DALEVILLE (WSLS-10 SPORTS)- The Maroon Crush 'Showcase' squad is an area travel squad that amounts to a collection of all-star softball talent from SW Virginia. High School players from area schools like Salem, Franklin Co, James River and even Greenbrier East in West Virginia have come together to form a winning travel team. This weekend they made an undefeated run through the Salem Fair July 4th 18-under(
"We are playing together as a team and everybody's meshing very well. Like I said they're very accepting and we have a bunch of new girls like I've been playing--- I played last from her summer and last fall and there are some new girls that I haven't played with yet and I think we're just coming together, explains two-time VHSL state champion Logan Buzzard from Parry McCluer HS.
While tournaments like these certainly crown champions the main purpose for these players is to get more experience and more exposure so they can play at the next level.
"Playing travel ball where these coaches are not in season for softball and they can travel all summer and into the fall, come and watch these kids against top-level competition every time they come, that's the biggest thing. In high school sometimes you're playing teams that are not as competitive as what you see and travel because most travel teams they are-- they are all-star teams," explains Maroon Crush Showcase head coach Andy Neal.
Rising Salem high school senior Haellie Gordon is a perfect example of that formula equating to travel ball success. The pitcher already has a scholarship to play college ball at George Mason University.
"You know I'm the oldest in my family so no one's gone through this college process as an athlete so I have my parents trying to help me but having a coach that has put girls through college as well has been really important and a key to my success. Because he's told me what to say in an email, who to talk to, what coaches-- it's just the connections that coaches have that you might not," explains George Mason signee Haellie Gordon.
Andy Neal's been coaching travel ball for 18 years, and his experience has guided the Showcase team to an 18-and-under Nationals--berth later this summer, and most likely will guide the bulk of this team into college uniform two seasons from now.