The Texas Travelers Gold select softball team has been rated
as one of the top softball teams in the country. In 2016, the team earned invites to Texas
Tech Showcase, USSSA Kansas City World Series and finished as the ASA Hall of
Fame, Hitting for Heroes, ASA/DFW Champions Cup, USSSA Spring Spectacular, Hall
of Fame Qualifier and Triple Crown OKC champions. In addition to picking up top finishes in
various tournaments they also placed third in the Ronald McDonald for the year.
For the 2017 Spring Season, the Texas Travelers Gold team
will be playing in the USSSA Kansas City World Series, ASA National
Championship, Triple Crown and the Colorado Sparkler as well as a variety of
some of the most competitive tournaments in the country. The girls are already being looked at from
college teams such as University of Houston, Iowa State, Baylor, Texas Tech and
Oklahoma State just to name a few. In
short, these girls can play softball and play against some of the best in the
country.
However, these softball girls excel in a variety of activities
off the softball field. Many of the
girls compete in UIL competitions, earn “All-A’s Honor Roll”, DUKE TIP
(Academic Talent Search), Choir, Band and other sports. The Texas Travelers feel it is important to
encourage the players to build their resume of activities with other things
than just softball preparing them for opportunities after high school and
beyond. The benefits of multi-sport
participation are physical, psychological and social. These benefits last a
lifetime. According to many researchers,
multi-sport athletes display improved health and wellness, including decreased
injury rates, improved athletic performance (they master alternative activities
faster than single-sport athletes), improved leadership skills and teamwork,
better attendance in school and better academic performance.
The 04 Texas Travelers are a very competitive select
softball team and part of a rich tradition of success. Each team is hand selected. The organization as a whole is small in nature,
but has the success and great reputation as the larger organization giving its
girls the highest advantage when it comes to their future having sent over 175
girls to play college softball. Most of
the team are comprised of outstanding 2022 graduates with a few very talented 2023
grads.
Madison McClarity
made the 7th grade “A” team in both volleyball and basketball at Lyles Middle
School. She was the team captain and top server for volleyball and is one of
the three top scorers in basketball. She maintains an A/B grade point average
in all her honor classes. She is interested in Oklahoma University, Texas Tech,
Mississippi State and Texas A&M to pursue a degree in architecture. Madison
enjoys playing sports, drawing/art, music, video games and hanging out with her
family and friends. Dee as she is known
to her friends, family and fans usually plays one of the corner positions for
the Texas Travelers and is a force to be reckoned with in the lineup as she
typically is in the four hole! Her raw
talent and size alone strikes fear in opposing pitchers.
Elizabeth Schaefer
is a pitcher for the Texas Travelers.
She also plays first base and outfield.
Elizabeth attends Williams Middle School in Rockwall, TX and has a 98
average in her Pre-AP honor classes. She
competes in UIL for writing, stats and reading and was selected for the DUKE
TIP (Academic Talent Search) and a member of National Junior Honor Society. She is an Honors Choir member and plays on
the A-Team for Volleyball and Basketball teams.
She plans to run track and might even play soccer in the spring. In addition to playing for her school and the
Travelers, she is the Team Captain for her club volleyball team, Texas
Assault. In 2015 during the ASA National
Championships, Elizabeth set a single game strikeout record for ASA with
18. She has had over 1500 strikeouts
since she began playing for the Texas Travelers becoming the All-Time Strikeout
leader for the organization which has been around for over 20 years. She maintains a .87 WHIP, 1.21 ERA, 1.85
strikeouts per inning and a .425 batting average. She will be starting Rockwall high school in
2018 and would like to become a collegiate student-athlete playing softball.
Mia Rust will be
a 2022 graduate of Union Grove High School. She is an all A student and a member
of the “All A” Academic honor roll. Mia is a member of the Maps/Graphs &
Charts, Ready writing, & Impromptu Speaking UIL Teams. Mia is a also a
member of UG Archery team, 7th grade volleyball team, UG Theater, Junior High
Band, Gifted/Talented team, & the junior high Track team. Other interest
include working-out, shooting, hanging out with friends, Scuba diving, &
playing with her dogs, Gracie & Trixie.
