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Softball never stops

As the showcase season comes to an end for the fall, Alicia is intensifying her works and training.  She recently had an intense weekend with Coach Monti Van Brunt and then went to the USC camp.  She was complimented by one of the USC players when she told Alicia " she was so fast that her coach should have her do the hook slide most of the time."  Coach Calvin Beamon was impressed with her power hitting from the left hand side especially since she had not been power hitting from the left hand side for long.  He commented that she has great potential.

Along with that camps and training with Coach Van Brunt, Alicia has been weight training with a personal trainer.  She has been bench pressing, doing push ups and much more and has so far gained three pounds of muscle.  Her trainer, Jake, wants her to gain at least two more before softball season.  Jake has also encouraged her to eat 100grams of protien a day. 

Coach Monti Van Brunt, shared with the Daly family a few secrets to increasing speed by another 2 tenths.  If successful that would bring Alicia down close to 2.65.  If any of the younger players, who follow Alicia would care to know this information please feel free to e-mail Alicia at adaly8@bellsouth.net .

November 2012 Schedule

This week I will be traveling to Houston, Texas for the Ronald McDonald recruiting camp and tournament.  November 2nd Iwill be showcasing myself at 2nd base and outfield.

November 3rd, I will be playing with Team TFS Texas under Coach Van Brunt and Coach Heintzelman.  Here is the Team TFS schedule which will be played at Dyess Park.

Friday 11/2 8:15pm Field 5 vs. Texas Sting Gold ET

Saturday 11/3 11:40am Field 5 vs. Louisiana Freedom Gold

Saturday 11/3 8:40pm Field 5 vs. The Corps

Saturday 11/3 10:50pm Field 5 vs. Intensity- Louisiana

The following weekend, November 9th-11th, I will be playing at the WFC Early Signing Tournament in Myrtle Beach with my team the Spirits Fastpitch Black 18U.  Here is the Spirits Fastpitch Black's schedule for that weekend, which will be played at the Grand Park at 1011 Crabtree Lane.

Saturday, 11/10 at 10:50 am Field 5 vs. Hampton Road Vipers White

Saturday, 11/10 at 12:15pm Field 5 vs. Richmond Rampage

Saturday 11/10 at  3:05pm Field 5 vs. Fire n Ice

Saturday  11/10 at 5:55pm Field 9 vs. Carolina Flames

Sunday    11/11 at 10:50am Field 8 vs. Carolina Curve

Sunday     11/11 at 12:15pm Field 6 vs. MSA Cobras

Alicia update from Surf City Showcase 2012

Coach Bastian wanted this tournament to be about professional development for Alicia.  He wanted her to learn from this experience and it was not about being seen by the college coaches this year.  He has already invited her back to play on next year's team.

Alicia's main purpose in this tournament was to help move players over to the next base and to help get them in to home plate.  She was able to do this by making many sacrifice plays, performing takes and fake plays. She was even coached on how to take a hit if needed.  Alicia was able to distract the catcher with these plays so that a throw to second base would not get there in time to tag the TFS player out.

Alicia ended up with a hit against a pitcher that had verbally committed to UCLA.  She had two walks and 8 sacrifice plays (all out of 12 at bats).  Alicia had never experienced playing against top teams like these in the U.S.

More Surf City Photos

Alicia Daly # 4- Coach Bastian said she is a totally different player from China.  This tournament for her was mainly about professional development and not being seen.  Coach Bastian wants her back next year, because , next year it will be about being seen.

Stiggy's/TFS International Softball Team

Playing at the Surf City Showcase in Huntington Beach, CA in front of many college coaches like, Colgate, Georgia, BU, Yale, Providence College, Brown, USC and the list goes on...

Friday Games for Surf City Showcase

Wow, now we have two more games on Friday at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex.

1:00pm Field 6 vs. WA Triple Threat
2:30pm Field 5 vs. WA Sidewinder

I was recently told that the teams that play in this Showcase are among the top ranked in the country.  So don't be surprised when we are "Puma'd" by the Sol Cal Pumas.

Game Changer Link/ Prep

If anyone wishes to follow Alicia at the Surf City Showcase you can go to the following link:

Hi Susan, David Heintzelman suggested you follow Gold on GameChanger. Team page: http://www.gamechanger.io/team-507a49b345e0a70758000021

Follow Gold ›

 

 

This is the first work out that Coach Monti set up for Alicia.  She is in good shape for the athletes around NC but will need more conditioning for other parts of the country and college.  Coach Monti's team has to pass a conditioning test each year just like the ones the college coaches require.

