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Mobile Thrillers promote local softball talent
By JOEY WARNER
The Mobile Thrillers girls fast-pitch softball organization is a group of outstanding young ladies that fields teams in ages divisions 10-and-under to 18-and-under. Teams are comprised of players mainly from Mobile County with some from Baldwin County and Escambia County, FL.
Derek Walters, a high school coach and a past coach in the Thrillers organization, is the President of the Mobile Girls Softball Association.
“We formed the Mobile Girls Softball Association (MGSA) as a non-profit organization to allow teams to participate under the non profit status and the teams that participate go under the Mobile Thrillersname,” Walters said. “We currently have one 18U, one 16U, two 14U, two 12U and one 10U teams.”
The Mobile Thrillers is a softball organization that provides young players with a platform to gain exposure and help build opportunities for higher education.
“We invite other teams to join with us as long as they are willing to operate within the parameters of our organization,” Walters said. “The main goal of our organization is to promote girls softball and supply a vehicle for them to play at a high level of competition and obtain college scholarships to play softball.”
This is accomplished by competing in high caliber tournaments and teaching correct fundamental skills along with other life lessons to build top notch players who are motivated to taking their game to a higher level.
“You don't just get into these tournaments by just applying. You have to have history and name recognition at a national level.” Walters said. “The Thrillers organization is recognized nationally by the travel organizations and by the colleges. This is all because of our past history of putting quality teams on the field and playing in competitive tournaments. We want to play nationally not just around here.”
According to Chuck Allman (Thrillers 94 Head Coach), the experiences gained will teach each the athlete how to deal with success and failure, and how to reach both long and short term goals.
“We believe and teach that hard work, good sportsmanship and team play are keys to being successful both in sofball and life,” Allman said. “The Thrillers organization allows each player to reach their full potential as a softball player, person and teammate and this will enable them to reach any goals that are attainable according to their educational needs and playing ability.”
On behalf of the entire Thrillers’ organization, Allman would like to offer the deepest gratitude to its wonderful parents, which makes everything possible with the commitment and dedication they put forth.
Bob Bickert, who coaches Generation X Thrillers, one of two 14U teams, and serves as the secretary for the Thrillers, is instrumental in the operation of the organization.
“One of our goals is to get as much coaching talent as possible in one organization and the coaches can learn from each other,” Bickert said. “We have some control of the coaches within our organization. We vote on and approve each coach. We want our coaches to instill in the players the qualities and behavior values we are trying teach.”
Bickert said that the goal is to create one main highly visible travel organization consisting of players from Mobile and the surrounding area that want to play high-level travel softball.
“We combine Thrillers’ coaches and players with the resources available at our local colleges to gain individual skill development through hitting, pitching and defensive lessons and attend their clinics while it helps promote the individual skills of our players,” Bickert said. “We don’t want to offend anybody by thinking we get all the best players because there are other teams around this area that have great players.”
According to Walters, Bob Bickert is very influential in this organization and he is a driving force behind the younger teams.
Walters said that the Thrillers networking with Becky Clark, coach at the University of South Alabama; coach Terri McCormick at the University of Mobile and coach Alison Sellers Cook at Spring Hill College is a way to get name recognition and credibility locally. The networking with these coaches also connects us nationally with other college coaches. We also push our coaches to belong to the NFCA a National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Doing this gives our coach’s access to Instruction at a national level and also lends itself to more credibility of the organization.
“We educate kids at 12 and 14 years old, their parents and coaches about what it takes to get recruited in to the collegiate level then when they turn 16, we start promoting the player,” Walters said. “In the summer, we travel to tournaments to try to obtain berths to National tournaments and also go to exposure tournaments.”
In the Fall, Walters said that he and Brian Callaway, who is a past coach and vice-president of the Thrillers, develop an "Exposure Team" with the older girls that travel quite extensively while the younger girls play in tournaments along the Gulf Coast to try to get better.
The "Exposure Team" has played local college teams like University of Mobile and Spring Hill College as well as schools like West-Florida University, Pensacola Junior College, Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Niceville, FL and Jeff Davis Community College in Brewton. Playing these College teams gets the girls used to playing at a higher level and also gets them used to playing In front of College coaches. The team has played in exposure tournaments like the Rising Stars tournament in Plantation, FL, the Dynamite Classic in South Carolina, the Southeastern Exposure tournament In Birmingham, Al and the Ronald McDonald tournament in Houston, TX.
“We have played in National tournaments that attract 200 or 300 college coaches in places like Broken Arrow, OK; Midland, TX; Beaumont, TX; and other cities throughout the United States," Walters said.
“We do a lot of traveling promoting these girls and it costs a lot of money to do so. We invite people to stand with us and we need help to continue to pursue our goal to promote softball and the local area nationally,” Walters said. “We ask the general public to help our ladies achieve their goals in softball and life by contributing to this team and our organization. We assure that every penny of donations will go toward paying for expenses we incur while participating in these events.”
Members of the 2007 fall exposure team were Mackinzee Bond, Hannah Campbell, Lannah Campbell, Lizzie Clough, Kelsey Cooper, Aubrey Deakle, Annie Dubroc, Stephanie Dunaway, Kaleigh Floore, Korie Fontenot, Hannah Harrell, Haley Hopkins, Jenny Laird, Stephani Lee, Valerie McAllister, Haley Praytor, Kayla Tompkins and Maeghan Waite.
