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.

Last Tournament of 2011

This was a great tournament for Alicia. It started with the warm up game in which she was the winning pitcher against the Fury.

Her slapping and bunting was right on this tournament. There were several bunts that just stopped about half a foot from the plate and she was speeding off to first base. Then she had a beautiful hard slap to the outfield and a soft slap that hugged the first base line.

Her fielding was perfection. She caught all her catches and even called off the center fielder once. She had one catch in the outfield that she had to run a long way to get.

Base running, what can I say. Coach Donnie Hall from the Triad Power anounced to his team, " watch #3 the lead off batter, she is very fast," well Alicia's coach heard that and made her base bandit for that game. There was a pop fly to the second baseman, Alicia went back tagged second and stole to third but the third baseman was blocking her way to the base so Alicia went through her.

YAK video

Alicia can also be seen at about 3:01 mins into the video running from first base, wearing white underarmor and batting at 3:21 minutes in.

Winter Season 2011-2012

Even though many softball players are taking a break in their season, that is not true for Alicia. She has started her winter training this week at Proehlific Park in the PSP program. Rodney Beasley and Blaze Thompson are a great support to Alicia and will help her reach her goals. Alicia will be working on some strength training, nutrition and speed and agility. Alicia will also be working one on one, once to twice a week with her coach Monica Munsey Carpenter.

Alicia is getting ready for one last tournament this weekend. Then she has several college camps that she will be attending. The weekend of December 17th-18th she will be in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee for the Lady Vol's Softball Christmas Camp. Then right after Christmas she will be traveling to Boca Raton, FL for the Florida Atlantic University Owls Prosceptive Softball Camp. Alicia is hoping to make a good impression on these schools because she is interested in their academic and softball programs.

The New Year will bring another trip but we will tell you about that one later.

Alicia continues to see Dr.Jeremy Phillips, her chiropractor not because she has ever hurt herself but to help her prevent injuries. He is another great support to her as he encourages her in positive ways.

Alicia is very thankful and fortunate to have such a great supportive team of people that believe in her. Even some of you that check on her site regularly, give her support.

Alicia just recieved a very good book for any softball player to have called Winning State Softball, Execute Under Pressure.

Local Tip: If you ever need your glove sewn up or repaired, take it to the Greensboro Batting Center, they did a great job on Alicia's glove, it was done quickly and inexpensively.

Coastal Carolina University

Alicia arrived early to Coastal Carolina University so that she and her mother could take the time to explore the area and the campus. They were one of four families that took advantage of the generous offer of the assistant coach,Kate Refsnyder to take them on a tour of the campus and tell them all about the softball program and it's plans for the future.

Sunday morning Alicia went to the Defensive clinic and chose to work on her outfielding skills. The coach spoke to her several times the first saying, " Come on I know you have this drill down now so let's speed it up since I know you are fast." And then another time when she was thrown she asking if she played infield and which position.
In the afternoon she worked on hitting and had her hitting video taped. Alicia is still working at becoming a power hitter from the left hand side of the plate. Alicia did not think she did very well but Alicia is very hard on herself. Her mother said she had some good swings for not having completely perfected the left handed hitting yet.

Alicia will be starting PSP with Proehlific Park this week.

Honored

Alicia was honored this week to be personally invited to a Prospect Showcase camp for only 90 prospective softball players. This is just the next step in her softball career. Her coaches and Coach Michael Bastian will help her decide which are the best ones for her to attend.

Alicia has found a volunteering position at a local assisted living home and will be helping the elderly with bingo, arts and crafts, exercise and maybe some outside trips in the future. She is very excited about this opportunity.