Video
Jennie on
TOUGH LOVE

Tomorrow...

Pitcher/ outfielder Lily Engel (pictured above) will represent the Harford Xtreme Showcase travel club fastpitch team at the11th Annual Top College Coaches Clinic tomorrow, Wednesday, June 27, in Quakertown, Pa.

Athletes will demonstrate pitching, infield/outfield, hitting and base running skills before college recruiters.

The clinic runs from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM in the afternoon before the TNT Summer Showcase softball tournament kicks off for four days of games beginning Thursday morning, June 28.

This week...

Harford Xtreme Showcase

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

► Thursday, June 28

Field: Freshman Center 349 S 9th St. Quakertown

1:30 PM NY Duchess Debs versus Xtreme

6:00 PM NJ Finches Aces versus Xtreme

► Friday, June 29

Field: Veterans Park 145 E Pumping Station Rd, Quakertown

10:30 AM LI Frozen Ropes Select versus Xtreme

12:00 NOON Jersey Inferno Elite Gold versus Xtreme

► Saturday, June 30

Field: Camelot Park 1124 Church Rd, East Greenville

7:30 AM VA  Lady Thunder Gold versus Xtreme

12 NOON PA Intensity versus Xtreme

Team hotel: 

Holiday Inn,

904 West Hamilton, 

Allentown, PA

Softball is finding a way,

Softball is total commitment

Click on the arrow below for video about what the game means to the dedicated...

Photos posted

Weekend's tournament

showcases Xtreme talent

“The Rock” June Summer Showcase fastpitch softball tournament lived up to its reputation on its Pennsylvania diamonds yesterday and today.

College coaches crowded the backstop for key contests, elite teams from the northeast competed against each other, the weather: 88 degrees, clear, blue sky with a constant cool breeze! And, Harford Xtreme Showcase played “xtremely” well.

CLICK HERE for photos from Xtreme's play. The first 40 photos of the slideshow are from this past weekend's games...

Click on photo collage above to enlarge. Click here to view individual photos.

June 23, 24

THIS WEEKEND'S

TOURNAMENT GAMES

Harford Xtreme Showcase's schedule...

CLICK HERE for field location 

CLICK HERE for team hotel
CLICK HERE for weather forecast

CLICK HERE for more information

CLICK HERE for “The Rock” homepage
CLICK HERE for Harford Xtreme homepage

 

Half-dozen tourneys ahead

DOUBLEHEADER

THURSDAY EVENING

Summer kicked off today, Wednesday, with a blistering heat wave that promises to dog the Harford Xtreme Showcase through the 2012 June, July, and August months crammed with competitive fastpitch softball.

The Xtreme will play a late evening doubleheader, Thursday, June 21, at Harford Community College, Harford Sports Complex, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, Maryland.

8:00 PM June 21: Xtreme vs. Madness 

9:30 PM June 21: Stars vs. Xtreme 

After Thursday, the Xtreme will head out for five consecutive weeks of showcase tournaments.

► A PA TRIO...

The tournament this weekend is The Rock Summer Showcase (Southampton, PA), followed the next week by the TNT Summer Showcase (Quakertown, PA), before the highly competitive PGF Northeast National Qualifier (Newtown, PA) games begin right after July 4th.

► GOING SOUTH...

Then, the team travels south in July to The Hot Times Classic (Florence, SC) and The Carolina Cardinal's Classic (Raleigh, NC).

► BACK HOME...

The Xtreme will return to the Harford summer league again for another doubleheader on Wednesday, July 25.

► NORTH TO NEW ENGLAND...

After that, the final games of the summer conclude in August with New England's Finest Showcase (Plainville, MA).

CLICK HERE for the summer league schedule

CLICK HERE for the showcase tournament schedule

National Pro Fastpitch

season off to exciting start

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is moving into its third week of the 2012 season with the defending 2011 Cowles Cup Championship Series Champions, Chicago Bandits, in first place at 6 wins and 2 losses.

The 2011 Regular Season Ringor Cup Champions, USSSA Florida Pride, and the Akron Racers are both playing .500 ball in a second place tie with four wins and loses.

The newcomer team, Carolina Diamonds, rounds out the field with just two wins in their eight games.

This past weekend included one hitters by last years Co-Pitchers of the Year, Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman.

Cat Osterman

CLICK HERE to keep tabs on all the pro action.

In the video below, Caitlin Lowe of Florida makes a diving grab in the top of the 8th vs Akron. 

