, left Oklahoma following the tournament’s conclusion and arrived back home at 3 a.m. Monday. The girls didn’t rest long, and helped Johnson-Hirsch put in day one of a four-day local camp for 35 girls, all but a few being from Hendricks County. Team members that served as camp counselors were paid, as camp fees aided in raising funds for the squad’s travels.
In its fourth year, SoftballOne is a year-round training program for players of all ages with workout facilities in Brownsburg and Pendelton. For older players, it gives them a chance to hone their skills and compete in tournaments whenever they’re not playing for their high school teams. While conflicts between club and high school coaches have been on the rise, Johnson-Hirsch said her program is committed to making sure girls understand what a privilege it is to suit up for one’s school and community while also getting the necessary offseason rest.
“A lot of programs and teams make their kids travel and compete every single weekend, and I think that pulls kids from their community sports,” she said. “I don’t agree with that one bit. There are programs now telling kids not to play high school, and that has a devastating effect. I feel every kid needs to experience that at some point.”
Johnson-Hirsch said her program and others like it provide exposure to college coaches for the players, and that getting the girls money for school is a primary goal.
“That’s what it’s about, allowing these girls to use softball to get an education, which will change their lives,” she said.
Like with last week’s camp, the program also lets older players earn cash by assisting in teaching sessions throughout the year while serving as role models for young girls.
With a pair of tourneys in Ohio and one near Chicago leading up to the ASA Nationals, Johnson-Hirsch said Team Indiana has a great shot at making a deep run in South Dakota. The team has played — and will play — against sponsored, larger squads that enjoy luxurious travel options, but the coach said it’s all about skill, execution, and heart on the diamond.
“We can do it — that’s the beauty of this game, it doesn’t matter how big you are, how small you are, how fast, or how slow,” she said. “We win by playing fundamentally sound softball. A lot of it just depends on the intelligent decision-making of the players.”
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JUNE 24, 2007:
http://www.asasoftball.com/about/getStory.asp?nid=1425
http://www.softballone.com/hof2007.pdf
Oklahoma City---Once again the weather played a role in the outcome of the Hall of Fame National Qualifier, as the Killer Bees of Mesa, Ariz., took the title in a rain shortened tournament. While there was a threat of rain all weekend the first day’s schedule went according to plan.
On day one, the Killer Bees posted a dominate 10-1 run-rule victory over the Oklahoma Dynamites-Badside of Yukon, Okla. The Bees next game was much closer as they defeated California Breeze of Roseville, Calif., 1-0. On the other side of the winner’s bracket Team Indiana of Indianapolis, Ind., was making its way through the competition. Team Indiana started off the day with a 5-3 victory over the Dacula Lady Falcons from Dacula, Ga. Indiana continued in its winnings ways as they beat Texas Peppers/Tanel, 3-1, in their second game of the day.
On day two, the Killer Bees and Team Indiana continued to roll as the Bees beat the Midland Magic of Midland, Texas, 6-0, and Indiana kept pace by beating the Sioux Falls Flash of Sioux Falls, S.D., 3-1 to advance to the winner’s bracket semi-finals. The Bees then faced the Ralston Renegades of Ralston, Neb., who blew by the Mobile Thrillers of Mobile, Ala., 5-0 on earlier in the day to advance, and Team Indiana faced the Acers from Seattle, Wash., who advanced by defeating Home America Lady Falcons of Grayson, Ga., 2-0.
With the winner’s bracket semi-finals set, the weather decided to make its presence known, as the sky darkened, rain fell, lightning flashed, and thunder boomed. The storm knocked power out at the complex forcing tournament officials to cancel the remainder of the schedule on day two and make adjustments to the brackets.
On the final day, play resumed at 8 a.m. with teams trying to avoid elimination and others trying to continue their run through the winner’s bracket.
On the winner’s bracket side the Killer Bees continued their dominance posting a 5-0 victory over the Ralston Renegades and Team Indiana won a hard fought battle of the Acers, 4-3. With their victories Team Indian and the Killer Bees placed themselves into the winner’s bracket finals later in the day.
