Three local preps selected for Elite 80 softball teams
by Chike Nwakamma
Jul 12, 2010 | 1437 views | 0 0 comments | 9 9 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Three rising Bartow County senior softball players were selected recently to participate in the Georgia Dugout Club Elite 80 Showcase Thursday at Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Cherokee County.

The selection is the second consecutive for each player, Woodland High's Ainsley Faulk and Excel Christian Academy's Abby Hibbard and Janna Scheff.

Hibbard was excited about receiving another selection to play in the showcase.

"It's a good showcase because there are a lot of college coaches there, and it gets your name out," said the first/third baseman.

Faulk, who has been to other showcases, said the number of college coaches present is astounding.

"I've never seen as many college coaches (at showcases) as I have at the Elite 80," she said.

"It's a privilege to be able to play in this tournament," Scheff said. "You're going out there to play your hardest and you have these college coaches looking at you.

"I'm definitely hoping to catch a college scout's eye because I'm looking forward to going to college to play ball."

The trio doesn't seem to mind having many sets of eyes on them. Tryouts featured a number of evaluators critiquing more than 200 players on everything from fielding and hitting to pitching.

"As a pitcher, they look for how fast you throw the ball and movement on your pitches and how well you can spot the ball," said Scheff, the Lady Eagles' hurler, who got news of her selection while playing in a tournament in Colorado.

The Lady Wildcats' Faulk did what she does best during her tryout.

"I tried to showcase as much as I could," said Faulk, who normally plays middle infield and catcher for Woodland but played some outfield during tryouts.

"I think I got noticed most for my running," she continued. "I'm more fast than anything."

After selection to the Elite 80, players are divided into six teams based on position, said the Georgia Dugout Club's Meredith Barnhill, who also is a coach at Adairsville High.

Hibbard will play on Elite 80 Team 2; Faulk will be on Elite 80 Team 3; and Scheff will play for Elite 80 Team 6, Barnhill said.

The player shuffling will pit teammates Hibbard and Scheff against one another.

"It will definitely be fun," Scheff said. "I think it will be neat because I play summer ball and high school ball with her. She'll get to see my pitching, and I'll get to see if she can hit my pitches."

"It gets pretty competitive because sometimes you are playing against your own teammate so you want to beat them," Hibbard added.

Even with the high-level competition going on, players enjoy meeting other top prep athletes from the state.

"The No. 1 plus is colleges (watching you)," Faulk said of the Elite 80 Showcase's benefits. "(The) No. 2 (plus is) all the girls you get to meet from all over the state of Georgia. ... I've kept in touch with some of them."

The Elite 80 Showcase schedule is as follows: 11 a.m. -- Team 2 vs. Team 3 (Field 1), Team 1 vs. Team 4 (Field 2); 1 p.m. -- Team 3 vs. Team 6 (Field 1), Team 5 vs. Team 2 (Field 2); 3 p.m. -- Team 6 vs. Team 1 (Field 1), Team 4 vs. Team 5 (Field 2).

For more information, including full team rosters, visit www.georgiadugoutclub.org.