Update

TNT showcase readies for

big tournament next week

The organizers of Quakertown's “2012 TNT Summer Showcase” fastpitch softball tournament report that the limit of teams accepted will be reached before play begins next week, Thursday, June 28 through Sunday, July 1.

The Harford Xtreme Showcase travel-ball club will be competing at the games.

Last year over 130 college coaches attended to watch 132 teams in total from 28 states and two countries, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, Washington and California.

The venue is the beautiful Veterans Softball Complex, 145 E Pumping Station Rd, Quakertown, Pa.

CLICK HERE for a list of colleges and universities that have previously attended TNT tournaments.

ON THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR, June 27, a “Top College Clinic” event will be held.

At the clinic, players will demonstrate their skills in pitching, catching, infield/outfield, hitting and base running before college recruiters. (Pitchers must supply a catcher.)

College coaches will interact individually with each athlete, assessing talent and personality. Coaches in their area of specialty will conduct sessions on defense (infield, outfield, catchers, and pitchers) and move to offense (hitting, slapping, bunting, base running).

Time will be allocated for players to talk to coaches and learn firsthand about the different college programs and opportunities.

---------------------------------

THIS WEEKEND, Saturday & Sunday, June 23 & 24...

Harford Xtreme Showcase will be playing at “The Rock Gold Summer Showcase”, PA.

CLICK HERE for games & field locations.

---------------------------------

The graphic below is of the Veterans Softball Complex, Quakertown, PA, where TNT tournament games are held. 

Terrapin signed 

by Chicago Bandits

Vangie Galindo

Outfielder Vangie Galindo of the Maryland Terrapins has joined the pro roster of the Chicago Bandits.

Vangie has earned First Team All-Region honors for two years running and was selected to the All-ACC Teams last week. She owns Maryland records in career hits and stolen bases, most hits in a season and best batting average in a season. Her .341 career batting average is No. 1 in school history.

CLICK HERE for the full story.

"Never be satisfied!"

An ESPN Profile:

softball great Lisa Fernandez

CLICK HERE for the full ESPN story

Marking the 40th anniversary of Title IX, ESPN has listed softball pitcher Lisa Fernandez #18 on the list of the top 40 female athletes of the past 40 years.

Lisa Fernandez

Softball player Lisa Fernandez certainly posted some impressive numbers: Three Olympic gold medals with Team USA, two national championships at UCLA, a 93-7 college record that included 74 shutouts and 11 no-hitters and three national player of the year awards. 

"There was no player who worked harder than Lisa Fernandez," says Sue Enquist, her former coach at UCLA. "She will be the first one to tell you she wasn't granted huge gifts. But she had will and work ethic and stamina -- and a mental toughness unlike any I've ever seen in another player." 

Click the arrow below for video of Lisa Fernandez.
 

Dads, non-dads...

Happy Father's Day! to all

participating in a child's life

Below are a few clips from a much longer column titled “Father’s Day Isn’t Just For Fathers” by Heather Ziegler of The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register.

Please CLICK HERE to read the full piece.

“So much has been written or reported about deadbeat dads...

“But what about the men who step up to the plate and do the right thing by their children.

“Whether married, single or divorced, there are plenty of guys out there who "get it" when it comes to being a dad...

“The other evening on one of my walks about town to exercise these 57-year-old bones, I saw signs that fatherhood is still alive and doing well.

“The steady sound of a softball hitting a gloved hand caught my ear before I saw the dad catching his daughter's impressive pitches. It was late evening and I'm sure that guy had put in a full day's work before heading out into the yard with his daughter. He probably never misses his daughter's games if at all possible...

“There are many more. The coaches, Scout leaders, clergymen and camp counselors who give their time to our children may not be fathers, but they have a place in their lives.

“This Sunday is a good time to say thanks to all the dads and non-dads who just 'get it.'

“Happy Father's Day to all.”

Two doubleheaders

Summer league games

on again next week

Next week's Harford Community College summer league games continue for the Harford Xtreme Showcase travel-team with two doubleheaders on Monday and Thursday nights. Both start at 8:00 PM under the lights.

►MONDAY

8:00 PM, June 18: Xtreme vs. Bengies (Field #2)

9:30 PM, June 18: Pride vs. Xtreme (Field #1)

►THURSDAY

8:00 PM, June 21: Xtreme vs. Madness (Field #2)

9:30 PM, June 21: Stars vs. Xtreme (Field #2)

Fields: Harford Community College, Harford Sports Complex, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, Maryland.

