Top ten habits of  
highly recruited athletes

Here are the Top 10 Habits and Traits of Highly Recruited Athletes, according to Softball Smarts. Please CLICK HERE for the full story.

1. Great Work Ethic - These peak performers have a crazy work ethic, and are self-driven to get better each day.

2. Loves the Game - It's all good to them whenever they cross the white line and their love for the game is infectious!

3. Great Mental Focus - They have the unique ability to get into the zone and block out all distractions.

4. Expects Success for Oneself and Teammates - They have a consistent "can do" attitude and it is contagious on their team.

5. Student of the Game - They master the little things in their game and constantly look for ways to gain the edge.

6. Focuses on Effort, Not Outcome - They have learned to focus on the effort they give and not solely on the outcome of each at bat, play in the field or pitching performance. By focusing on putting forth maximum effort in the moment, they are able to frame mistakes as a learning opportunity.

7. Bounces Back from Adversity - They have a high level of self-confidence, expect success, while learning from mistakes. These peak performers do not get "stuck" when adversity and failure hits.

8. A Highly Developed Level of Self-Confidence - Without this trait, an athlete will never be highly recruited because the game is simply too hard to master without it.

9. Honors the Game - Top recruits have one thing in common...they respect the game and all the players in it. They honor their teammates, their coaches, their parents, the umpires, their opponents and mostly themselves.

10. Has a Plan of Action - These elite athletes all have clearly defined goals and well rehearsed pre-game, in-game and post-game rituals to insure they will perform their best. They have positive trigger phrases they use to get ready for an at bat. They prepare themselves mentally, "seeing" their success in advance. They can summon intense concentration and focus on demand. After the game they reflect on their performance positively and look for things they can work on in practice to get better. 

Click on any photo to enlarge

National championship play

starts today in Oklahoma City

The Women's College World Series (WCWS) starts today, Thursday, May 31, at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. 

The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three title game series to determine the Division I WCWS National Champion.

Eight teams that advanced to the WCWS: California (#1), LSU, USF, Oklahoma (#4), Arizona State (#3), Oregon (#11), Tennessee (#7), and Alabama (#2).

► Follow the games...

CLICK HERE for WCWS schedule.
CLICK HERE to keep track of scores. 

CLICK HERE for breakdown of WCWS squads.

CLICK HERE for ESPN-TV schedule. (Search for “softball”.)

► Watch for these Maryland stars...

Pasadena, Md, second base Lauren Gibson, #27 Tennessee Lady Vols

Arnold, Md, shortstop Kourtney Salvarola, #16 USF Bulls

Brief history of  

the windmill pitch

This article condense from a larger story at livestrong.com. Please CLICK HERE for the full story

Bertha Ragan Tickey

Fastpitch softball was played in major cities throughout the early 20th century. However, the first windmill pitch was not thrown until 1922.

It was Mike Lutomski, a Detroit school principal, who first tossed the underhand windmill pitch. It was not ruled a legal pitch until 4 years later.

Softball Hall of Famer Bertha Ragan Tickey is considered the first great women's windmill softball pitcher. The Dinuba, California native dominated, ultimatelty being recruited to play for Connecticut's legendary Raybestos Brakettes. Tickey pitched for nearly 40 years and won 757 games and pitched 168 no-hitters.

Eddie Feigner

Eddie Feigner led a barnstorming softball team called "The King and His Court" for 55 years. Feigner mastered windmill pitching and recorded 9,743 victories and 930 no-hitters between 1946 and 2001. His top pitch was once timed at 104 miles per hour. Feigner pitched in all 50 states and 98 countries. During a 1967 exhibition game at Dodger Stadium, Feigner struck out six major league stars in succession--Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. 

Harford Xtreme Showcase pitching squad. Click on photo to enlarge.

CLICK HERE for photo slideshow of Harford Xtreme Showcase games. The team finished 4-2 in gold bracket.

Memorial Day weekend...

SAT, SUN, MON
MAY 26, 27, 28

Memorial Day Madness fastpitch softball tournament, Hagerstown Fairgorunds, Md... 

