Four Texas Travelers Gold Players Earn Sparkler JUNIOR All Star Showcase Invite

The Colorado 4th of July All-Star Showcase games are an INVITE ONLY event. Players will start to be invited in May 2018 for these games. Monday and Tuesday, June 25 and 26 at the Christopher Sports Complex in Westminster, Colorado.

Each registered All-Star player will receive the following as a participant: Working college coaches: interact during warm-ups, coach showcase game (actively engaged with the players the entire time), provide instruction, conduct exit talks, possible scholarship offer on site, etc., visibility to recruiting college coaches: over 300 college coaches come through Christopher Complex throughout the week, recognition via the Web site and the All-Star Showcase Program publication, and a t-shirt that is available to All-Star participants only.

Elizabeth Schaefer (2022 Pitcher and Oklahoma State Commit), Kaydee Bennett (2022 Shortstop and Oklahoma State Commit), Karmyn Bass (2022 Catcher) and Madison McClarity (2022 First base) each received the honors for the Texas Travelers.  Players were nominated by select softball coaches around the country and chosen by the Triple Crown Softball Staff based on collegiate coaches’ recommendations and tournament play.

The Texas Travelers Gold are a competitive team based out of North Texas and will be playing in the Tulsa Elite Showcase, Junior Colorado Sparkler, Kansas City World Fastpitch Tournament and the PGF National Championships in Huntington Beach, California.  This year the Travelers have already claimed the championship in the First Stage of the USA Softball ASA Texas Challenge Series outscoring opponents 93 to 15.  They have built a strong lineup of first year 14U players that are sure to be the talk of the softball world.

Both Kaydee Bennett and Elizabeth Schaefer verbally committed to Oklahoma State University before the rules for NCAA D1 early committing changed.  However, they surely will not be the only players on the Travelers who will have an opportunity to play in the Power Five Conferences.  In addition to Karmyn Bass and Madison McClarity; the Travelers have several other players who could have easily been chosen to attend the All-Star Showcase invite.

USA All-American Softball Game features Texas Travelers Gold Players

In January 2017, USA Softball announced the creation of USA Softball All-American Games which will be held at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex August 18-20, 2017 in Oklahoma City.  The USA Softball All-American Games provide national exposure to elite athletes in the 12-under Junior Olympic (JO) fast pitch division and will highlight the top competitors from across the country.

Texas Travelers Gold players; Elizabeth Schaefer (2022 Pitcher), Kaydee Bennett (2022 Shortstop), Madison McClarity (2022 1B), Shelby Nelson (2022 Catcher) and Macy Hamilton (2022 Outfielder) will help lead an All-Star cast of elite softball players at the 12u level.

“The USA Softball JO Commissioners are very excited to host an event that showcases 360 of the best 12-under players from around the country,” said USA Softball of Southern California JO Commissioner Kristi Allen. “We are excited to give these athletes the opportunity to play at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex representing USA Softball.”

With teams selected from the 10 USA Softball Regions, a total of 24 teams from across the U.S. will compete in the USA Softball All-American games.  Each region identified top players during ASA Sanctioned events and were chosen by commissioners and coaches of the region. Athletes had to be on a USA Softball registered team for the 2017 season and must be age eligible for the 12-under JO division.

Teams competing in the USA Softball All-American Games will be invited to participate in an exposure camp to highlight their skills. The USA Softball All-American Games will also have an Opening Ceremony, free live streaming and live stats through USASoftball.com and a tournament “swag” bag, which will include their USA Softball All-American jerseys and other official USA Softball and sponsor merchandise.

Elizabeth Schaefer has been talked about as one of the top pitchers in the country in her age group for several years.  She is a hard thrower with a fastball that is consistently hitting 60-61 mph, but can easily throw a 36-38 mph changeup to make hitters look downright silly.  In addition to her fastball and change; Elizabeth is known to throw a drop ball that will fall off a cliff at 57-59 mph.  She keeps the batters honest adding in a Rise, Curve and Screwball which allows her to be quite successful.  Schaefer is a very loyal player only playing for the Texas Travelers since getting into select softball and has rewarded the organization with over 1700 strikeouts which is the All-Time strikeout record for the 21 year old organization.  In 2015, during the ASA/USA National Championships in Normal, Illinois; she pitched 9 innings and had 18 strikeouts during the game which is an ASA single game strikeout record for the National Championship Tournament.  Playing at the USA Hall of Fame Stadium will be exciting for Elizabeth as she earned her 1500 career strikeout in the same complex last year helping the Travelers win the ASA Oklahoma HOF Tournament.

