At Texas Tech University, where I'm on the faculty, the softball team is starting to show some signs of emerging from the doldrums. As many of you will recall, the Red Raiders got hot toward the end of the season and made the championship game of the Big 12 tournament, upsetting eventual College World Series participants Baylor and Texas A&M along the way. Whether Tech can break through next year and contend for an NCAA tournament berth based on its regular-season record, remains to be seen.

The last time Texas Tech made the NCAA tournament field was in 2001. The Red Raiders were powered that year by a pitcher named Amanda Renfro, whose career accomplishments included two perfect games and a no-hitter, plus top 10 status in the NCAA record book in a couple of categories.

The official Texas Tech athletics website has been tracking down alumni athletes in a variety of sports to do stories on them, and one of the featured athletes is Renfro, now known as Amanda Renfro Simmons (article link).

Married and with three young children, Amanda appears to be out of organized softball. She and her husband live in Houston and both work for an oil/gas company. Much of the article is devoted to her reflections on pitching for Texas Tech. One passage, perhaps as a result of a runaway spellchecker, reads as follows:

Simmons said that despite all of her achievements and accolades, what she will remember the most is the commodore and closeness she shared with her teammates while playing at Tech.

The intended word was probably "camaraderie."

As for the future of the Texas Tech program, the 2007 roster included only four seniors. Both pitchers used by the Red Raiders in the conference tournament -- Sarah Losleben and Ashly Jacobs -- return, as does catcher Robyn Wike.

Coach Teresa Wilson, who just completed her third season at Texas Tech, appeared on a local sports talk radio show shortly after the Red Raiders' season ended. Remarking on the team's success in the Big 12 tourney, she noted that her intense style was perhaps finally starting to take hold.

BC Summer Games "Dream Team" Softball Coaches Meet

The "Dream Team" Softball Coaches for the Zone 5 BC Summer Games met up last Friday night to discuss strategies, methodology, plan of attack, and of course, Softball.
Head Coach Shannon McDougall is a Coach for the Vancouver Lakers Softball Association, and the author of numerous books on Mental Training.
The legendary Jo Mathieson Coaches for the Burnaby Oakies Softball Association, has been at the past 2 Games, and continues to play for the 50+ League.
North Vancouver /Big League Experience Softball Pitching instructor, Isla Powell, will be contributing as a Manager/Coach.
And a surprise "Dream Coach"...I'll tell you more next time!!

BC Summer Games Tryout Camps will will be at:

9:00am - 4:00pm
September 8 - North Vancouver
September 9 - Vancouver
September 14 - North Vancouver
September 9 - Vancouver
The venues have not been finalized.

Pre-registration is mandatory.


2 Teams will play at Softball City at the September 27 - 29 Fall Classic. From this the Final team will be picked.

BC SUMMER GAMES 2008 Girls Fastpitch

BC SUMMER GAMES 2008 Girls Softball

Kelowna
July 24-27

U14 M Softball - 128 Boys Kinsmen QuadPlex (Mission Recreation Park)
U14 F Softball - 128 Girls Kinsmen QuadPlex (Mission Recreation Park)

In 2006, The Zone 5 Softball Team won a Silver Medal at the BC Summer Games in Kamloops

Coach: Peter Powell

Team Members:EliseBuckley, Dorianna Dickson, Olivia Carrillo, Michelle Errico, KellySzalai,
LeannePickard,Julie Van Leeuwen,JulieRussell Shannon Hopkins, Courtenay Lum, Lia Marining, ElyseMeloche, Madeline Carrillo, Cara Ott, Stephani Ellis, Karly Fines

From the web site http://www.bcgames.org/

2008 BC Summer Games Sports Announced

The BC Games Society announced today the sports that will be a part of the Kelowna 2008 BC Summer Games. Almost 2800 of BC's best developing athletes will compete in 19 sports at the BC Summer Games including Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Golf, Lacrosse (box and field), Rugby, Sailing, Shooting Sports, Soccer, Softball, Synchronized Swimming, Towed Water Sports (water-ski, wakeboard, barefoot), Triathlon, Volleyball (indoor and beach), and Wrestling.

New sports joining the BC Summer Games for 2008 are Field Lacrosse and Girls Rugby. Athletes with a disability from BC Special Olympics and BC Wheelchair Sports will compete in Athletics.

Through the BC Games Society Core Sport process, Provincial Sport Organizations involved in the BC Winter and BC Summer Games must demonstrate that the BC Games play an integral part in the sport's athlete, coach, and officials' development to higher levels of competition.

Following the 2006 BC Winter and BC Summer Games, Provincial Sport Organizations were evaluated on the Core Sport criteria. BC Amateur Hockey and Gymnastics BC have excelled in the BC Winter Games structure. Both organizations brought 100% of their complement of athletes from all eight BC Games Zones. In addition, 100% of their coaches met the required NCCP Level 2 certification. Eight sports at the 2006 BC Summer Games brought athletes from all eight zones, this included Basketball (Girls) and Soccer (Boys and Girls) which also brought 100% of their allocated number of athletes. Several sports at the Kamloops 2006 BC Summer Games ensured that all of their head coaches met the required NCCP Level 2 certification. This included Wresting, Softball, Soccer, Field Hockey, and the three disciplines in Athletics for athletes with a disability.

Kelly Mann, President and CEO of the BC Games Society said, "Sports competing in Kelowna in 2008 make up the best of those providing development opportunities for their athletes, coaches and officials. It will be top flight competition at premier venues for 4 days in July 2008."