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 Pitcher Chosen as USA Elite Select All-American

MaKynli Miller, pitcher for Texas Travelers Gold, has been chosen to play in the USA Elite Select All-American games to be held in Orlando, Florida.

USA Elite Select has partnered with the All American Scouting Network (AASN) and the NPF to provide a three-day event experience for elite players. Participating athletes will have the opportunity to showcase their individual talents through two days of evaluations on athletic and game performance.  Players will be evaluated on athletic testing, offensive and defensive testing, mental toughness and overall game performance.

The National Camp concludes with the Select 30 All American Games, which features the top 30 athletes in each graduation class as selected by AASN following two days of evaluations. These athletes will compete against each other in two games to determine who will be named First and Second Team All-Americans. The final All-American teams will be announced via a selection show on Flo Softball following the event.  The country has been divided into eight regions and we will be selecting the top 26 players (13 girls on each team, two teams in each age group) to represent their respective region.

Miller came to the Texas Travelers Gold by way of Many, Louisiana. Upon MaKynli’s arrival to the Travelers she instantly provided a strong addition to the pitching staff.  Her poise on the mound allows the Texas Travelers to go deep into tournaments.  This was shown recently as the Texas Travelers won the USSSA State Championship as well as the ASA North Texas National Qualifier Championship.  Kyn as she is known to her friends, family and fans consistently has a WHIP under a one because of her accuracy and tight spins.

“When Kyn came to the Travelers, we saw a true leader on the mound and at the plate.  She is a very athletic girl with a great attitude.  She gave us something that we were lacking this season and that is a One-Two punch on the mound.  Combining Kyn with E (Elizabeth Schaefer) on the mound has instantly given the Texas Travelers one of the top pitching staffs in the country” states, Coach Kyle Bennett of the Texas Travelers Gold.

The Texas Travelers Gold will complete the season defending their Triple Crown 2016 Championship finish, 14U Wilson Tulsa Elite Invitational, World Fastpitch Championship, and ASA National Championship along with a handful of other top tournaments around the country.  MaKynli Miller will continue to take the mound for the Travelers helping them stay as one of the elite select softball teams in the country.

For more information about the Texas Travelers Gold Team and MaKynli Miller visit https://www.texastravelerssoftball.com.

Texas Travelers Players do more than just Softball

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 7^th 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.

Ever since Gabrielle Briones was a little girl, she always seemed to amaze her parents, friends and coaches. She is always a determined little person.  She loves trying new and out of the ordinary things. If she is not playing softball, she is helping coach her little brother’s baseball team. When Gaby, as she is known to her teammates and fans, is not on the field, she keeps herself busy with school activities.  She is part of the Quest program, recorder club, Signing Choir, Safety Patrol, camera crew and a drummer for PTA performance. On her down time you can find Gaby reading. Not only is Gaby smart, talented and athletic she's also a sweet, loving, caring and a funny person.  Gabby plays outfield and middle infield for the Texas Travelers.  She has a high on base percentage and quickly rounds the bags as she helps puts runs on the board for her team.  Her footwork in the field is very fluid as she seamlessly scoops up ground balls.

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.

Elizabeth Schaefer Strikeouts 1500 Batters

Pitching can be a lonely place on the field.  All eyes focus to the mound on every single pitch.  Half of the stadium is hoping for failure and the other half is praying for perfection.  A pitcher has to have the skill to pitch and execute each throw with precision.  In addition to a strong arm, a pitcher must be very tough mentally to endure the constant pressures the game presents.

On July 2, 2016 during the ASA Hall of Fame Championship game against Impact Gold DFW 03, Elizabeth Schaefer accomplished something few others her age has, and sent her 1500^th batter back to the dugout with an outside fastball on a full count.  The 04 Texas Travelers ended up winning the championship game 8-0.

Elizabeth who turned 12 in March has been pitching since she was 9 years old.  Her pitching coach, Rick Lee has helped her develop a Fastball, Drop Ball, Curve, Rise and nasty Flip Change.  Schaefer has been clocked recently in games as well as a college showcase camp with a Fastball that reaches 59 mph and can come back with her flip change as slow as 37 mph leaving batters scratching their heads as they take the slow walk back to the dugout.  She has logged 20 no-hitters including a complete perfect game where she struck out every batter she faced in the game against one of the 03 Glory teams.