Elizabeth will be entering the 8^th grade.  After, she will attend Rockwall High School.  In addition to playing softball, she is the captain for the Texas Assault National Club Volleyball Team where she plays middle.  She led her district winning 7^th grade basketball team in points, rebounds and blocked shots.  Elizabeth also plays on the Volleyball A-Team, Soccer A-Team and placed in district throwing the discs and shot for Track & Field.  She maintains near perfect grades in school with an overall 98 GPA in Pre-AP Honors Classes and was selected for the DUKE TIP Academic Talent Search.  Schaefer is in Honors Choir and competes in various UIL events.  After high school, she plans to study law and is looking for a college that will help her reach her life goals.

Kaydee Bennett is the All-Time leader in hits for the Texas Travelers organization.  Her amazing speed and triple threat option at the plate causes problems for opposing defenses across the country.  She can slap, bunt and hit for power with ease.  The story line is always the same, “Where Kaydee goes so does the Texas Travelers offense!”  This is a lot of pressure for many, but Bennett takes it upon herself to make sure she is on base and she has delivered with an On-Base percentage of .898 this season.  Once she is on base, Kaydee displays her superior speed.  Winning numerous select softball challenges; Kaydee has been clocked at 2.7 Home to First and 11.83 Home to Home.  In addition to delivering at the plate, Kaydee is the leader of the Texas Travelers infield playing shortstop.  Bennett can be seen in tournaments tracking balls behind third in foul territory to diving plays on the other side of second base.  If she played in the NFL, she would be a true safety and that is exactly what she is for the Travelers.  She is a pitcher’s safety net on the field.

Bennett is a dedicated student athlete at Sunnyvale Middle School, a recognized high performing school in Dallas County.  Kaydee is heavily involved and accomplished in her school related and extracurricular events include: UIL Academics, STEM, All-A honor roll in advanced courses, A-team volleyball, A-team basketball, and track. Outside of school, Kaydee plays club volleyball as a left side hitter for Texas Assault National Club Volleyball Team, the top team in her age group.  Outside of school and sports Kaydee loves animals, reading, outdoor activities and spending time with her friends and family.  After high school Kaydee would like to continue her studies in the medical field or law.

Madison McClarity came to the Texas Travelers upon her family’s move from Arkansas.  She was highly touted as one of Arkansas’s best 04 pitchers with a very strong bat.  Madison has played catcher, 1st and 3rd base as well as pitcher along with all outfield positions.  She helped lead the Arkansas Wild Thangs 04 to 8U VTD World Series Championship in Coppell, Texas and led the Arkansas Elite 04 team to a 10U Class B USFA World Series Championship in Panama City Beach Florida.  When she joined the Texas Travelers in 2016 she made the choice to move to focus on her play at the corner infield positions which has allowed her to become completely dominate at the plate.  However, Madison can still be seen on the mound from time to time.  For the Travelers, McClarity is a power hitter consistently sending bombs into the stratosphere.  Her 5’9” frame makes her easy to spot on the field and her leadership is seen in the dugout and outside the lines.

McClarity is an outstanding student in Rowlett where she is an All-A/B student in Pre-AP Honors classes for Math, English and Science.  She was the leader on the Basketball and Volleyball A-Teams and chosen as the MVP for Volleyball.  In addition to playing for the Travelers she is also on the Lady Hawks AAU travel basketball team where she consistently leads the team in rebounds and block shots.  During her down time this strong athlete loves to crochet and play the saxophone.  After high school Madison would like to study architecture in college.

Shelby Nelson wanted to play in the most competitive tournaments in select softball and made the choice to play for the Texas Travelers in the Fall of last season.  Quickly, she proved to become a pitchers best advocate with her blocking and framing ability behind the plate.  She is known for making balls look like strikes and her strong leadership on the field.  Shelby can be seen catching for some of the top D1 pitchers in the country which has elevated her into one of the best signal callers at the 12U level.  She has earned USSSA All-American team, Team MVP at the OU softball camp and Most Improved Award.  During the Texas Travelers Spring/Summer Season, Nelson has quickly become a fixture in the lineup due to her power and strong contact.  It is becoming a regular occurrence with her batting over .700 and racking up doubles and RBI’s for the team.

Nelson is an All-A Honor Roll student at Lake Dallas.  She has received the Principal Award (Top Student in the grade), DUKE TIP (Academic Talent Search) and National Junior Honor Society.  She is also on the student council.  In addition to being a great student and playing for the Travelers; she is a starter for her middle school’s volleyball, basketball and tennis teams.  After high school, Shelby would like to become a zoologist.

Macy Hamilton is an exciting player to watch.  The Texas Travelers asked her to be a pickup player in last season’s Nationals held in Missouri and she quickly became a team favorite.  She is loved by all of the players and her fans with her hard-nosed efforts at the plate, on the base paths and in the field.  Macy is quick to listen to the teams needs and fast to make adjustments to meet them.  This has been shown recently as she is becoming a great slapper.  She is a true utility player for the Travelers as she plays all three outfield positions and middle infield.

