Texas 18U Gold Softball

[fastpitchguru]

There always is a lot of talk about the younger age divisions! With the HS seasons winding down and the summer season right around the corner , who are the 18U Gold Teams to watch out for this season?

Which teams have the best chance to represent the State of Texas well this season!

Very interested to hear everyones thoughts.

Old Softball Guy~

[fastpitchguru]

I was on the California regional site and saw where they had a very good discussion based on some rankings.....so I figured I would give my opinion on our Gold Teams. This is just one OPINION of an old man that watches a whole lot of softball. It is in no way meant to demean any team...it is only meant to foster a discussion.

#1 Impact Gold
Grade: A+
Website: www.impactgold.com
Tournament Wins: Runner Up at 2010 PGF National Championships / Top Ten finish at 2010 ASA Gold Nationals
Comments: Has to be on top until someone knocks them off. Very Good team but this may be a down year compared to last , with the departure of so much talent from last years squad. But in the end they are Impact Gold! This team has (8) committed Division 1 players on its roster.

#2 Texas Glory Gold
Grade: A
Website: www.eteamz.com/texasglorygold
Tournament Wins: Top Ten finish at 2010 PGF National Championships
Comments: This Texas Glory team looks just like all the other before it.....GOOD! They have a deep pitching staff and the hitters to go with it! The other thing this team has is history on its side , they win and they win a lot! This team has (15) committed Division 1 players on its roster!


#3 Texas Bombers Gold
Grade: Grade A-
Website: www.texasbombers.net
Tournament Wins: 17th Place finish at 2010 ASA Gold National Championships / Runner Up at 2010 Louisville Slugger "Louisville" Bracket at Boulder Colorado
Comments: This team has risen to the top of Texas Gold teams in record time! This may be the most complete of all the Gold teams (Power , Speed , Pitching and Coaching) the only thing they lack is whole lot of experience. But this team is very deep and Very Athletic , might be the "fastest" team in the state! This team has (15) committed Division 1 players on its roster!

#4. Texas Sudden Impact Gold
Grade: A-
Website: www.texassuddenimpact.com
Tournament Wins: 17th Place finish at 2010 PGF National Championships
Comments: Very athletic, good coaching and very good pitching (UCLA commit McDuffee) . This team continually improves over time. Very solid - well rounded team. This team has (10) committed Division 1 Players on its roster.

#5 Texas Rapid Fire Gold
Grade: B+
Website: www.eteamz.com/TexasRapidFireGold
Tournament Wins:
Comments: Historically a very good team year in and year out! Always plays the top teams well. This is a solid team with very good young pitching and solid hitting through out the lineup. Must find a way to be solid game in and game out. This team has (8) division 1 committed players on its roster.

As I said this is just my opinion and by no means is meant to down any team! I hope everyone is professional and classy in their responses etc. As well there are many many other really good teams out there that will do very well this year!

~The old Softball guy~

[texasugly1]

I was on the California regional site and saw where they had a very good discussion based on some rankings.....so I figured I would give my opinion on our Gold Teams. This is just one OPINION of an old man that watches a whole lot of softball. It is in no way meant to demean any team...it is only meant to foster a discussion.

#1 Impact Gold
Grade: A+
Website: http://www.impactgold.com
Tournament Wins: Runner Up at 2010 PGF National Championships / Top Ten finish at 2010 ASA Gold Nationals
Comments: Has to be on top until someone knocks them off. Very Good team but this may be a down year compared to last , with the departure of so much talent from last years squad. But in the end they are Impact Gold! This team has (8) committed Division 1 players on its roster.

#2 Texas Glory Gold
Grade: A
Website: http://www.eteamz.com/texasglorygold
Tournament Wins: Top Ten finish at 2010 PGF National Championships
Comments: This Texas Glory team looks just like all the other before it.....GOOD! They have a deep pitching staff and the hitters to go with it! The other thing this team has is history on its side , they win and they win a lot! This team has (15) committed Division 1 players on its roster!


#3 Texas Bombers Gold
Grade: Grade A-
Website: http://www.texasbombers.net
Tournament Wins: 17th Place finish at 2010 ASA Gold National Championships / Runner Up at 2010 Louisville Slugger "Louisville" Bracket at Boulder Colorado
Comments: This team has risen to the top of Texas Gold teams in record time! This may be the most complete of all the Gold teams (Power , Speed , Pitching and Coaching) the only thing they lack is whole lot of experience. But this team is very deep and Very Athletic , might be the "fastest" team in the state! This team has (15) committed Division 1 players on its roster!

