THESE GIRLS CAN PLAY!

Have you ever been to watch a high school ladies softball game?   Before I kicked off the publishing of The South Charlotte Sports Report, my answer was No.   I had no clue what I was missing!  The action is fast paced, the players are some of the most hard working athletes around and the games are full of strategic decisions.   The South Charlotte community is loaded with talented softball players.  Many local players have gone on to play key roles for some of the top softball programs in the country.  The 2009 high school softball season promised to be loaded with excitement.

The top question on the minds of softball fans in the area is;  Can Butler win yet another state championship?   The answer?  Maybe,,,,,  The loss of Constance Orr who is now pitching for UNC-Chapel Hill is huge.  Orr controlled the pitchers mound last season,  and now is one of the leading pitchers at UNC Chapel Hill .  Butler still has plenty of talent, including Chelsea Stamey and Kelsey Spurrier.  New players will have to step into key roles for The Bulldogs to continue their amazing run of titles.

Other local teams are hungry to grab the top spot in the Southwestern 4A Conference if Butler were to fall from the top.   Weddington High School returns Allie Cashion, Jessica Fellmuth and Taylor Morris, three of the top players in the community.  Allie is one of the top all-around athletes in the area and this will be her final go around in high school.  She would like nothing more than to close her career with a conference championship.

Providence will be much improved this year as well.  Led by Leah Quant Sarah Casella and Missy Wills, the Panthers play together as a team and set very high goals for themselves.  The team has worked hard all offseason in anticipation of a run at the conference title.

Ardrey Kell will be led by The Greater Charlotte Hot Stove League Softball Player of the Year, Kalie Lang.  Kalie is full of determination and should be a major force both on the mound and at third base for The Knights.  Jen Rosene will also provide solid pitching for the team.   Mickey Williams and Stephanie Wood round out a nice quartet of talented softball players.

Marvin Ridge is building quite a softball program with the best young talent in the area.  Behind Caitlin Kurtz, Erin Kayton, Erin and Megan Robertson,  and Ashley Christie, The Mavericks will become a force in the 3A classification the next few years.   Softball at Marvin Ridge has received a real boost from the dedication of a few local parents to travel softball programs.

Charlotte Catholic, Charlotte Christian, Providence Day and South Meck will all hope to pull a few upsets this season as they continue to build their programs.

Many of these players will be rewarded at the end of the season with a selection to  the softball all star games at The BATTLE OF THE BORDER ALL STAR SHOWCASE.  This unique event is co-owned by The South Charlotte Sports Report.  Nominations are now being accepted for the all star game on June 23rd at Winthrop University.  The top talent showcase in the North Carolina / South Carolina region will also be held on June 22nd.  To register for this event and showcase your skills to over 30 college softball coaches, please visit www.battleonthebordershowcase.com

Any article on high school softball in South Charlotte would be incomplete without taking the time to mention area travel softball programs.  A very dedicated group of parents and coaches have been working hard for many years to establish top programs in the South Charlotte community.  These younger teams have traveled across the country in search of the best competition and in turn the players have improved by leaps and bounds.  The South Charlotte Sports Report wants to take a moment to encourage every parents of a young girl to explore softball opportunities in the area.  It's a super game and there is an abundance of great coaching available in the area.  If you have an open afternoon, take your daughter out to the ballpark.  Trust me when I say today's softball is a lot different from yesterday's version of slow pitch softball!

CAN I COACH THIS TEAM?

I would love the opportunity to coach this group of softball players.  The amount of talent on this team would shock most teams across the country.  Even I, could coach these young ladies to victory!  --- Tripp Roakes

Kalie Lang                Ardrey Kell
Jen Rosene            Ardrey Kell
Mickey Williams     Ardrey Kell
Stephanie Wood    Ardrey Kell
Kelsey Spurrier    Butler
Chelsea Stamey    Butler
Taylor White    Butler
Jessie Rappe        Butler
 Kelsey Ingersol     Butler
Dani Monroe        Catholic
Kaitlin Curtz        Marvin Ridge
Erin Kayton        Marvin Ridge
Erin Robertson    Marvin Ridge
Megan Robertson    Marvin Ridge
Emily Scott                Myers Park
Missy Wills            Providence
Leah Quant            Providence
Elena Covert        Providence