VENDETTA
AZ 18U
FASTPITCH
SOFTBALL
NEWS
Vendetta announces tryouts for 2018-19 season
Vendetta AZ 18U will conduct three sessions of tryouts for players interested in joining us for the 2018-19 season.
The tryouts will be Saturdays, May 5, 12 and 19, at McClintock High School, 1830 E. Del Rio Drive in Tempe, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
All positions are welcome. We have a particular need at catcher, and we love speed. There is no cost to attend or obligation involved.
Our 2018-19 season will include two trips to Flagstaff, USSSA Far West Nationals in West Covina, Calif., and showcases in San Diego and Last Vegas, but most tournaments will continue to be played in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Our practice sites this year will be McClintock High for summer and Saturdays, and once the school year begins, the SRP Pera Club, 1 E. Continental Drive in Tempe, on week nights.
Staff addition
Frank Cornett is joining us as an assistant coach.
A former ballplayer himself, Frank has previously coached his own club team. You'll know who is he by his enthusiasm and cool sayings.
Frank is married and the father of two, including Vendetta veteran Rachel Cornett. He works at Salt River Project.
On to next level
Four of our 2017 graduates have signed or committed to play college ball.
Alyiah Poplawski will play at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which has a progam that feeds into Iowa State's postgraduate veterinary school.
Eden Hernandez was spotted at Showcase in the City of Lights by Williston State in North Dakota, which brought her up for a visit. She signed shortly thereafter.
McKenna Schindele has committed to Cairn University, a Division III school in Pennsylvania.
Our first signee was Jenesis Outain, who signed with Mesa Community College in the fall.
The three bring the number of girls from our club who received college softball offers to 21 in the past three seasons.
Our Class of 2016 had seven girls with offers and five signed.
In our 2015 class, we had 11 with offers, nine of whom signed.
Vendetta AZ 18U works actively with girls on how to contact schools, preparing videos and profiles and identifying schools to contact.
Winslow clinic
Thirty-four girls, coming from Winslow, Holbrook and Peach Springs, attended Vendetta 18U-Brimhall's first Winslow Softball Clinic on June 3 at Hayden Walton Memorial Sports Complex in Winslow.
The girls, ages 7-16, were instructed primarily by eight Vendetta players, plus Coach Jared Brimhall, Director of Operations Tom Blodgett and operations intern/graduate assistant Sierra Dempsey.
The girls received instruction in proper stretching, throwing, infield and outfield defense and hitting. Several stayed for additional instruction in pitching, led by player Madison Greenlee.
The event was a thank you to the community of Winslow for the dedication of our four Winslow-based players, and parent Mary Candelaria helped make arrangements and publicize the event, with parent Michelle Sanders also helping spread the word on the clinic.
The team plans to do another clinic either in the fall or next summer. It thanks the city of Winslow's Recreation Department for providing use of the park's softball field.