HARFORD XTREME SHOWCASE

Game times, location, and Harford Xtreme Showcase's opponent... 

► Saturday  

Hagerstown Fairgrounds, MD 

12:20 Xtreme vs Halton Hills Hawks, Georgetown, Ontario  
03:40 Xtreme vs Intensity (Keefer), Dillsburg, PA  
05:20 Xtreme vs Riptide Rampage, Rockville Centre, NY 

► Sunday  

Hagerstown Fairgrounds, MD 

8:00 Xtreme vs Pocono Pride, Mount Pocono, PA  
9:40 Xtreme vs Susquehanna Slam, Hummelstown, PA  
1:00 Xtreme vs Avalanche, Summerdale, PA 

CLICK HERE for the full Saturday, Sunday 18U Memorial Day Madness schedule. 

 

► Monday

Double elimination play

Hagerstown Fairgrounds softball fields

TEAM COACHES

Harford Xtreme Showcase

Head Coach, Charlie Weimer, 443-807- 1400, excelfouru@yahoo.com  

College/ University Recruiting Coordinator, Joel Morris, 301-275-6122, coachjoelcacs@gmail.com.  

CLICK HERE for contact information on all Xtreme coaches.

TEAM HOTEL: 

Comfort Inn & Suites  
301-739-9050 

920 Dual Hwy,   

Hagerstown, MD  

How to hit a rise ball...  

Pitch looks down-the-middle, 

next you’re whiffing under it!
 

This post condensed from a much larger article at iSport. Please click here to read the full story.

A good rise ball does not start high or out of the zone, but rather rises immediately upon crossing over the plate. 

Here are ideas for how to best bat against it...

► Set up: Stand in front or back of the box; pick one.

In front of box: Challenge pitcher to make pitch break before it crosses the plate. Otherwise, it is more of a down-the-middle pitch.

In back of box: Challenges the pitcher to keep her rise ball perfect. Umpire more likely to call a ball for pitch rising out of strike zone.

 

► The right swing: Regardless of where the batter stands in the box, pop-ups can be prevented by keeping hands high, and swing on either a linear or downward plane.
 

► Keep hands high: and swing linear, but on a higher plane than normal. Professional players facing a rise ball never drop their hands. And as obvious as it may be, never drop the back shoulder when swinging at a rise ball!
 

► Keep swing linear or downward: Upward swing simply adds more upward spin to ball and results in pop up. 

Keep swing linear, though starting higher and remaining on a higher (but still linear) plane. 

As an alternative, simply swing downward on the ball. By over exaggerating a downward swing (still starting with the hands higher than normal), the batter should be able to chop down on the ball, eliminating its upward spin.
 

► Challenge the pitcher: You just have to be ready for it!

USA message boards

Learn about, share 

fastpitch ideas online

There are dozens of online forums for the great game of fastpitch softball.

Their benefits boost the sport through the exchange of ideas with diverse coaches, parents, players, and officials from near and far. 

The chat between fans open opportunities to develop new ideas and refine your own thoughts on a myriad of softball subjects, learn of new local happenings, significant and trivial, large and small, as well as pick up reactions to breaking national news about the sport. The forums offer the chance to become part of a special community of enthusiasts.

You can surf the message boards to read and learn quietly from afar or dive right into them with active participation. Almost every one of the forums are free, though all require a sign up process for posting comments.

If you do post anything, please mention the Harford Xtreme Showcase homepage address of www.harfordxtremegold.com whenever and wherever possible, assuming the rules of the forum permit it.

Remember, the most effective and welcomed participants at any forum are always those most courteous, no matter the level or intensity of the discussion. 

Here are links to half a dozen online boards from across the USA...

► USSSA DE/MD forum is the most popular locally. It's the place for Maryland and Delaware travel-ball openings, but also for general information, buying and selling equipment, umpire discussions, and questions about playing rules.

► Discuss Fastpitch Forum's stated goal is to “offer a place where fastpitch fanatics can learn, grow, exchange stories, share triumphs and tragedies, and generally commiserate about the game we love.”

► Fastpitch eteamz threads sweep across the country for club news and questions.