She is interested in attending LSU, Ole Miss, Baylor, Tennessee or Texas
A&M after high school. She plays
catcher, first base and outfield for the Texas Travelers and is one of the big
bats in the lineup!
Kelsie Adams is
currently a Cheerleader for her School in Van Alstyne. She made her 7th
grade Volleyball team and Basketball team. Kelsie excels in her academics
making the Honor Roll each report card, and has participated in UIL at her
school. Kelsie enjoys drawing and
painting in and out of school. Kelsie intends to run track in the spring and is
interested in taking lessons in golf.
She is interested in playing college softball upon her graduation and
has earned the Hustle Award while attending the Oklahoma University Softball
Camp the last several years. When
watching the Travelers play, you will see her as one of the most vocal players
on the field no matter where she is playing.
Kelsie plays Second Base, Outfield and occasionally sees time at
pitching when she is needed. She is a
speedster on the base paths as well.
Shelby Nelson is
interested in Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Baylor and Iowa
State. Her academic success is very
important to her. She has a drive to be the best that she can be at anything
and everything she does. She is an "A" honor roll student, a member
of NJHS, Lake Dallas Middle School Principal Award Recipient, Duke TIP nominee,
a member of student council and The Leader In Me. She enjoys playing volleyball
and basketball when she's not on the diamond as well as spending quality time
with her family. She is mentoring young softball players that lookup to her and
enjoys being able to share the love of the game with them. Shelby plays catcher for the Texas Travelers
enjoying showing off her cannon of an arm and can play just about anywhere else
on the field. When catching, she is the
captain of the field giving her team an advantage by controlling the game.
Kaycee Bock currently
attends Glen Rose Junior High and will attend Glen Rose High School in the
future. She plays school volleyball and basketball and will play softball for
her high school. She makes all A's and B's and is on the Tiger Squad at her
school whose goal is to make a positive impact on the school by doing random
acts of kindness, and organizing fun and positive student events. She is a
member of the Girl Scouts and helps out during the summer at Camp Stevens
Ranch. She loves softball, volleyball, basketball, riding her four-wheeler,
crafts, nature, going to church and being with family. During volleyball season Kaycee was a server,
setter & middle blocker on her school volleyball team, the Glen Rose Junior
High Lady Tigers. She is currently playing guard for her school basketball
team. Kaycee Bock plays third base for
the Texas Travelers and is one of the power hitters for the team. Kaycee is interested in attending University
of Texas, Iowa State, Baylor, Florida after high school.
Macy Hamilton plays
both volleyball and basketball for Brooks Wester Middle School in Mansfield,
Texas. She has been fortunate enough to be selected as the team captain for
both sports. Currently, she is the
starting point guard for the 7th Grade A Team and specializes in playing
lock-down defense against the opposing point guard. Macy hasn't met a ball that
she doesn't enjoy diving for. Macy is
also a trained vocalist and guitarist. She was honored to have been invited to
sing the National Anthem at the Mansfield Run with Heart 5k and in front of
State Representatives and local Mayors to dedicate a new wing at Mansfield
Methodist Hospital. Along with the
extra-curricular activities, Macy also is a stellar student, maintaining all
A's in all Pre-AP classes. Currently,
Macy aspires to be a student athlete and play softball at one of the following
colleges: Texas Tech University, Auburn University, University of Texas or
follow in the footsteps of her cousin, Kelsey Miller and play for Dartmouth in
the Ivy League. She is a utility player
for the Texas Travelers and has a drive that is second to none.
Kennedy Chastant
is very outspoken honors student at Brownsboro intermediate school. She is
competitive by nature and has represented her school in UIL and student
council. This year she was one of the few students chosen to be in a special
leadership class. During off season Kennedy plays basketball and has been
chosen for All-Stars each year. This will be her last year to play Little
Dibblers before she enters junior high next year. Softball is her passion and
hopes to play catcher for a large D1 program such as Baylor, Oklahoma, Alabama
or LSU. The Texas Travelers love her bat
in the lineup and leadership on the field and in the dugout. As a catcher, Kennedy controls the speed of
the game and is willing to sacrifice her body to deliver excellent results.