Day 1

3 x 10yd Sprint

3 x 20yd Sprint

3 x 30yd Sprint

3 x 20yd Sprint

3 x 10yd Sprint

Day 2

Intervals

50yd Sprint

50yd Jog

50yd Sprint

50yd Jog

Repeat 3 Times

Day 3

1.5 mile Run

Day 4

3 x 20yd Sprint

3 x 40yd Sprint

3 x 20yd Sprint

Surf City Showcase Schedule 2012

Monti Van Brunt is coming to train me this weekend.
The weekend of October 20th I will be playing for Stiggy's/Team TFS International softball team in Huntington Beach,CA at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex in the Surf City Showcase.  All of our games are on field 3.

Here is our schedule:
Sat.
 1:15 vs. Cal.Cruisers
4:45 vs. Pastime Gold
6:30 vs. So. Cal Pumas

Sun.
 8:00am vs. Sorcerer Phil
9:30am vs. So. Cal A's

Donated Equipment part 2

The rest of the equipment was given to the Beijing Normal University softball team.  They were very exccited to receive it.

The Daly family received an e-mail this morning from the Beijing Jiaotong University.
Here is what it said : 

Thank you for the gears and suits that you sent us days ago. We really appreciate your help. We were so surprised and excited when we were told to get those equipments from Miss Xin and the excitement grew larger the moment we saw the bats and gloves. 

     We will make good use of the kits you gave us and fight hard for better skills and prizes and to make our baseball years more memorable.

     If you come to china someday, please inform us. We’d like to invite you to our school and show our team to you.

     Thanks again for the kits and wish you a good day.

                             Yours truly

                                                                  Baseball team of Beijing Jiaotong University

Alicia and the Daly family hopes that this will help improve the sport of softball and someday get softball back into the Olympics.

Surf City Showcase 2012

Alicia  is proud to invited to play on the Stiggy's/ Team TFS International Softball team by Coach Michael Bastian.  She will be flying out to California on October 18th for the Huntington Beach tournament.

 http://www.surfcitytourneys.com/October-Showcase.php 

Coach Bastian said the team may attend a University of California at Berkeley softball practice.  Alicia hopes to meet her favorite player and one of Coach Bastian's students, Britt Vonk.

Donated Equipment

When Alicia went to China in August she brought with her some softball equipment that she had collected to give to Chinese players that might need it.  Our interpreter, guide and friend, Xin Miao, found several University softball programs that could use the equipment.  These are several players from the Beijing JiaoTong University Softball Program that received some of the donated equipment.

By sharing this equipment and showing that we all care about a common interest, Alicia and the Daly family hope that one day softball will be an Olympic sport again.

Working on Infield

Chandler Memorial Showcase Schedule 9/22-9/23

Here are the game times for this coming weekend's showcase tournament in Rock Hill, SC.  I am now wearing #00 on the Spirits Fastpitch Black 18U

Game 1 – Saturday       9:30am vs VA Flames Select at Hargett Park field 2

Game 2 – Saturday       3:30pm vs SC Jets at Cherry Park field 3

Game 3 – Saturday       8:00pm vs Foothills Heat at Eagle Park field C

Game 4 – Sunday         2:00pm vs Carolina Fire at Cherry Park field 3

Game 5 – Sunday         3:30pm vs Lady Blues Furr at Cherry Park field 3

Last info about China trip and on to Fall News

On one of the last days of our training in Xishuangbanna the team was interviewed by a local television station.  So we were on Chinese TV and hope to get a copy of it someday.  Below is a picture of my friend Lauren and I being interviewed.  Lauren is fortunate enough to have Mandarin taught at her school so she could speak it and translate.  The reporters did speak good English.

This is a picture of the baseball and softball players that live at the complex in Xishuangbanna.  I donated a glove, bat, helmet and my softball bag to them when I was done with training.  I have some more donated equipment that I could not fit in my bags and some donated uniforms that I will be mailing to them soon.

FALL BEGINS

Wow, has time gone by fast.  It is the Junior year already.  I am taking two AP classes, AP English 11, and AP Psychology,  Regular Discrete Math, Honors Chemistry, Honors Spanish 3 and Honors US History.  I am planning on taking an SAT prep course and then take the SATs again.

My travel ball schedule is as follows:

September 8-9th Kristy Mae Memorial Tournament at Springwood Park, Burlington, NC

September 21-23 Chandler Memorial Showcase in Rock Hill, SC

UNC Fall Tournament/Cardinal Clash

College Invitational (pending) Raleigh, NC

October 19-21 Guilford College Showcase at Springwood Park, Burlington, NC

November 9-11 WFC Late Signing Showcase in Myrtle Beach, SC

These are all with my travel team the Spirits Fastpitch Black from East Wake County, NC and I am #4.