During last year’s 2015 ASA/USA National Championship in Normal, Illinois; Schaefer pitched a nine inning game striking out an ASA National Record 18 batters helping the 04 Texas Travelers to a 3^rd place finish in one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country.  When you add her WHIP (Walks plus Hits given up per inning pitched) she has a state best of .83 and batters are hitting less than .148 against her.  Even more impressive is she rarely walks a batter averaging 1 base on balls for every 25 batters she strikes out, and she is striking out 1.25 batters an inning.

Schaefer was dominate in 10u softball where you can get away with having a great fastball.  However, where most pitchers struggle their first year of 12u Softball; Elizabeth continues to excel with the extra movement on her pitches changing speeds quite effectively.  She has had to learn to really pitch and understand the mental part of the game.  “In 12u, we have asked Elizabeth to utilize her drop ball which produces a lot of groundball outs.  This has cut into her strikeout totals.  However, she does this without hesitation and that is one of the things that makes her a great teammate” states, Head Coach of the Travelers, Kyle Bennett.

E, as she is known to her teammates and fans, also plays for the Sunnyvale High School team which plays other high school softball teams around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  This soon to be 7^th grader enjoys the challenge facing older girls who are used to facing strong pitching.  “I don’t really look at a batter at being tough.  I just pitch to where the pitch is called and try to do what the coach ask me to do” shares Elizabeth Schaefer.

Her goals are pretty straight forward.  She wants to help her Texas Travelers win Nationals where they will be playing in Branson, Missouri this year.  When she enters Rockwall High School, she would like to win a State Championship or two.  Of course, she has two more years before entering high school.

She would like to be recruited and play for a D1 College helping them to a National Championship.  Then her ultimate goal is to be chosen as one of the top 18 girls to represent the United States playing for Team USA.  To accomplish these goals; Elizabeth knows there is a lot of work that still has to be done.  She knows she will have to increase her velocity into the upper 60’s and continue to understand how and what pitch she should deliver to tough batters.  At 5’8” and a young 12 year old, Elizabeth is still growing which will allow her to increase her strength helping her achieve this criteria.  She has yet maximized her leap, but once she masters this, her velocity will increase even more.  In addition to her physical abilities; Elizabeth also makes the grades in school recently finishing in the top five of her class while playing club volleyball, select softball, and league basketball and participating in band and choir.

Elizabeth is a pretty special player and sure to be seen at a higher level in the future if she continues to put in the work.  Elizabeth loves everything that comes with pitching on the mound and enjoys her team looking to her to deliver excellent results.

For more information about Elizabeth Schaefer, her teammates, or the Texas Travelers you can follow them on Facebook or follow the Texas Travelers News Network Site.  Coach Kyle Bennett can be reached at 972.679.7702.

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.

Does your Daughter have the IT factor?

You are building a team, so what are you looking for?  Many will say size and speed and that is a great criteria to look at first.  You can’t coach size and speed right?  For the most part, if you are faster and stronger than the others you should go out and win.  However, you can make a list of the fastest and strongest players, but that doesn’t equate into winning now does it?  So the next thing you will hear coaches say is that they are looking for “heart”.  What is heart?  It’s those players that put team ahead of self and perform above expectations.

Those three qualities possessed by players would make any coach happy to have them apart of their team.  But what about the “It factor”?  Does your player have “It”?

“It” is when a player can will themselves and their team into delivering the knockout punch or the winning drive when no one else does.  They do this consistently and expect the ball in their hand when they must deliver “It”.

The first question should be asked is what is “It”?  You can’t precisely describe “It” you just know they have “It” when you see “It”!

Since we can’t describe “It”, let’s talk about who has had “It”.

Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player to ever walk planet earth.  He was 6’6” tall and was like most players who played in the NBA- quick and a good vertical.  But what made MJ the greatest.  He had “It”!  When the game was on the line, he wanted the ball and he knew he would score the game winning shot.  Not only did he know he would score the game winning shot, everyone in the gym knew this fact as well.

Babe Ruth was one of the earliest players to have the “It” factor.  Before homeruns became highlights on ESPN he simply hit the ball out of the park because he liked doing so.  He could do “It” on command.  Pitchers knew he would do it and the Babe even told them before they pitched he would do it.  That didn’t stop the Babe from setting every homerun record in his time and if he were using the technological advance equipment we have today; he would set records that would never be broken again.