► Softball Channel Forums run the gamut from high school to college to international play and Team USA.

► Hey Bucket boards are very popular, though orientated to the southwest and west coast.

► 43FT chat bills itself as “USA's premiere Fastpitch Softball Forum and is the place for positive conversations about softball.” It promises that members “not get bashed or ridiculed for your opinions or information.”

Upcoming tournaments...

This weekend:

Hagerstown Fairgrounds, Md

Memorial Day Madness  

CLICK HERE for game schedule 

Summer weekday evenings:  

Bel Air, Md

Women's Fastpitch League

CLICK HERE for game schedule 

Two weeks away:

New Jersey's

East Coast 

Summer Tourney
Saturday, Sunday, 

June 9th & 10th

Outlaws homepage:   

www.eteamz.com/njoutlaws18
 

Harford Xtreme 

Showcase games

Fields at...

West Deptford Park,  

Metropolitian Dr,  

West Deptford, NJ
 

Saturday, June 9

8:00 AM: Xtreme versus  

Jersey Inferno Elite

1:00 PM: Xtreme versus  

Central Jersey Lightning Gold

2:40 PM: Xtreme versus  

Sudden Impact Elite

Sunday, June 10

Elimination play 

Xtreme ready to play!  
Last preseason practice,  
summer tournaments next


Today, Sunday, May 20, 2012, Harford Xtreme Showcase held their final preseason practice at Archbishop Spalding High School, Severn, Md. 

The first tournament of the team's summer travel-ball season begins next Saturday at the three-day, eight game minimum, Memorial Day Madness venue, Hagerstown Fairgrounds.
 
Click on the arrow below for a slideshow of a few photos from the workout...

Improve contact...  

How to identify different  

fastpitch breaking balls

Condensed from a much longer article posted by Jeremy Hoefs at livestrong.com. 

Please CLICK HERE for the full story.

5 steps toward improving your ability to make contact with different softball pitches... 

► Watch delivery

Look for changes in the pitcher’s body position and hand position in the glove during the delivery. Some softball pitchers will change their arm angles, hand positions or glove angles with different pitches... 

► Identify patterns

Learn the pitcher’s tendencies to throw different pitches in certain situations...

► Look for release

Watch the hand angle of the pitcher upon release... Keep your eyes focused on the pitcher and find a central focal point near the release area.

► Note spin

Track the ball into the hitting zone and look for the spin on the ball...

► Know strike zone

Make the pitcher throw you a strike before trying to make contact.

8 game guarantee  

Memorial Day weekend

launches Xtreme's season


We are a week away from the first 2012 weekend tournament for the 18U Harford Xtreme Showcase.

It will all begin with the Memorial Day Madness fastpitch tournament, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, May 26, 27, 28, 2012. 

The event seeks out the best quality teams, including many top squads on the East Coast. Teams will travel from as far away as Alberta, Canada!

Venues for the games are located in Hagerstown, MD, and South Central PA. There's a total of 12-14 complexes and 45-50 fields. The age divisions are 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 & U with as many as 60 teams in some age groups.

Six pool games played into elimination with gold, silver, and bronze brackets for championship play (based on seeding). All teams earn a game MVP medal for every contest. A team can play up to 10 games!

Most teams start playing between 8:00 and 9:00 AM with three games on Saturday and three games on Sunday. Championship play begins Monday with all teams in two or more games.

HARFORD XTREME SHOWCASE GAMES:

Game times, location, and Harford Xtreme Showcase's opponent...

Saturday  

Hagerstown Fairgrounds, MD

12:20 Xtreme vs Halton Hills Hawks, Georgetown, Ontario  
03:40 Xtreme vs Intensity (Keefer), Dillsburg, PA  
05:20 Xtreme vs Riptide Rampage, Rockville Centre, NY

Sunday  

Hagerstown Fairgrounds, MD

8:00 Xtreme vs Pocono Pride, Mount Pocono, PA  
9:40 Xtreme vs Susquehanna Slam, Hummelstown, PA  
1:00 Xtreme vs Avalanche, Summerdale, PA

CLICK HERE for the full Saturday, Sunday 18U Memorial Day Madness schedule.