I have been accepted by the NFCA Recruiting camp for the Ronald McDonald tournament in Houston , Texas on November 2nd.  I may even get a little play time with Team TFS Texas 18U.

I have been invited to many prospective camps recently.  Some I would have liked to attend but was unable to register in time since I was out of the country.  I will be attending the following in December and January:

Florida Atlantic University Prospect Camp from December 20th to 22nd

Southern Stars All Star Tournament at Georgia Southern University January 21 and 22 of 2013

My training is stepped up once again.

I am working with Gwen Johnson, former UNCG assistant coach, on hitting and just about any other part of the game.  I see Gwen about once a week.  I will continue to see Coach Bastian once a month when he comes to NC.  I have two sessions planned with Monti VanBrunt from TFS Texas who will work with me to prepare me for future recruiting camps.  As well as my travel team practices.  I also plan to return to the PSP program at Proehlific Park in Greensboro to work on strength, speed, agility and flexibility.

I am excited to see what the future holds.

I may even be traveling next August to Holland with the TFS International Softball Team.

Training in Xishuangbanna

Team TFS International trained with the Chinese National Team's coach.  Coach Bastian calls him " Gunner".  Gunner worked with Coach Bastian when he coached the 2008 Chinese Olympic team.  Gunner ( I am not using his true name to protect him) did not want any of the Chinese to know that he was helping the Americans because he could loose his job.  He is an excellent coach and the girls learned a tremendous amount from him especially about increasing their speed.  "Quedar" means fast.

The girls started the day with a morning workout of 30 minutes of running and stretching before breakfast.  Then they trained from 9am to 12, had lunch and a break in the heat of the day, which in China is nap time.  Then back to training from 4pm to 7pm, dinner and then sometimes back to training until it's too dark to see.  They spent one session at the weight room on a rainy day.

Here is a link I found about the Sports Competition and Training base we stayed at in Xishuangbanna.

Second half of China trip

Team TFS International traveled to Xishuangbanna in the southwestern part of China.  The weather is warm and tropical.  The area was beautiful and the people very friendly.  These are panoramic photos that were taken from the baseball tower.

The complex that we stayed at is called Xishuangbanna Nanjing New City Sports Competition and Training Base in Yunnan, China.

We stayed in a villa and had access to a weight room and had a softball field all prepared for us.  The Chinese National Softball Team comes here to train.  They are trying to encourage more teams to come and train here in this beautiful paradise.

More Photos of Chinese Pro Games

In Chinese Softball game you bow to the opposing team and bow to the umpire to show respect and honor.

Alicia at bat

This team was the Tianjin team.  This is the only game we won.

This team is GuangDong and said to be the most difficult team.  Their coach " Coach Wendy" did not like our coaches.

Visit to 2008 Beijing Olympic Softball Staduim

This is what the 2008 Olympic Softball Stadium looks like now, after only four years.  It was really sad to see.  They are turning it into a baseball field because we were told softball is not as popular.

This is TFS International on the infield ground of the stadium.  We even took our positions and pretended we were playing there.

This is a picture of the dugout, where the construction workers have made their homes while they are working on changing this peace of history into a baseball field.

This is the inside of the dugout and example of what the construction worker's homes look like.  Many of the workers travel from outside of Beijing to work in Beijing because they are so poor in their area.

Can we ever get softball back as an Olympic sport.  I brought the donated softball equipment with me and have made two contacts in China that will help get it to young children that want to play.

Games in Beijing China

The first picture is of TFS International Softball team with the Beijing Pro Team.  They were our first game.  Their pitcher was a 34 yr old former Olympic player.  There are only about nine pro softball teams in China and the National team picks the best players from those nine teams.  Some teams have more players on them than others.

This photo is of Alicia warming up with her Chinese teammate whom is 23 yr. old and attends a University in Beijing.  This field was artifical tuff and the balls slid very quickly across the field.

Returned from China.. So much to tell

Alicia just returned from Beijing, China on August 17th, where she played and trained on the TFS International Softball team.  This photo is of their first day of practice on August 1st.  The team was made up of American girls and Chinese girls.  Communication was a big part of learning to play together.  They stayed at the Muxiyuan Sports Technology School for most of the trip.  That is a Chinese sports school that families give their children over to the sport and the child stays and trains there.