Who can forget Michael Phelps?  Phelps came into the 2012 Olympics knowing he would achieve what no other swimmer has ever been able to accomplish.   "I've put my mind to doing something that nobody had ever done before," Phelps said.  He had “It” and now sits in the record books as the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (18, double the second highest record holders), Olympic gold medals in individual events (11), and Olympic medals in individual events for a male (13). In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps took the record for the most first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. Five of those victories were in individual events, tying the single Games record. In the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps won four golds and two silver medals, making him the most successful athlete of the Games for the third Olympics in a row.

Lauren Chamberlain, NCAA all-time homerun leader is the “Babe Ruth of Softball”, Cat Osterman is one of five pitchers to strike out 1,000 batters with 100 wins, an ERA of under 1.00, and averaging double digit strikeouts.  Obviously, what would a softball blog be if the most famous softball player of all-time wasn’t mentioned?  That’s right, Jennie Finch dominated the softball diamond with the Arizona Wildcats, the USA national softball team and the Chicago Bandits.  She showed she had “It” for years and continues to try to teach “It” at her camps.

Does your softball player have “It”?  Is she fast?  Does she have size?  How much heart does she display on the field when times are good and bad?  What is her demeanor in the dugout, before games and after?  Is she working out at home when no one is looking?  All of these traits make for a great softball player.  However, is she the player you want up to bat when there are two outs, the go ahead runner on second in the last inning of the game?  Is she the player you want on the mound when you are up by one, bases loaded, and need three outs to win the championship game?  If she has “It” your team has a better chance than not of finishing victorious.  If she has “It” she knows you will call on her to perform and she relishes the opportunity to show “It”.

The 04 Texas Travelers are playing in their first year of 12U softball after finishing 3rd in the most prestigious select softball tournament in the country; 2015 ASA/USA National 10U Championships.  In addition to facing top 04 select softball teams like last year’s PGF Champions Diamond Sports Hot Shots North and Hot Shots South (formally, Texas Chaos); the Travelers will be competing against older 03 teams like 03 Texas Glory, Impact Gold and Texas Peppers Gold.

To compete at the highest level against great select softball teams, the 04 Texas Travelers have to make sure they have girls with “It”.  In addition to the Texas Travelers all-star shortstop Kaydee Bennett (currently leads the Travelers with a .688 batting average, hits, and triples) and pitching ace Elizabeth Schaefer (averages almost 2 K’s per inning, and has a .885 Walks/Hits per inning pitched (WHIP) and has a 1.18 ERA) - both players are picking up right where they left off in 10U select softball- the Texas Travelers have added additional players with “It”.

In two tournaments (ASA Fall Preview & ASA Texas Challenge Series) Emily Jonte (2nd in Doubles, RBI’s, Triples, and Batting Average) and Karley Wolf (Texas Travelers leader in doubles) each boast a batting average over .350 hitting with power.  Riley Rumfield is a team leader in hits, runs scored and on-base percentage.  Madison McClarity gets it done with her bat (Travelers RBI leader) and on the mound (1.02 WHIP).  Each of these girls are showing they have “It”.

Returning Texas Travelers player, Zariah London (who last year was a base running specialist) has stepped up this season showing off her speed in the outfield, but even more importantly she is hitting .462 which allows the Travelers to add another dimension to their already potent lineup.

Each week, the Texas Travelers continue to challenge their players at the highest level.  Each week, players show signs of having “It”.  The more players who have “It”, the stronger the team becomes.

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.

ASA Fall Texas Challenge Series features Select Softball’s Best

The road to the ASA/USA National Championship starts this weekend in Houston, Texas.  This weekend the ASA/USA Fall Texas Challenge Series which is one 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.

Last year in 10U competition, the 04 Texas Travelers represented Texas in the 2015 ASA/USA National Championship in Normal, Illinois where they finished third in the country.  The Travelers girls learned a lot in the competition and the goal has been set to win the 12U National Championship as a first year 12U team.

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.

This past weekend, the Texas Travelers finished second in the ASA Dallas Fall Preview utilizing the tournament as a warmup to this weekend’s Texas Challenge Series.  The girls were led by strong hitting performances from Kaydee Bennett, Emily Jonte, Karley Wolf and Riley Rumfield as well as dominate pitching from Elizabeth Schaefer and Maddison McClarity.  If the Texas Travelers want to win the tournament, they will have to build upon the positives and make sure they limit the mistakes as the field in this elite tournament will be strong.