With their losses the Renegades and Acers were relegated to the loser’s bracket and facing elimination. In the loser’s bracket the Renegades were set to face the Shamrocks of Fairfax, Va., who had won five consecutive games in the loser’s bracket to advance to the semi-finals. In the end fatigue got the best of the Shamrocks as they fell to the Renegades 8-5. On the other side of the loser’s bracket the Acers met up with the Arizona Storm of Phoenix, Ariz., who had also made a run through the loser’s bracket by posting five consecutive victories. Again, the strain of battling back through the loser’s bracket got the best of the Storm as they too were eliminated by a score of 2-1.
The Renegades and Acers moved on to play in a game that would decide third place in the Qualifier. The two teams battled for 4 ½ innings with the Renegades leading 3-0 but because of flight conflicts the Acers had to end the game early forcing the game to be forfeited and giving the Renegades a 7-0 win and the third place trophy.
The Killer Bees and Team Indiana played earlier in the day to determine the champion of the 2007 Girls 16-Under Hall of Fame National Qualifier. In the championship game the Killer Bees’ pitching proved to be too much for Team Indiana as the Bees posted their fourth shut of the tournament in a 3-0 victory. With their victory the Killer Bees earned an automatic berth to the USA/ASA Girls’ 16-Under Class A Fast Pitch National Championship scheduled for July 29-August 5 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Along with the Killer Bees, seven other teams earned a berth to the ASA National Championship. Those teams are Team Indiana, Acers, AZ Storm, Mobile Thrillers, Impact Ringor of Spring, Texas, Home America Lady Falcons, and the Sioux Falls Flash.
The Hall of Fame National Qualifiers continue next weekend as 25 teams make their way to Oklahoma City for the Girl’s 18-Under Hall of Fame National Qualifier to battle it out on the diamond for the title of Champion and one of the eight coveted berths to the USA/ASA Girl’s 18-Under A National Championship scheduled for July 29-August 5 in Bryan/College Station, Texas.
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OCTOBER 16, 2006: 16U Team Indiana, Coach Cara Johnson-Hirsch, traveled to western Pennsylvania to play in the Tri-State College Exposure Showcase at the 18U level. Congratulations to the team for winning the first tournament of the year as 16U Team Indiana!
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July 7-9, 2006
This weekend Team Indiana played the NSA State games and again proved to be a tough, resilient and competitive team. Our most thrilling game was against the Center Grove Extreme 91, where we went into 2 international tie breakers until finally falling 4-5 - an excellent softball game! We want to thank Sara and Becca for filling in this weekend with their outstanding bats and defensive plays. Thank you girls! We also welcomed Ashley to the team fulltime, commuting from Tennessee. Excellent weekend ladies! The hard work is paying off!
TI vs Indy Diamond Chix: 7-0
TI vs Munster Mudddawgs: 6-4
TI vs Indiana Rock: 6-4
TI vs Center Grove Extreme 91: 4-5
TI vs Munster Mudddawgs: 1-2
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July 1-2, 2006
This weekend Team Indiana played in Terre Haute against tough ASA competition from California and Illinois. After 5 games Saturday and 3 games straight Sunday, Team Indiana fell to Case Batbusters and took Runner-Up for the tournament. Our core group of girls proved to be resilient, dedicated and tough, while graciously welcoming Lauren, Shelby, Bailey, Alicia, and Kelsey for the weekend. Team Indiana also welcomes Megan playing fulltime! Thanks goes out to "Hat," Shelby, Bailey, Alicia, and Kelsey for helping out this weekend. Excellent job girls! We look forward to bringing back Lyss for the rest of the season, back this weekend from the rainforests!
TI vs Rockers (Chicago): 9-6
TI vs Case Batbusters (California): 2-4
TI vs Trevians (Wilmette, IL): 6-3
TI vs Aurelio's (Illinois): 6-7
TI vs Rockers (Chicago): 9-6
TI vs Trevians (Wilmette, IL): 2-1
TI vs Aurelio's (Illinois): 5-0
TI vs Case Batbusters (California): 2-12
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June 13, 2006
Cara's 14U Team Indiana won Indiana's ASA Diamonds of the South tournament and qualified for ASA Nationals. TI has also qualifed for NSA Nationals, but will attend the 14U ASA National Tournament in Johnson City, Tennessee. Congratulations to all the girls on a very successful weekend. I am very proud of you all!
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