Hamilton is an All-A Honor Roll student, Duke Tip (Academic Talent Search) and National Junior Honor Society recipient at Wester Middle School.  She was the team captain for her district champion volleyball team, starting point guard and team captain for her basketball team.  She was also on the 4X400 relay team for track.  In addition to being a strong student and great teammate for every team she plays on, Macy is a trained vocalist and guitarist.  After she attends Mansfield High School she would like to study Sports Marketing in college.

“I am proud that each of these girls are identified as some of the top athletes at their position.  Texas has some great talent and outstanding select softball teams.  For USA Softball to recognize our Texas Travelers girls is an honor that I am happy to be a small part of” adds, Head Coach of the Texas Travelers Gold Team, Kyle Bennett.

"What a great opportunity for 12-under female athletes across the country to be identified by members of USA Softball's local associations,” said Director of Championships Chris Sebren. “To have the opportunity to come together as individuals and compete as regional teams in this inaugural All-American Games will be such a great experience for them. These select individuals will join some of the best athletes across the world who will be competing in Oklahoma City this year as we host the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) and the World Cup of Softball. What a great way for USA Softball to finish off our fast pitch season in Oklahoma City with the inaugural All-American Games.”

Designation to a USA Softball All-American team is the highest honor a player can receive and instantly brands the player as one of the top athletes in the United States. Only 360 girls Nationwide will have the opportunity to wear the USA Softball Jersey at this elite event.

The event will feature a free camp for all players, a meet & greet with USA Softball National Team Members, Opening Ceremonies, and intense competition in a 3 Game Guarantee Tournament and a swag bag for all participants.

To learn more about the Texas Travelers Gold Team and each of the players chosen from the Travelers visit https://www.texastravelerssoftball.com/

Texas Travelers compete in Stage 2 of the ASA Fall Challenge Super Series

Dallas/Ft. Worth will be home to the most competitive girls’ Fastpitch tournament this weekend when top 12U select softball teams across the country gather together at Gateway Park in Ft. Worth, Texas.  This weekend the ASA/USA Fall Texas Challenge Series which is the second of three tournaments that award points based on performance to help select who will represent Texas in the 2016 ASA/USA National Championship which will be held in Salem, Virginia.

Currently the 04 Texas Travelers are 10 points away from first place, and have a record of 8-3 in ASA tournament play.  The girls finished 2nd in the ASA/USA Fall Preview and 9th in the first leg of the Challenge Series Gold Bracket.

The road to becoming a National Champion will be very difficult as there are a lot of good 04 teams as well as some great second year 12U teams that have the same aspirations.  Some of the top teams in the tournament will be last year’s 10U PGF Champions (Diamond Sports Hot Shots North) and runner-up (Diamond Sports Hot Shots South- formally Texas Chaos).  Katy Cruisers, Texas Bombers, Texas Peppers, Texas Stealth, Texas Aces and En Fuego will all be competing as first year 12U teams as well.  In addition to strong 04 teams, the 03’s will feature American Freedom, Firecrackers, Impact Gold and Texas Glory.

The Texas Travelers will be led by shortstop, Kaydee Bennett who has a .688 batting average and leads her team in every offensive category.  She will have help in the batting order with Riley Rumfield, Emily Jonte, Zariah London and Madison McClarity.  Pitching will also be important as Elizabeth Schaefer (Texas Travelers All-Time Strikeout Leader), McClarity, and Jonte take the mound and try to send the batters back to the dugout without allowing baserunners.


Pool Play will start for the Travelers at 8 AM as they face one of the best 03 select softball teams in North Texas, American Freedom-Shaw, followed by the Texas Glory 2K4 at 11 AM.  The afternoon game at 3:30 PM will have the GT Shockers and then the last game of the evening will have the Travelers playing at 6:30 PM against the 12U HITT out of San Antonio.

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702 or follow The Texas Travelers on Facebook.  The Texas Travelers are a 12U 2004 team that plays ASA competitive softball.  To follow particular players, games, practices or see any other information about the North Texas Select Softball team visit: 04 Texas Travelers News Site.

Power and Pursuit of Excellence added to the Texas Travelers

When softball coaches make a lineup trying to field the best team they look at pitching, hitting and fielding.  All spots are important to give the team the best opportunity to win.  When a softball team is organized, a good softball coach will look at the girls makeup and disposition, how she interacts with other girls and how her family gels with the softball family.

Madison McClarity is the ultimate package.  The last 5 years, Madison (D as she is known to her fans and teammates) has been one of the most talked about players in the South as she played for the Arkansas Elite.  Madison has helped the Arkansas Elite become the 2013 IFA-VTD 8U World Series Champion and the 2015 USFA 10U World Series Champion.