#4. Texas Sudden Impact Gold
Grade: A-
Website: http://www.texassuddenimpact.com
Tournament Wins: 17th Place finish at 2010 PGF National Championships
Comments: Very athletic, good coaching and very good pitching (UCLA commit McDuffee) . This team continually improves over time. Very solid - well rounded team. This team has (10) committed Division 1 Players on its roster.

#5 Texas Rapid Fire Gold
Grade: B+
Website: http://www.eteamz.com/TexasRapidFireGold
Tournament Wins:
Comments: Historically a very good team year in and year out! Always plays the top teams well. This is a solid team with very good young pitching and solid hitting through out the lineup. Must find a way to be solid game in and game out. This team has (8) division 1 committed players on its roster.

As I said this is just my opinion and by no means is meant to down any team! I hope everyone is professional and classy in their responses etc. As well there are many many other really good teams out there that will do very well this year!

~The old Softball guy~

I thought Mcduffie was a LSU commit? Plus, there have to be a few more solid 18U Gold teams than this. Maybe I am wrong. But 2 from the south, 2 from the north, and 1 from central seems like there would be a few more.

[soreshins]

Txugly1--

Word was that McDuffie reconsidered when the LSU coach retired. She chose to go to UCLA instead. I believe the Sudden Impact Gold website currently shows her as a UCLA commit.

I expect Sudden Impact to make great strides this year. They may have the best gold talent in Houston.

[3Bsnag]

I agree with your assessment of the marquee programs on a national level, but what about Blaze? They appear to be an up and comer.

There are also several more within TX that could spoil your celebration- Peppers, Magic, Eclipse, Storm, Adkins, etc.

[arkansassoftball]

You can many of these teams and more this weekend at the Memorial Weekend Round Robin Invite in North Richland Hills.

NRH Walkers Creek Park
8403 Emerald Hills Way
North Richland Hills , TX 76180

SAT-
9am
Tx Blaze vs MC Elite
Impulse vs Voodoo
Storm vs Rapid Fire
11am
Glory-Shelton vs Tulsa Elite
Impact vs Voodoo
Eclipse vs Rapid Fire
1pm
Impulse vs Tulsa Elite
Storm vs MC Elite
Eclipse vs Tx Blaze
3pm
Glory-Shelton vs Impact
Impulse vs Storm
Voodoo vs Rapid Fire
5pm
Glory-Shelton vs Tx Blaze
Impact vs Tulsa Elite
Eclipse vs MC Elite
SUN-
9am
Glory-Shelton vs Eclipse
Impact vs Rapid Fire
Impulse vs Tx Blaze
Storm vs Voodoo
11am
Glory-Shelton vs Storm
Impact vs Tx Blaze
Eclipse vs Tulsa Elite
Voodoo vs MC Elite
1pm
Impulse vs Rapid Fire
Tulsa Elite vs MC Elite

[93players]

2010 Order of Finish

4 Impact Gold
9 Houston Power Glowacz
13 Texas Blaze Gold
13 Aces Express
13 Texas Peppers
17 Glory Gold Adkins
17 Sudden Impact
17 Texas Bombers

You have to think many of these teams continue to draw D1 talent and thus will have a good chance to be back. It will be interesting to see how high school playoffs will affect the College Station qualifier. 40 some teams is light for Texas Gold but there are a lot of teams that do not have much chance to win 6 games.

[MavFan]

In addition to High School playoffs, you also have a Premier fastpitch qualifier that weekend in Houston.

[93players]

Good point. Premier has about 35 teams signed up http://www.premiergirlsfastpitch.com/tourney02/18HS.php

Looks like Bombers, American Freedom, Aces Express, Texas Storm Elite are in there. A lot of the best teams in Texas has automatic bids to the PGF tourney in Huntington Beach in August.

The draw is always so important in these Gold qualifiers.

[heybuckethead]

. . . A lot of the best teams in Texas has automatic bids to the PGF tourney in Huntington Beach in August. . .

I guess if you consider five 18u Gold teams a lot then yeah, but actually it's only (1) Texas Impact, (2) Texas Glory (Shelton), (3) Texas Magic, (4) Texas Storm, and (5) Texas Eclipse. In 16u, it's only Texas Glory (Naudin). At 14u, it's just TPS and Texas Impact. Everyone else is fighting for a berth at Premier Nationals.