PLEASE VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE.
www.cfstingrays.com
Congrats to Savannah Young and Alex Miller from the CF Stingrays for being selected to join the 2012 CUP International Teams that will travel to Europe next January to compete against established European Fastpitch teams - many of which have their countries National Team players on them. This is a great honor and opportunity for these two young ladies. This is a once in a lifetime athletic, cultural and educational experience. Playing against Europe’s best and experiencing different cultures will be remembered forever. These young ladies work very hard and have shown great progress in their games. Their dedication to the sport and drive to excel has earned them a chance to play at an even higher level. Their families, and the Stingray Nation, are very proud of them.
Many teams will offer exposure to players through showcase tournaments and competing in National events. If a player and her family really want to compare and compete, they should look into the Queen of Diamonds Individual Showcase events. There are 3 across the Eastern part of the country and these are by application only. These events also provide a link to the CUP teams. Those events not only provide college coaches an opportunity to see the players up close in a tryout format, but the organizers also provide great insight into the recruiting process. They have been at this for 16 years now and their alumni list is huge. Organizationally the Stingrays have had great success using their recruiting processes and have been immensely satisfied with the exposure that their Showcases and the CUP experiences have offered.
Certainly feel free to contact this group directly (www.theqsport.com/cuphistory) – they are very accommodating. But if anyone would like firsthand details don’t hesitate to contact me.
Again – congrats Alex and Savannah!!!
**************************************************************************
As the HS season opens up thoughts about playing softball at a higher level begin to grow. There are many teams in the Central Florida area that will be playing at the ASA level and that is good for everyone. Teams take different paths and have different goals. Some teams play local events only. Some stay local and try to qualify for ASA. Others play showcase events and mix in ASA qualifiers. Depending on your players goals - the path your team takes should mirror those goals.
Our team is a bit different. We play the showcases and we will qualify for ASA Nationals, but the Stingrays actively search out alternatives for our players to make impressions on college coaches. That is an ongoing process. Because of relationships we have we are able to get kids in situations that others struggle to duplicate.
There are a few things about us that you should know before deciding to contact us:
* We are very protective of our team/family chemistry. Our team style is High Positive Developement. We realize that there are very good players that thrive on a yelling, high negative coaching evironment. If your daughter is in this group our team is probably not a good fit.
* We have Non Parent Coaches that develop contacts with TD's and College Coaches that will aid the players recruiting process. The coach does not have to worry about making these contacts for his daughter - it is about the team. Ask our current players about how this works.
* The Organization was established in 1894 and has many softball ties nationally. There certainly are other Florida Organizations that have the same lineage. They know the importance of having those contacts.
* This past fall we were able to get 4 of our players in the Diamond 9 Gold Sun Showcase. This event had over 200 college coaches on site. We also got 3 players in the Pre-Tournament Combine. For a team of our age those players handled themselves very well against the best teams in the country.
* We are playing in the Dynamite Classic in Columbia SC. This recruiting event has a very unique format and is a highly competitive event. It is a tough invitation to get. Our Stingray ties with this event go back a long time. We will play in this event annually.
* Players from our team have been accepted to compete in the Queen of Diamonds South Individual Showcase. Again this is a unique event that the Stingrays have a long history with. CF Stingrays Coaches have been added to this events staff for 2011. Our coaches will be up close with the College Coaches that attend, and help run this event. Again because of our relationship with this event, and our players skill level, we have players that have been offerd a chance to play on a CUP team that will tour Europe in the winter of 2012 and/or 2013. This CUP experience has been in place for well over a decade and is one of the most sought after International Experiences for HS age players. Again Stingray players and Coaches have a long history with these events.
* We attend summer tournaments that satisfy the Showcase and ASA needs - but we also look to events that have coaches that we would not normally see in the regular SE events. This summer we are playing in front of MidWest coaches that will undoubtable be very interested in a team from Florida. The summer of 2012 will be even more interesting.
* Our players will play in camps at Colleges that interest them. Our job as a team is to communicate with the camp coaches prior to then. Getting the coaches to know our players before they show up is a priority.
Again, there are a ton of options for kids these days. If your family is interested in more than the normal softball experience, then give us a call. We tell everyone that we are not for everyone - but we might just be what you have been looking for.
Below is our schedule as it stand now.
March 25th KOM Alt Ga
Apr/May/June ASA Qualifiers
June 9th Diamond 9 Sun Classic - Disney
June 16th Dynamite Classic Columbia SC
July 7th NFAC Camp Columbus Oh
July 8th Stingrays Invitational Columbus Oh
July 23rd Rising Stars Davie Fl
July 30th ASA Nationals - 16u Chatt Tn
Sept 4th Queen of Diamonds Rock Hill, SC
Oct 9th ASA HOF Qualifier Disney
Oct 24th Rising Stars Davie Fl
Nov 4th Sun Classic Disney - pending selection
The Diamond 9 SUN Classic in November is the most sought after event in the country right now. This event filled up the week after last Novembers event completed. I believe all the Florida teams that played last year are back in, but no new ones. All others are on the waiting list. Hopefully our involvement with them will help us get in as a team - instead of as guest players!!!
We are looking for a couple of players to join our team. As we have said in the past our players are multi-positional. So athletes playing any position are welcome to work out with us. Hitters with gap power are encouraged to come out. Specifically we would like to add a pitcher to join the staff. Our 2 current pitchers are also great positional players. They will get college looks outside the circle as well. Innings are not an issue. A true first baseman would be a very good fit. Our team is composed of 95/96 players - Sophomores/Freshman. Others would be considered. We will play at the 16u level Nationally.
Above all else a very fundamental thought will pervade for this team -- Players play, coaches coach and parents sit in the stands eating hot dogs - and enjoy watching their daughters excel. It goes by very fast.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The team will be coached by nonparent coaches (as many as possible) and will use a current college pitching coach when possible (if desired by the pitchers family). All coaches will be at least Level 3 ASA/ACE certified coaches. Developing through the NFCA coaches program will also be a focus. High positive, player development styles will be center stage. No screaming. No yelling. No mixed signals.
* The team will focus on fundraising as a way to fund the team and cover as much travel as possible. While we will keep the cost to the families as low as possible we will need to raise funds to run the team. We will have three different types of fundraisers - team, individual, and organizational.
* The team will develop professional player profiles (hard copy, electronic and DVD) for each player. These will be available online and we will have a profile book for coaches to review and take with them at tournaments. The DVD's we will use will be available for the families to send to the schools of choice. The profiles will follow the guidelines recommended by showcase specialists and college coaches responsible for recruiting.
* The coaches will be proactive in aiding the players in the recruiting process. Whether it is in scheduling events, contacting college coaches or volunteering at showcases - we will be active and very visible. Continuing, making and nurturing these relationships will help all the players. The team will aid in the NCAA Clearinghouse process. This is needed for a player to become eligible to play college sports.
* This team will employ a fairly strict "code of conduct" that coaches, players and families will adhere to. It is a long, exhausting journey. It is critical that everyone be on the same page and respect everyone involved - including others in the sport not involved with this team. The closeness of this team will add to their success.
Above all else a very fundamental thought will pervade -- Players play, coaches coach and parents sit in the stands eating hot dogs - and enjoy watching their daughters excel. It goes by very fast.
If after reading this and the 'news" page you think this team might be of interest to your family please contact us.
Thanks for taking a look at the Stingrays. Hopefully we can talk to discuss options.
Mark
flabucki81680@aol.com
|