On August 3rd and 4th the TFS International team played two games each day against Pro Chinese teams that came from different parts of China.  The Beijing team had a former Olympic pitcher that was 34 years old on the team.  The Chinese National Team is made up of the best players from the Pro teams.

More information and pictures in Upcoming posts.

Campbell University scrimmage schedule

8:30   SPIRITS VS KNOCKOUTS

10:00  KNOCKOUTS  VS  WILDCATS

11:30  SPIRITS   VS   CLIPPERS

2:30  WILDCATS  VS  DIAMONDS

4:00  DIAMONDS   VS  CLIPPERS

Campbell University Softball team

Beijing Softball Schedule

Alicia Daly leaves for Beijing China on July 30th.  Here is her softball schedule for the first several days there:
3Aug 9:00---11:00 Guangdong VS Tianjin
14:00---16:00 Beijing VS Team TFS International
16:00---18:00 Sichuan VS Team TFS International
4Aug 9:00---11:00 Sichuan VS Guangdong
14:00---16:00 Tianjin VS Team TFS International
16:00---18:00 Guangdong VS Team TFS International

After speaking with Coach Bastian, we found out the these are Pro Chinese softball teams and some of the teams may have Olympic players on it.
We just got the following information:

The following statement to all TFS China Trip participants has been issued by Coach Bastian:  

"Per Chinese Softball Officials request.

Non Coaching and or Players. 

May not be allowed to attend and view and TFS China Trip Games or events that Include Chinese Leaders, Coaches and or Players."

The Chinese thought is was funny that the American parents want to come to see how their children play.  In China if your child is chosen to play for your country, then you hand them over and don't know how they are being trained.  So Alicia's mother and brother whom will be going on the trip with her will not be able to watch the games.



Alicia will also be playing this Saturday at Campbell University.  Coach Peterson requested scrimmages between the Wild Cats, Knockouts, Spirits Fastpitch Black 18u and the Greenville Diamonds.

Quick Update

As Alicia prepares to attend Appalachain State University Softball overnight camp this week. She also wants to update everyone on her upcoming events.

Here is my schedule for the coming weekend in Raleigh. I play for the Spirits Fastpitch Black 18U and I am #4.

July 20th Friday Game 1 – 12:00pm at Walnut Creek field 6 vs NC Peaches Game 2 – 3:00pm at Walnut Creek field 6 vs NC Stingers 18U
 July 21st Saturday Game 3 – 10:30am at Walnut Creek field 5 vs the NC Challengers Renzi Game 4 – 4:30pm at Walnut Creek field 5 vs Triad Thunder Game 5 – 7:30pm at Worthdale Park vs Carolina Stars – Bullington
 July 22nd Sunday Game 6 – 9:45am at Buffaloe Park field 3 vs VA Fauquier Freeze

I also wanted to include my travel interary. I will be leaving to on July 30th to travel to China to play and train with the Chinese National Softball Team. I am told this will be a life changing event for me. I will be coached by American coaches as well as Chinese coaches.

 July 31, 2012 Depart Los Angeles International Airport, USA to Beijing, China

 August 1-6 Beijing, China Six nights at Muxiyuan Hotel Training and softball games at Beijing Muxiyuan Technology School - Muxiyuan softball field Sightseeing: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace Shopping

 August 7 Beijing to Xishuangbanna

August 7-14 Xishuangbanna, China Training at Xishuangbanna Shengjing Xincheng Baseball & Softball Training Center Eight nights Xishuangbanna baseball and softball player’s apartments Training and softball games with Chinese culture Sightseeing

 August 15 Xishuangbanna to Beijing One night hotel Beijing Airport

 August 16 Depart Beijing, China to Los Angeles International Airport, USA

2012 Carolina Cardinals Early Bird Invitational

Alicia will be playing this weekend in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  This is her team schedule below:

Friday June 8th @ 9pm on Terry Field vs. NC Rockers


Saturday June 9th @ 3pm on Cherry Park Field 2 vs. Tarheel Fastpitch Stars 16U

Saturday June 9th @ 7:30pm on Cherry Park Field 1 vs. Full Throttle

Sunday June 10th @ 9:45am on Terry Field vs. Carolina Survivors

Sunday June 10th @ 12:45pm on Eagle 3 vs. NC Challengers.

We will update you with photos and possibly video on Monday or Tuesday.  But please come watch the Spirits Fastpitch Black 18U team and look for #4.

Trying to Caught Up

Here is the links to the Article from the Northwest Observer about Alicia collecting softball equipment for the girls in China.
http://www.nwobserver.com/Flipbook.asp?sectionid=40&subsectionid=122

http://www.thefastpitchschool.com/Alicia_Daly_News_4.20.html

Some other news from High school season:
http://www.greensborosports.com/2012/03/10/high-school-softball-results-from-friday-night/

More news and updates to come soon. 