TEAM COACHES

Harford Xtreme Showcase

Head Coach, Charlie Weimer, 443-807- 1400, excelfouru@yahoo.com  

College/ University Recruiting Coordinator, Joel Morris, 301-275-6122, coachjoelcacs@gmail.com. 

CLICK HERE for contact information on all Xtreme coaches.

TEAM HOTEL:

Comfort Inn & Suites  
301-739-9050 

920 Dual Hwy,   

Hagerstown, MD  

PARTICIPATING 18U TOURNAMENT TEAMS: Twenty-nine organizations from Florida, Maryland, Ontario (Canada), New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia!  

Ajax Raiders,Whitby, Ontario... Avalanche, Summerdale, PA... Bayside Blues, Dunkirk,MD... Berwyn Bandits, Berwyn, PA... Catonsville Choas, Catonsville, MD... Chesapeake Lady Chargers, Jarrettsville, MD... Conklin Lady Pirates, Conklin, NY... Halton Hills Hawks, Georgetown, ON... Harford Xtreme Showcase, Bel Air, MD... Heartbreakers Gold, Woodsboro, MD... Lady Orioles Gold, Glen Burnie, MD... LI Riptide Rampage, Rockville Centre, NY... Maryland Black Ice, Reisterstown, MD... Maryland Chill, Arnold, MD... Maryland Crush, Huntingtown, MD... Maryland Stars, Woodbine, MD... PA Ball Hawks, Jacobus, PA...PA Intensity (keefer), Dillsburg, PA... PA Shooting Stars, Lititz, PA... Pocono Pride, Mount Pocono, PA... Severna Park Hornets Gold, Severna Park, MD... Southern Maryland Shockers, Mechanicsville, MD... Susquehanna Valley Slam, Hummelstown, PA... The Jersey Jaguars, CM, Sicklerville, NJ... Tri-State Thunder, Harpers Ferry, WV... Tri-State Thunder Gold, Martinsburg, WV... Wagner's - Sports 55, Temple Terrace, FL... WHC Fever,Marriottsville, MD.

"No Limit" rules  

She can be as good  

as she wants to be!

Condensed from a much larger article posted at Softball Smarts. Please CLICK HERE for the full story.

“... behaviors of a "No Limit" player that truly has no boundaries to her success:

“1. Attitude - she believes she can be the best if she works hard enough... She sees mistakes as part of the mastery process and pushes through adversity with a smile.

 ______________________________________________________

Harford Xtreme Showcase “no limit” atheletes (L-to-R) OF, 3rd, U, Catcher Emma Mires (Class of 2014), 1b, 2b Caroline Weimer (Class of 2015),  2B, OF Sara Conboy (Class of 2014), 2B, 3rd, Catcher Lori Sena (Class of 2014).

Click on photo to enlarge

 ___________________________________________________________

 “2. Work Ethic - because she believes she can be as good as she wants she has a crazy work ethic, and is driven to be her absolute best. She challenges herself to work harder physically and mentally each time she steps on the field, in the cage or gym. She pushes herself beyond fatigue and the limitations of others. She defines what is possible for her, and no one else.

“3. Passion - she loves the game and as a result has no time reference to her training. She'll workout all day because she loves playing...

“4. Goals - the "no limit" athlete has specific goals that challenge her to get better in all parts of her game. She uses these goals as benchmarks to gauge her progress. These goals include conditioning, strength, mental skills and physical skills training...

“5. Thinking - it always begins with her thoughts about herself and her self-image of what she believes is possible... If she truly possesses "no limit" thinking she will "see" her greatness far in advance and expect that success as firmly as she believes Sunday follows Saturday. To her unlimited success is a mathematical certainty.

“Ultimately if your athlete can summon the "no limit" belief system there truly is no limit to what she can achieve on the field. Will it be easy...absolutely not. But when she is tired or fatigued, or has just struck out or made an error that little voice inside her head will dictate what comes next... she will see it as a challenge and work harder...

“...it is her choice for how much success she achieves.”