In addition to pitching no-hitters and striking out batters with her arsenal of pitches she carries one of the biggest sticks in select softball.  Madison makes opposing pitchers tremble with her size, speed and powerful bat.  She plays multiple positions on the field including pitcher, first base, third base and outfield and can run like a deer.

However, what makes Madison McClarity the right fit for the Texas Travelers is she is the product of a great family.  Like many 11 year-olds, Madison is a sweet girl, but her family is truly genuine and loyal.  It was a tough decision to leave the Arkansas Elite, but moving to Texas from Arkansas made more sense for her to commit fulltime to the Texas Travelers.  “I want my daughter playing for a team that is competitive, but has a family atmosphere.  I expect the Texas Travelers to stay together and pursue the highest goals as a family” states Rico McClarity, Madison’s father.

“We love having Madison on the team.  She is a great athlete and one many people will talk about in the future as she has all the ability in the world.  However, what makes her special is she is a team first player and her parents are some of the most genuine people you will meet” adds, Head Coach of the Texas Travelers, Kyle Bennett.

Last year when Madison played for the Texas Travelers part-time she had a .400 batting average and was one of the team leaders in Homeruns, doubles and triples.  She won three games pitching for the Travelers boasting a 67% strike percentage with a WHIP (Total Walks & Hits per innings Pitched) of .93 holding opponents’ batting average to a low .136.  In addition, her ERA was .93.

The 04 Texas Travelers are a very competitive select softball team and part of a rich tradition of success.  Each team at each age group 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.

The 04 Texas Travelers were chosen by ASA, which is the governing body of softball to represent Texas in the 2015 ASA/USA National Championship held in Normal, Illinois.  However, the winning record of the 04 Texas Travelers is not what defines the team.  This team was built from the ground up having taken girls out of recreational softball to be able to compete and win at the highest level.

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 04 Texas Travelers.

The 04 Texas Travelers 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 04 Texas Travelers have a marketing program second to none.  DeliveryMaxx has donated its patent-pending services to help market the 04 Texas Travelers as well as each of their players which will help when the girls become old enough to start the recruiting process.

The 04 Texas Travelers are one of the top 10U teams in the country.  They will be a first year 12U team, but they have already found success playing in several 12U tournaments recently winning the 2015 Summer Swinging 12U Championship.  Even though they have some of the top rated players at their position, the players are always looking to add 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.

The 04 Texas Travelers will be completing their roster for the fall season as they prepare to become 2016 National Champions.  For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers visit the team on Facebook or contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.

Madison McClarity Throwback Thursday Softball Spotlight

Madison is one of the newest members of the Texas Travelers splitting time with her Arkansas team and the Travelers.  She is from a very athletic family and is making a name for herself with her athletic play and personal accolades on the field.  Pictured is Madison or “D” as she is known by her Texas Traveler softball teammates hitting the game winning hit for the 04 Arkansas Wild Thangs against the Texas Shock in the 2013 IFA-VTD World Series 8U tournament in Coppell, Texas.

Madison can be seen playing first base and pitcher for the Texas Travelers as she has quickly found a home for the Mesquite based softball club.

The 04 Texas Travelers organization exists for the specific purpose of developing a competitive youth fast-pitch softball program whose goals are to develop players capable of competing at the highest levels in the country with the demonstrated skills necessary to earn a college scholarship. Our dedicated coaches and volunteer staff facilitate our athlete’s growth by conducting challenging practices and scheduling the highest level of competitive activity available. However, reaching these goals must be accomplished within the proper framework by instilling character, self-esteem, confidence and sportsmanship with the young athlete.

Achievement of these lofty and worthwhile objectives within the appropriate environment can only be reached through the mature behavior and exemplary conduct of the coaches and parents of the Club. Their relationship with the players must be of the highest ethical and moral standards and be based upon concern and just principles that ensure equitable treatment will prevail in all circumstances.

An aggressive desire for victory combined with the procedural and graduated development of softball skills through exceptional coaching and advanced training techniques is of paramount importance. Nevertheless, everyone should realize that, fast-pitch softball is only a game and is the forum we use to help our athletes mature into responsible adults.

The 04 Texas Travelers play ASA Softball, and plan to compete in ASA Nationals for 2015. The strong North Texas Softball Club has won at IFA-VTD, USSSA, and ASA levels and continues its push to become the 2015 ASA National Champion held in Normal, Illinois. In addition to playing in the ASA National Tourney; the Texas Travelers will also play in each of the national Qualifier Texas Challenge Series, and the Hall of Fame Softball Tournament in Oklahoma City. The team is a fully funded endorsed softball team that intends on continuing its great success in the softball world.

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702 or follow The Texas Travelers on Facebook.  The Texas Travelers are a 10 U 2004 team that plays ASA competitive softball.  To follow particular players, games, practices or see any other information about the North Texas Select Softball team visit: 04 Texas Travelers News Site.