Only four photos from last night's doubleheader have been added to the “Summer Games 2012” photo slideshow (see collage below). The evening light of the summer league games makes it difficult to take stop-action or even clear pictures with our equipment. That means next week's late starts will greatly limit the shots taken.

Click here for the full summer league schedule

Click here for the Summer Games 2012 slideshow

Avoid sugar

Best & worst drinks

before seven innings

Condensed from a much longer Fox News article. Click here for the full story.

“... the beverage industry has inundated us with a plethora of energy and sports drinks that claim to be improve performance and increase endurance. It is easy to get caught up in the hype and chose a drink without really knowing if it will actually help or harm you exercise regimen.

“One thing that is for certain is it is important to stay hydrate during exercise. Keeping well hydrated allows you to replenish fluids lost as you exercise, preventing you from getting dehydrated, which can be deadly if severe. The best way to avoid dehydration during exercise is to drink fluids before, during, and after your workout.

The BYU Athletic Department used exploding water as part of this year’s softball team poster. It is no surprise, of course, that water is the best sports drink. See video below for how the exploding water posters were created.

“The only question that remains is what drink is the best choice. The key is to keep an eye on the nutritional labels when perusing the beverage aisle of the grocery store. Sugar and fat can slow down your workout by giving you a sugar crash, cramps, nausea, and even diarrhea, so high amounts of these nutrients should be avoided. Electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium are lost from your body when you sweat so drinks that contain them may be a good way to either prevent the loss from being too great or to replenish what you have already lost.”

BEST DRINKS

Water

“There is nothing better than water for your workout. A classic choice, water gives you what you need to stay hydrated during your workout and is the best way to replace lost fluids. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, try to drink two to three cups of water during the two to three hours before exercise.”

Zico Coconut Water ($2.49 for a 14-ounce bottle)

“Coconut is quite the trend recently, and for good reason. It naturally contains the potassium, sodium, and magnesium that sports drink companies pump their drinks with. It also contains less sugar then traditional sports drinks like Gatorade (12 grams of sugar in a 14-ounce serving as opposed to 14 grams of sugar in 8 ounces of Gatorade).”

Low Sodium V8 Juice ($3.79 for a 46-ounce bottle)

“Packed with vegetables, V8 is a great source of potassium and sodium, two electrolytes you sweat out during intense exercise. Choose the low sodium variety, as it still supplies plenty of sodium for your workout. Try drinking an 8-ounce glass an hour before you exercise to get 900 mg of potassium (20 percent of your daily needs!) and 140 mg of sodium.”

WORST DRINKS

Coca-Cola ($1.49 for 2 liters)

“It is a well-known fact that soda is nutritionally void and loaded with sugar, so it should come as no surprise that is a poor choice for your pre-workout drink. Sodas high sugar content on top of its carbonation can lead to not only a sugar crash but also stomach cramps and nausea during your workout.”

Minute Maid Lemonade ($2.29 for 64 ounces)

“The store-bought varieties of this classic beverage are made with the same sweeteners as soda and contain just as much sugar. So the damaging effects of lemonade on your workouts are the same as soda. If you crave that citrus kick, try making flavored water by soaking lemons or limes in ice water.”

Rockstar Energy Drink

“There are rows upon rows of energy drinks at the grocery store these days. They all claim to provide the energy you need to power through anything, whether it's an intense workout or a long day at the office. But what isnt mentioned is the high amount of calories and sugar found in these drinks. Rockstar is one of the worst, with one 16-ounce can coming in at 280 calories and 62 grams of sugar.

Click on arrow below for BYU "production video" of exploding water posters...

 

Airs Saturday, June 23

Documentary celebrates

Title IX 40th anniversary

A NCAA/ ESPN/ Creative Street Entertainment will premiere a documentary titled “Sporting Chance” (presented by Northwestern Mutual) to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX on ESPN2 at noon ET June 23, the anniversary date of Title IX.

This story condensed from a much larger article at NCAA.com. Please click here for the full article.

Black & white photo is of Rose the Riveter, 

a cultural icon of women's empowerment. 

Rosie, a munitions worker of 40s,

 replaced men who were away at war.

“The one-hour documentary tells the emotional story of the landmark passage of Title IX and explores how this law has increased educational opportunities and athletic participation, specifically for women, during the past 40 years. Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law that states: 'No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance'...

The documentary features interviews with the trailblazers who fought tirelessly for the passage of Title IX; women who were on campus during the early days of Title IX; and student-athletes who have benefitted from Title IX and achieved success through sports in its 40 years...

“A DVD of the documentary will be available for purchase on June 23, and educational materials will be available at a later date in collaboration with the National Federation of State High School Associations.”