Emily Jonte is a
7th grader at St Mark Catholic School in Plano, Texas. When she is not playing softball she enjoys
spending time with friends and playing with her dog Rex. She is an active volunteer at the Heritage
Farmstead Museum in Plano where she feeds animals and helps with general
maintenance. Emily plays basketball for
her school and she was a key contributor in last year’s run to the Dallas
Parochial League title. Emily is a
pitcher for the Texas Travelers along with a very good bat in the lineup. She has multiple pitches with a variation of
speed and spin keeping the batters of balance.
MJ as she is known by her friends, family and fans provides the
Travelers the opportunity to be able to compete with any team in the country at
a very high level. Emily patterns her game on being a five tool
player. She can run, hit for power, has
a strong arm, loves to chase down fly balls in the outfield and can be counted
on to drive in runs. As a pitcher she
will offer you 5 pitches: fastball,
screwball, change, curve, drop and she may throw each one during one at bat. Emily is the consummate team player and
enjoys seeing her teammates have success.
Tatum Cantu
better known as Pickle to her fans, teammates, friends and family is very
involved in her junior high school, Wheat Junior High in Cleburne, TX. Tatum has a diverse set of skills. She is on the student council and was honored
with being voted student of the month for October by her teachers. She is on the volleyball, cross country,
cheerleader, and basketball teams. She is also in the Wind ensemble and Jazz
band. Tatum wants to work with animals in some capacity in the future. Tatum is
an A/B Honor Roll Student at Wheat Junior High.
She would like to go to a school that is not too far from home but far
enough where she can have the college experience. She would like to attend
Texas, Baylor, UT Arlington, Texas State or TCU. Tatum is a strong bat for the Texas Travelers
and can be seen making ESPN like plays in the outfield. She also will play middle infield for the
Travelers as well. Tatum is a level
headed player who could also be named “clutch” as she has always delivered the
big hit when the game is on the line.
Talia Gutierrez
is the middle child of 5 in a single parent household, and has been the glue to
hold her family together. She started out in advanced gymnastics and dance
classes very young, and continued competing in any and all sports available to
her at a very high level. She utilized her natural athleticism and overall sports
IQ to outwit and outplay her always older opponents. She currently plays soccer and is an amazing
defender and goalie, she plays volleyball and is all over the court, utilizes
her aggressiveness and speed in basketball to create turnovers and achieve breakaways,
and plans to play all 5 school sports offered for 7th graders next year. She
stays active in her community by volunteering and regularly attending church,
is in theater and is a great singer, tutors other students as a peer mentor,
and has maintained Straight A's her entire life. Her favorite activity is being
an ambassador for circle of friends, a program that enhances inclusion for
mentally disabled students at her school. They go on field trips together, plan
dances and other programs to help those children feel important to their
student body. She is constantly outside
and doesn't mind getting dirty, but she has a girlie side and loves getting her
nails done. Talia is a natural leader, she possesses the intangibles that you
can't teach, and the heart to leave everything on the field for her team. The Texas Travelers appreciate her mental
toughness as she controls the outfield and middle infield. After high school Talia is interested in
attending either Oklahoma State, OU, LSU, BYU, UVU, Texas Tech, Georgia,
Baylor, University of North Texas, or University of Texas.
Kaydee Bennett is
a country girl at heart and fierce competitor when playing sports. She attends Sunnyvale Middle School and
participates in UIL Academics, STEM Academics earning the A Honor Roll in all
honors/advance courses. Kaydee is on the
A-Team in basketball, volleyball and will run track in the spring. In addition to playing with the Texas Travelers
she also plays outside hitter for the Texas Assault Volleyball Club -13’s Black,
top team. Kaydee is the leadoff hitter
and shortstop for the Travelers and has a team lead in batting average, stolen
bases and in the park homeruns. She has
been rated as one of the fastest girls in the nation from Home to First and
Home to Home. This always comes in handy
especially when she can cover from one side of third base to the other side of
second. After high school Kaydee would
like to be a college softball player for Baylor, Iowa State, Texas Tech,
University of Texas, Oklahoma State or Texas A&M.