The Texas Travelers are scheduled to face the TX Strikers 03, Lady Stros 03, American Freedom 0304 and Texas Elite in Pool Play.  The Pool Play games will determine the see going into Sunday’s Bracket Play which will be single elimination Gold and Silver Bracket.

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.

Texas Travelers play softball in the Battle of the Ages

The Texas Travelers organization, founded by John Wardlow in 1995, has a great reputation and is known for developing great softball talent.  The Travelers organization has helped place over 175 girls in softball at the collegiate ranks, and will be enjoying celebrating their 20th Anniversary Season of Softball!

Last year the 2001 Texas Travelers squad was recognized as one of the top 20 softball teams in the country.  The 04 Texas Travelers will be looking to add to their success after finishing 3rd in the most prestigious tournament in the United States; the 81 year old 2015 ASA/USA National Championship which was held in Normal, Illinois.  With the success of the 2001 and 2004 Texas Travelers teams, the organization has added a 05 and 03 team.  (Years denote the year the softball player was born.)

In August 2015, the Texas Travelers organization welcomed the Texas Travelers 03 team. This group will be led by Head Coach Lee Kuyrkendall of Rockwall, Texas.  He is excited to carry on the rich history of the Texas Travelers and brings a wealth of knowledge to the team.

Currently, Kuyrkendall is an Associate Scout for the Texas Rangers, charged with the scouting of amateur players at the college and high school level. Since 1991, he has been an assistant or head baseball coach for Delta State University, Mississippi College, North Florida Community College, and Southwest Community College.  At the four-year level, he helped lead Mississippi College to three league titles in his seven seasons as head coach, and was the NCAA Regional Tournament host in 2003.  His players personally achieved individual recognition as the 2006 NCAA leader in home runs, 2004 NCAA leader in saves, 2002 NCAA leader in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched, American Southwest Conference records for most home runs in a single season – 2006, most home runs in a single game – 2000, 2002, 2006, Conference leader in every offensive category – 2006, and most saves in a single season – 2004. His recruiting efforts resulted in league Player of the Year awards – 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and the Freshman of the Year – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.  At the community college level, he saw 68 of his former players sign with four-year institutions. In 17 total seasons as a head coach he had 23 players drafted or signed with professional organizations. The most recent was Kade Scivicque of LSU, who was drafted this year in the fourth round by the Detroit Tigers. Scivicque finished his senior season as the All SEC catcher and was the only Tiger player named to this year’s All College World Series team in Omaha. He was also a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate catcher.  Coach Kuyrkendall looks forward to bringing the same success to the 03 Texas Travelers.

On Tuesday, September 8, 2015 the 03 and 04 teams will scrimmage each other in Rockwall at Yellow Jacket Park starting at 6 PM.  Both teams will be competing at the 12U level although in different sanctioning bodies.  This scrimmage will help both teams gear up for the Fall season preparing for the strenuous Spring Softball Season.

The 04 Texas Travelers have become one of the most talked about select softball teams in the country.  Their roster includes two of the top 4 pitchers in the country (Elizabeth Schaefer and Karley Wolf).  In the offseason, the fastpitch organization has added the Arkansas Elite legend, Maddison McClarity, Emily Jonte (Texas Glory’s Ace Pitcher),  USA Select Elite All-American Midwest Region Top Performer Riley Rumfield, and a physical hard playing catcher, Kailee Bautista to go with All-Star shortstop Kaydee Bennett who led the team in every offensive category for the Travelers.

In addition to the high profile players on the 04 Texas Travelers squad welcome back girls who became the backbone of the Texas Travelers success such as starting catcher Emily “Moose” Forrester; shutdown first baseman Cadence Hopgood; speedster Zariah London; complete utility player Kelsie Adams; highest softball IQ Jessa McDonald; infield vacuum Bailey Ford and elite pinch hitter Payton Smythe who actually has eligibility to play for the 05 team.

The 04 Texas Traveler coaching staff includes Baylor Bear softball legend.  Strickland’s softball accomplishments through her junior year 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.  As a junior, the 5’8” shortstop played in all 65 games and started 64 of them.  Her batting average was .291 and led the team in home runs with 14 while tying for the team lead with Linsey Hays at 49 RBI’s.  Her 14 home runs her junior season were tied for the fifth-best single-season total in school history.  In addition to having power at the plate, she only struck out 17 times which was the fewest among the Bears who had at least 161 at bats.  Jordan scored 30 runs, hit 10 doubles and stole three bases.  She posted a fielding percentage of .921 and was second on the team with 73 assist being named Big 12 Player of the Week twice.  The Baylor Bear inspirational team leader tied a Women’s College World Series record by hitting two home runs in a win over Florida State and finished the postseason with nine RBI’s, three home runs and hitting .413.  She is Baylor’s all-time leader in postseason hits and batting average.