Below, video preview of Title IX documentary. 
Click on arrow to watch it.

June 14 & 18...

Thursday, Monday...

DOUBLEHEADERS

Harford Xtreme Showcase games

Field: Harford Community College, Harford Sports Complex, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, Maryland.

► Thursday

6:30 PM Thursday, June 14:
Pride vs. Xtreme (Field #1)

8:00 PM Thursday, June 14:
Xtreme vs. Rage (Field #1)

► Monday

8:00 PM Monday, June 18:
 Xtreme vs. Bengies (Field #2)

9:30 PM Monday, June 18:
Pride vs. Xtreme (Field #1)

Click here for Harford Xtreme Showcase's full summer league schedule.

Next tournament for

Harford Xtreme Showcase

60 teams,

Saturday, 84 games

Sunday, 68 games

FIELDS

Xtreme

playing at:

Council Rock

High School South

2002 Rock Way, 

Southampton, PA

WEATHER

Click here for

weather forecast

SATURDAY

June 23, 2012

►1:00 PM

Lower Bucks  

Lady Lions Red (PA)

vs Harford Xtreme  

► 4:20 PM

Harford Xtreme

vs Finch's Aces (NJ)

►6:00 PM

Harford Xtreme

vs Witches (NJ)

SUNDAY

June 24, 2012

►8:00 AM

Breakers Blue (CT)

vs Harford Xtreme  

►11:20 AM

Harford Xtreme

vs Howell Heat (NJ) 

ACCOMMODATIONS

Xtreme Hotel:

Days Inn, 
(215) 674-2500

245 Easton Road,

Horsham, PA

Harford Xtreme Showcase team...

Photos will chronicle

2012 summer games

On the right hand side of this blog, you will find a new photo sideshow of pictures from the Harford Xtreme Showcase's 2012 summer games.

It is titled “SUMMER GAMES 2012”. It appears right under “TEAM & PLAYERS PICTURES” slideshow.

This summer games sideshow will be updated on a regular basis. Please check it frequently.

New pictures of the team in action from the local weekday summer league to the more distant venues of New England to South Carolina will be added once or twice a week. New photos always will appear as the very first pictures in the sideshow album.

Parents, relatives, and friends attending the games with cameras are encouraged to share their own photos for the sideshow now or anytime during the season by emailing the shots to xtremeshowcaseblog@gmail.com.

The new “SUMMER GAMES 2012” photo slideshow (pictured above) can be found on the right hand side of this blog where it will be permanently anchored now through this August or longer.

► CLICK HERE to bookmark or go directly to the slideshow album.◄

Keys to recruiting,
insider ESPN tips

Condensed from a much larger article at NCSA Athletic Recruiting. Please click here for the full story.

“What do college coaches look for in recruits?

“Paul Biancardi, basketball recruiting analyst for ESPN, spoke at Dan Tudor’s National Collegiate Recruiting Conference in Boston recently...

“While this is basketball centered, recruits in all sports can learn important information here...

► “When looking at recruits, think of the word CAT: character, academics, talent.”

“When talented players make good choices and develop good habits, they maximize their talent. Talent gives them a chance to be great, but they have to maximize it.”

► Paul also shared powerful information on the four P’s:

“One, performance.”

“Two, production. You are what you repeatedly do. College coaches love consistency...

“Three, potential. You hear that the prospect could turn into a player. You have to ask yourself: does that athlete believe in their potential and their ‘why’? If they don’t believe, why should you as a coach?

“Be on the look out for that athlete that sets a standard higher than his coach or his family...

“Four, projection. When you look at a recruit, they have to be someone that you can project to be a starter or role player. When will they be?

► Biancardi then shared the 5 Keys to Greatness in Recruits:

“One, love for the game! That athlete will invest the time to be great. The coach doesn’t have to say passion, focus or intensity because they know those things...

“Two, look for players that respect the game. Everyone in the game: teammates, their own coaches and opposing coaches, the officials, and the fans. Even the media. A player that respects the game is grateful and not entitled...

“Three, a player that prepares for the game. Who is first to show and last to go at practice? … there are two types of players: ‘Feel like it’ or ‘everyday’ players. The first kind works and prepares when he or she feels like it. The second one brings it every day! People ask me when you start preparing for the next season. Answer: When your season is over.”

“The fourth key for greatness in recruits is those that are adding to their game. Are they trying to prove themselves or improve themselves? Big difference.”

“Five. Learn the game. You want recruits that can beat people with their bodies and their mind.”