Past players of our organization are currently playing for colleges or have graduated from colleges due to our efforts. The following is a list of former Thrillers players that signed scholarships and their respective colleges: Kelsey Donaldson, (South Alabama); Tara Donaldson, (Auburn University and South Alabama); Ashley East, (Rollins University); Cassie Godwin, (Pensacola JC); Darby Howell, (Wallace Hanceville and Wallace Dothan); Amanda Leggett, (Pensacola Junior College and South Alabama); Rachael Reeves, (Samford University); Shay Sullivan, (Lipscomb University; Lauren Thomas, University of Mobile; Jessica Walters, (Pensacola JC and Spring Hill College); Kim Weaver, (University of West Georgia); Brittney Webb, (Belhaven College); Sage Woodham, (University of Alabama at Huntsville); Laura Calloway (UAB); Nicole Bailey; (Marion Institute); Jenny Stevens, South Alabama and Monica Meadows, (Rollins College), April Adams, (William Carey); Lindsey Bedsole, (Okaloosa Walton); Carrie Allenbach, (Spring Hill College); Carrie Walker, (University of Mobile); Brandi Waltman, (Central Alabama and Faulkner University); Brooke Powell, (Troy State); Hayle Guess, (Mississippi State); Stephanie Comeaux, (Mississippi State); Shelley Lavendar, (Gardner Webb); Amber Strader, (Jeff Davis); Mindy Mason, (Jeff Davis); Stephanie Taylor, (Gardner Webb), Bree Harrison (Bishop State); Britntany Ladner, (William Carey); Meghan Pittman, (William Carey); Jennifer Girod, Central Alabama and Spring Hill College); Brenda Box, (University of Mobile); Stephanie Landrum, (University of Mobile; Betsy White, (Gulf Coast CC and Lipscomb University); Amanda Ellis, (UAB); Candace Hithe, (UAB); Annie Norton, (Florida Atlantic and Auburn University); Mallory Mears, (Valdosta University), Amanda Pugh, ( West Florida); Laura Callaway, (UAB); Melissa Chastang, (West Florida); Meghan Harbuck, (Southern Mississippi); Kayla McCraney, (Rollins University); Shauna Suttle, (Faulkner University); Meghan Wallace, (Faulkner State); Cara Payne, (Spring Hill College); Hannah Griffin, (Southern Mississippi); Tiffany Bishop, (Spring Hill College); Brittany McAllister, (Millsaps); Mallory Meadows, (Faulkner State and Belhaven);and probably many more.
The Mobile Thrillers 96 is one of two 12U teams coached by Tony Dressler
The team was comprised of the following players :Briana Baker, Kathryn Brown, Kristin Callaway, Kayla Camp, Caitlyn Dressler, Chelsea Dubose, Hope Ferguson, Courtney Norcross, Jessica Poiroux, Chelsee Rawlins, Lacey Sumerlin and Katie-Pie Wilson.
Assistant coaches were Jeff Johns, Greg Dubose, Richard Norcross and Rick Wilson. Brian Callaway, a successful high school coach at Mobile Christian and Vice President of the Mobile Girls Softball Association, helped establish the team. For more information about the Thrillers 96 you can go to the team’s website at www.thrillers96.com or call (251) 510-8784.
The Thrillers 95 12U group of girls were the 2004 8U ASA State and National Champions, ISA World Series Runner-up; 2006 10U ASA State and National Champions and World Series runner-up. The team is coached by Mike Williams and assistant coaches were Gus Bahos, Chris Hooper and Michele Wilkins. The players were: Mackensie Williams, Montana Wilkins, Taylor Bahos, Jenny Hooper, Tyler Harrison, Kaitlyn Lee, Halli Montgomery, Brooke Moralise, Caylin Acosta, Eriel Lawson and Elizabeth Webber.
Chuck Allman coaches the second Thrillers 94 14U team. The players were: Samantha Leech, Lauren Webber, Jordan Lowell, Maddie Floore, Morgan Yates, Kelsi Allman, Kim Lundy, Victoria East, Amanda Somerset, Courtney Warr and Taylor Pearson.
Bob Bickert manages one of the two Thrillers 14U teams that are known as Generation X Thrillers. The team is head coached by Rae Lynn Dennis. The assistant coaches areTerri McCormick (Head Coach at University of Mobile), Jessica McIntyre and Taylor Phillips (Players at University of Mobile). The players were: Allie Pruitt, Amy Dennis, Chelan Blow, Emily Evans, Emily Messer, Erica Davis, Rachel Bickert, Taylor Stewart, Hali Sclafini, Ashley Peters, Amy Waters and Megan Dowdy.
The Thrillers 16U team won a qualifying berth to the Hall of Fame tournament in Oklahoma City, the place where the College World Series is played each year. Coaches were Mike Youngpeter (Judge...Your Honor), Dennis Rogers and Scott Fontenot. The players were: Lizzy Clough, Mackinzee Bond, Alex Aragon, Jennifer Youngpeter, Korie Fontenot, Jessica Rogers, Gaby Aragon, Jenny Laird, Lizzy Hess, Tori Young, Lauren Barnhill and Jennifer Turner.
Brad Cooper coached the Thrillers 18U team and was assisted by Mark Brown. Players were Kayla Tompkins, Hayley Praytor, Kayla Rester, Kelsey Cooper, Annie Duproc, Hayley Brown, Courtney Singley, Maeghan Waite, Kaleigh Floore, Courtney Lollar and Kayla Rouse.
For more information on Thrillers Softball contact:
Derek Walters, (President MGSA) DeWalt1955@aol.com (251)370-7676 or
Brian Callaway, (Vice President MGSA) BCallaway@WSILLC.com (251)454-0384
Chuck Allman, (2nd Vice President MGSA)
(251)583-7587
GO MOBILE THRILLERS!!!
Mobile's Elite Fastpitch Softball Travel Organization is taking Fastpitch Softball to a new level.
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