The 04 Texas Travelers will be a team to be reckoned with for years to come when it comes to playing on the softball diamond.  The girls are great as a 04 team, but 03 teams better not be too relaxed when they play these young ladies as the first year 12U team is looking to compete at the highest level of 12U softball.  Last year as a 10U squad, the 04 Texas Travelers played in several 12U tournaments becoming the 2015 Summer Swinging 12U Champions.  The girls recently scrimmaged the D1 2003 softball team earning high praises from their organization as the age and size difference was a non-factor.

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 be beneficial when the girls become old enough to start the recruiting process.

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers visit the team on Facebook or contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.

Playing Softball like it is 1995

In the year 1995, OJ Simpson was found innocent, Major League Baseball ended a 232-day strike, and the Dow Jones finished above 5000.  Windows 95 and the DVD (an optical disc storage media device was announced.  Bill Clinton was president of the United States, Nelson Mandela was South Africa’s president, Boris Yeltsin was General Secretary of the CPSU and John Major was the Prime Minister of Great Britain.  You could hear Garth Brooks, Smashing Pumpkins, Van Halen, Whitney Houston, Madonna and Janet Jackson playing on the radio.  Toy Story was the first ever wholly computer generated film, and movies such as Apollo 13, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Golden Eye, Die Hard With a Vengeance, Batman Forever and Braveheart were shown on the big screen.

The year 1995 was also significant for the 04 Texas Travelers.  Although, it would be 9 years before these elite softball players were born, a man by the name of John Wardlow would start the Texas Travelers organization paving the way for many girls to develop into strong confident young women, play on their varsity high school softball teams and ultimately provide over 175 girls the chance to play college softball.

The Texas Travelers softball organization is rich with history.  Coach Wardlow has a great reputation and is known for developing great softball talent.  Today, select softball has become a multimillion dollar business.  It seems everywhere you look; a big organization has swallowed up a small team up and then break the team apart to feed a Gold Team.  This wouldn’t be a bad thing, except the fees that come with being part of a big organization start to limit the opportunity for many girls who want to play for the love of the game.  Coach Wardlow was not interested in making the Texas Travelers an organization that he would profit from.  As a matter of fact, he allows the Texas Travelers softball teams the use of his hitting facility at no charge to the girls or the team.

Coach Kyle Bennett is the Head Coach for the 04 Texas Travelers team.  He has led his squad to finishing 3rd in the most prestigious tournament; the 81 year-old competition, 2015 ASA/USA National Championships.  “It is an honor to be part of the Texas Travelers organization.  Coach Wardlow has set the stage for these girls and I am excited to keep the tradition going” states Coach Bennett.

Bennett should be excited.  He has one of the top 04 Select Softball Teams in the United States.  Building on one of the top four pitchers in the country who has struck out over 1000 batters, Elizabeth Schaefer, hitting and All-Star shortstop prodigy Kaydee Bennett; the Travelers have added a plethora of talent.  Girls such as Karley Wolf (another top four pitcher in the country), Riley Rumfield (USA Select Elite All-American Midwest Region Top Performer), Emily Jonte (top pitcher out of the Texas Glory organization), Madison McClarity (Arkansas Elite legendary pitcher and hitter), and a physical hard playing catcher, Kailee Bautista.  In addition to the high profile players on the 04 Texas Travelers squad welcome back girls who became the backbone of the Texas Travelers success such as starting catcher Emily “Moose” Forrester; shutdown first baseman Cadence Hopgood; speedster Zariah London; complete utility player Kelsie Adams; highest softball IQ Jessa McDonald; infield vacuum Bailey Ford and elite pinch hitter Payton Smythe who actually has eligibility to play for the 05 team.  These girls will be playing their first year of 12U (although they have already won 12U tournaments while still in 10U softball).

The 04 Texas Travelers are a fully-funded team and are proud to have Baylor Bears All-American shortstop, Jordan Strickland on their coaching staff as well.

This softball team is looking forward to keeping the tradition alive for another 20 plus years doing things the right way and continuing to develop these ladies to whatever the future holds.

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers visit the team on Facebook or contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.