The Cary Crush Girls Fast Pitch softball organization 14 Under-1998 Team is ranked number one in the 14-and-Under “A” Division in Region 3.
Region 3 encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio, according to the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA).
The Cary Crush 14U Team also became state champion in 2011 when it won the Illinois USSSA 12-and-Under State tournament in Rockford.
The team is comprised of players from the greater Cary, Crystal Lake and surrounding area.
The team's season began last fall with the girls winning the Autumn Waukegan USSSA World Series Qualifier 14-Under Open tournament.
The players demonstrated they could also compete at the 16-Under age level as they finished in third place in the Rosemont Chicago Bandits USSSA Indoor Tournament in January 2013, and in third place again in the April Chicago Bandits USSSA Indoor tournament.
In early May, the Crush team won the tournament championship in the NAFA Nationals Qualifier in Cary, going 6-1 to finish in second place in the Stateline Fury USSSA World Series Qualifier in Roscoe.
The girls then outscored opponents 74-15 across eight games, including seven home runs and a grand slam in the Memorial Day Waukegan Northern Ice USSSA National Invitational Tournament, where they won first place.
The Cary Crush 14U-1998 team players have invested numerous hours into improving their abilities and skills with private instruction, working with Cary Crush alumni, private instructors and 1-on-1 practices with their coaches.
The team has leveraged its indoor facility to the fullest extend being able to have six hours of indoor practice time year-round working both in the infield and in tunnels.
Many of the student athletes also are involved in other school activities and sports including basketball, track and field, dance, cross country and choir while receiving many academic honors, awards, and achievements.
The Cary Crush 14U-1998 team is coached by Brian Isola, Mike Chmiel, and Jim Rathe.
- The team roster includes:
- Taylor Rathe
- Kaila Stuart
- Hayley Redmann
- Amanda Guercio
- Kristi Isola
- Colleen Lowe
- Jacqueline Chmiel
- Kate Newton
- Rachael Kundrot
- Brianne Prank
- Lydia Gabriel
The pitchers - Colleen Lowe, Hayley Redmann, and Taylor Rathe - have provided dominance in the circle with a no-hitter, two one-hitters and two two-hitters so far this spring.
The remainder of this season will be action packed as the Crush competes in up-coming tournaments in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., 16U Tournament in Algonquin, Sycamore, USSSA State Tournament in Rockford, 16U Warren Tournament, and wrapping up at the NAFA Nationals in Egan, Minn.
The coaches of the Cary Crush actively participate in instructional clinics and communicate with many college coaches throughout the country at various levels to continue to hone their coaching abilities and to best prepare the players for the next level of play both in high school and college.
The 24 Cary Crush adult coaches invest 16 hours of consecutive instruction each year at the NSC Coaches clinics taught by college coaches from Northwestern, UIC, Nebraska, Alabama, St. Thomas, and Wisconsin.
The Cary Crush practices indoors at its own private 10,00-square-foot indoor facility that the team shares with the Cary Trojans Boys Travel Baseball program located at The Power Alley, 760 Industrial Drive, Suite D, Cary.
The Cary Crush Girls Fast pitch Softball program is in its eighth year as a part of the Cary Grove Youth Baseball & Softball Organization, the oldest youth baseball and softball organization in Illinois founded in 1953, a 501c3 non-profit organization.
Cary Crush teams have had numerous tournament successes, but the most notable are 2010 NAFA 12U “B” National Champions, 2011 USSSA 12U “B” IL State Champions, and 2012 USSSA 18U “B” IL State Champions.
The Cary Crush field teams from age 10 and under, and 18 and under.
To learn more about the Cary Crush goals, mission statement, upcoming events, tryouts, and other activities explore www.CaryCrush.org .
Information submitted by Cary Crush
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