Latest News

Alicia once again has been honored by being invited to a prospective camp. At this time the Daly family as chosen not to attend this camp.

Alicia continues to do her best to help out her high school time. She won her first conference game as pitcher when Northern Guilford played Eastern Guilford at home. Here is the link to what the Greensboro Sports had to say. Alicia was recently very helpful to her team in the home game against Western Alamance. She analysized the fielders and placed a bunt down for a hit to first base. This play enabled her to score and rallied her team. She also had several beautiful catches in the outfield.

Alicia recently helped out with the Sumerfield Recreational Association's softball clinic. She truely enjoyed her time working with the little softball players. She made a very special little fan named Caroline , whom called Alicia, Huggy. When the clinic was over and Alicia had to leave, Caroline gave Alicia a big Huggy.

Later that weekend, when Alicia was out with her friends and representing Northern Guilford High School by wearing her Northern Softball T-shirt, a father came up to her and asked her to give his daughter whom was just starting out in softball advice. Alicia smiled as she always does and said " Never give up". He said when was the last time you struck out and Alicia said " probably two games ago." The father said to his daughter " see it happens to everyone."

After a recent game, a father of a one of the players as well as a travel softball coach, stopped Alicia and told her that she is always smiling no matter what happens on the ball field and don't ever change that. Even her fellow team-mates say she is always smiling.

Alicia continues to collect used softball equipment to take to the chinese girls when she travels to China in August. This equipment will help change their lives and may even help develope more teams/players for future Olympics. This link by Michael Bastian might help explain that a little.

Asked Again...

Alicia feels honored to be asked by a Prospective camp to attend there exclusive showcase for only 90 prospects but has chosen not to since most of the schools attending are not on her interest list. Her main focus at the moment is helping her high school team and preparing herself for the summer season.

Spring season starts....

Once again so much to fill the reader in on. Alicia is always busy when it comes to softball. Let's see if we can give the reader a quick update and then maybe go back to discuss different topics in more detail.
1. Southern Star All-Star Showcase was an experience but was mostly rained out. The green team which Alicia played on got one good game in. She truely was only concerned with Coach Anne Smith from Georgia Southern University getting the opportunity to see her hit. Coach Anne actually encouraged someone to get out of the way to watch Alicia slap.

2. Alicia is working out with the Spirit Fastpitch Black 18U from East Wake County. The Dalys feel that this is a competative, family oriented team that is taking it's players to college level playing. They feel that playing 18U is where Alicia needs to be to be seen by college recruiters. Alicia has already played with them the weekend of February 4-5 at UNCW clinic.

3. Alicia just made her varsity high school softball team in which she will help out being the #2 pitcher and then fill in as either middle infield (the position her travel team is grooming her for) or outfield. Alicia is happy to have a few young softball players following her blog and what she does and hopes to set a good example for them.

4. Alicia will continue to see her hitting/pitching coach Coach Michael Bastian and will even be traveling to China with him in August to play with the Chinese National Softball Team. Mrs. Daly has been starting a charity to collect used softball equipment for girls that can't afford it and Alicia will deliver this equipment to China.

So Much to Tell Part 2...

Christmas day the Daly family was on the road to Boca Raton, Florida to attend the Florida Atlantic University Prospect softball camp for Alicia. This is one of the schools Alicia is interested in attending. The Daly family believes in starting their college preparation early for Alicia so that she has an idea what is out there and what types of schools she would like to attend. This is good because it gives the college coaches a chance to see how much Alicia's skills grow over the next couple of years.

The picture below shows a picture of Alicia throwing the ball in to the infield from the outfield. She worked on outfield drills. Look at those lovely green knees.

During the three days that they were at camp, the players were broken into four teams and they scrimmaged. Alicia went 5 for 6. The first game she had a beautiful soft slap between the 2nd and 3rd baseman that just died when it hit the ground and Alicia was easily on first base. Alicia has become very good on her placements of her slaps.

The picture below is of Alicia on first base during one of the scrimmage games.

During base running, Alicia almost came in under 11 seconds from home to home. What prevented from doing so was that everyone who went before her had piled up at home plated and she had to slow up otherwise she would have plowed into them. The coaches were all cheering " come on , come on".

Alicia's next trip will be to the Southern Star All-Star Showcase in which she is only 0ne of seven North Carolinians chosen to play. She will be traveling to the campus of Georgia Southern University on January 20th for this big individual event.