The coaches, led by Coach Kyle Bennett prepare the girls to
be strong independent young women. They
are getting their players ready to be able to start as a freshman on their high
school varsity teams, and with the organizations connection and strong alumni
support; the Texas Travelers girls will be able to attract the attention of
some of the top softball programs in the country. As a matter of fact, Jordan Strickland,
Baylor Bears history making shortstop, is on the coaching staff of the Texas
Travelers Gold Team.
Jordan Strickland
is one of those rare individuals who is looking to give back to others. In fact, the Baylor Bear softball legend is
giving her time and softball knowledge to a group of young, up-and-coming
softball players by helping the Texas Travelers. Strickland’s softball accomplishments at
Baylor include the 2014 Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team, 2014
Second Team All-Big 12, 2014 First Team Academic All-Big 12, 2013 First Team
Academic All-Big 12, Seven-Time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll Selection, and
Two-time Baylor Dean’s List Selection.
“I could not be more pleased to have Jordan as part of our coaching
staff. She is a remarkable young woman
with a great career, and an excellent role model for all of our girls to
imitate” states, Head Coach of the Texas Travelers, Kyle Bennett. Jordan works with the infielders primarily,
but more importantly sharing her experiences on and off the field with the
impressionable young softball players.
The Texas Travelers Gold
is also a fully funded team. This is
a plus in today’s select softball world where playing for teams require you to
pay for their uniforms, coaches, team lessons on top of the travel expense to
play at a high level. The softball players
that play for the Texas Travelers save thousands of dollars for their parents
because of the support they receive from the continued donations.
In addition to being a fully funded team, the Texas
Travelers have a marketing program second to none. DeliveryMaxx has donated its patent-pending
services to help market the Texas Travelers as well as each of their players
which will help when the girls start the recruiting process.
The Texas Travelers are one of the top select softball teams
in the country. They have already
secured their invitation to the most competitive tournaments in the United
States and will fill the additional weekends with College Showcase Events and
14u tournaments. Even though they have
some of the top rated players at their position, the players are always looking
to add the right player with the right parents to the roster giving them a
heighten level of competition even in their own club. The players and coaches both agree that their
performance at practice, off the field, and tournament play determines their
time of play in competition. The coaches
look at each player as an individual and identifies how the player can best
help the team reach its goals.
If you are interested in playing for the Texas Travelers,
you should have the following attributes and contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.:
- Don’t be afraid of competition. Yes, the Texas Travelers have great players. However, the Travelers give everyone an opportunity to win the right to play. When the girls take the field, they know they have earned the right to play their position because they are the right player that helps the team reach its goals.
- Have a desire to play at a high level. The Texas Travelers compete in the most prestigious tournaments as well as College Showcases in the country, and some of those tournaments are around the Dallas and Fort Worth area. However, it’s not just about chasing trophies or rings. The Texas Travelers players’ goal is to be ready to start as a freshman on their high school varsity team and then ultimately be recruited to play softball in college.
- Be coachable. The Texas Travelers coaching staff has a lot of experience, and connections to college experts in softball. The organization treats every girl like they are their own daughter and wants nothing but the best for them. This team is not looking for individuals, but they always have a spot for someone who wants to continue the pursuit of excellence.
- Love to overcome obstacles. Many girls are pushed away from softball because of cost or their current organization doesn’t see their value. The Texas Travelers are known for finding girls that love to prove they belong and can play at a high level. In addition, the Texas Travelers players are all on scholarships as the team is fully funded.
- Have parental support. The Travelers coaching staff makes the decisions on the field, but the organization is only as strong as its parents. Parents are required to understand the philosophy of the Texas Travelers organization, and positively reinforce the goals of the players and team. When playing for a select softball team, you will spend a lot of time with the families of the players. Therefore, it is important to make sure team chemistry on and off the field provides lasting positive memories for your daughter.
The Texas Travelers will be completing their roster for the Spring
Season as they prepare to become 2017 National Champions. For more information about the Texas
Travelers or its players visit the team on Facebook
or contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.
