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Club Profile: American Freedom-Shaw’s Formula for Success: Chemistry + Power + Speed = Wins

 

 

The American Freedom team coached by Trey Shaw is known for its power and speed.

In about a dozen years, from its started as a single 12U team to an organization that spans eight states fielding 40 teams, the American Freedom program has emerged from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas to become a national success story.

This week, Coach Trey Shaw’s 14U team was honored by Extra Inning Sports as one of the top teams to watch in the Elite 50 Club Rankings as it has the core group returning for a team that finished 3rd of 182 teams at Colorado Sparkler Juniors and 10th at Triple Crown Nationals.

The Freedom squad won 50 games last summer due in large part to its power game as the players clubbed 51 home runs and Shaw says his speedy defenders are key in helping shut down the opposition’s offense.

But there’s another reason for AF to be a force this year: chemistry. Eight of the players on the team have played together for at least six years and, off the field, the players and their families are all a “close-knit group.”

We caught up with Coach Shaw this week to learn about the program that almost every Texas club coach questioned by us had on their short list of teams that should make some noise in the 14U ranks this summer…

Here’s what the Freedom head coach had to say about team’s history, culture and current roster of players:

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Tell us about the origins of the Freedom program and how you first got involved…
The American Freedom Softball Club was founded in 2006 as a single 12U team and has grown into one of the country’s top travel softball clubs with more than 40 teams from eight states.

American Freedom (Shaw) joined the American Freedom Organization in 2012 as a first year 10U team and has grown to become the 14U American Freedom Express Gold with the merger this past year of the American Freedom and The DFW Express Baseball Club.

Where is the organization headquartered and where do the players originate?
We are based in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area with our players coming from the surrounding area as well as having players come from West and Central Texas.

What was is the primary reason the American Freedom was begun?
The purpose of creating this team has been to build a reputation of winning, developing young players, and showcasing their skills to allow them to play collegiate softball.

What would you say have been some of the key highlights in the Freedom-Shaw team’s history?
Some of our successes include winning the 2014 12U Triple Crown Southern Nationals in Austin, Texas as a first-year 12U team, finishing 25th at PFG Nationals in 2015 and being ranked 25th in the country.  Competing as a first-year 14U team last summer, we finished in the Top 8 at the Tulsa Elite Invitational, had a 3rd place finish out of 182 teams at the Triple Crown Colorado Sparkler Juniors Open Division and finished 10th place at Triple Crown Nationals.

What, in your opinion, would you say makes the Freedom program unlike any other?
The thing that makes the American Freedom Express Organization unique is that we remain committed to one simple principle:

“To compete as a national-level program committed to helping every player who remains committed to our philosophy get recruited to the ‘right fit’ for that player without regard to division of play.”

Tell us about your coaching background… specifically, how you got into club ball and became associated with this team…
I began my coaching career at the high school level.  I coached for seven years at three different high schools in Texas and made the transition to travel ball when my youngest daughter turned nine years old.

I have coached in the Freedom organization for the past six years at the 10U, 12U, and 14U levels and have been fortunate enough to be able to move up through the age groups with the same group of kids.

I also have two very good assistant coaches in Kirk Hebel and Bo Legg.  Bois also our college recruiting coordinator and has been coaching in the Freedom Organization for 10 years. He has coached at all levels as both a head coach and an assistant and adds a wealth knowledge to our team.

What’s been a turning point, do you think, in making the team a player on the national club scene?
I believe the key moment in this team’s history was winning the PFG Qualifier in DFW as a second-year 12U team and earning a chance to play against the best 12U teams in the country at PGF Nationals.

How do you measure success as a coach of a group of softball players?
My primary focus for this team and my players is to help them become better softball players but more importantly, better people and successful adults.  As a staff we have focused on taking a “Team First” approach and setting realistic goals.

We preach leadership with the understanding that each player’s role on the team is important to its success.  If we can get our players to buy into this philosophy the idea is they will be successful not only in softball but in life.

What do you think are the strengths of the team?
The strengths of the team include our ability to hit the long ball which includes the 51 home runs last summer and the speed of our outfielders and their ability to get to almost anything.

I also feel that the chemistry of the players on the team is unlike anything I have had a chance to experience.  We have eight players who have been together for at least six seasons and our players and families are a very close-knit group.  Our turnover rate on average is two players a season.  I feel blessed that players want to play for me and for that I am thankful.

What separates the Freedom organization from other club programs locally and nationally?
If there is one thing that separates us from other programs is that we believe we can be successful at the national level AND remain loyal to our players, we are committed to player development and we can be successful at college recruiting that makes sense for our players and their families.

We will never try to persuade a player to take a small money offer at a big-time school if you (and your parents) believe the “right fit” can be found at a small school with big money, small money, or no money at all. We will help you try to find the “right fit” for you! Our success speaks for itself.

You recently brought in Kevin Blaskowski, who was the National Championship-winning head coach at West Texas A&M up until last October… talk about what he brings to the table for the Freedom organization…
Kevin, the DFW Express Director of Softball Operations, has joined the American Freedom as the National Program Director.  With this change, we are now the American Freedom Express.

Kevin is considered one of the top offensive coaches in NCAA Division II softball. His teams at West Texas A&M perennially led the country in numerous offensive categories. Kevin’s teams hit over 100 home runs in 2014 and 2015.

Only eight times has a team hit over 100 home runs in NCAA Division II. In 2014, he won a National Championship while at West Texas A&M University and during his college career, he has amassed an overall record of 819-523.

I feel like Kevin’s addition to our program will allow us to continue to be a top level national program.

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Here are player-by-player “scouting reports” on each of the members of the American Freedom team listed alphabetically with comments from Coach Shaw…

P Emily Gilliam (2022, uncommitted)
Emily is a player who has been with us since 12U and is only one of two 2022’s on the team.  She is a 5-foot-9 right-handed pitcher who throws in the upper ‘50’s with a good drop curve, screwball, and change up.  She is a great teammate and even better kid.  Being the only 2022 on a team of mostly 2021’s the last few seasons, she has at times had a limited role in the circle and handled it exceptionally well.  We look to her playing a bigger role this summer and expect she will meet the challenge.

OF Piper Hankins (2021, uncommitted)
Piper joined the team at 12U and plays outfield.  She has worked hard on her game especially in the area of power slapping and hitting.  She has been in many roles including starting in right field, coming off the bench in the outfield, and courtesy running when called upon.  She is a great teammate and fulfills her role as well as anyone on the team.

3B Elia Hebel (2021, uncommitted)
Elia plays third base for us and has been on the team since 12U.  She is a player every coach wants on their team due to her size, strength, and competitiveness.  Elia has the strongest arm on the team and can flat hit bombs.  She hit .417 last summer including 18 home runs, 18 doubles and five triples.  She led the team in RBIs with 76, led in slugging percentage with a .872 and hit six homeruns this past fall.  She also has multiple offers on the table from schools in the Sun Belt and Southland Conferences.

OF/UT Sydney Ingle (2021, Abilene Christian University)
Sydney has been with the team since 12U as well and plays centerfield as well as middle infield.  She is one of the vocal leaders of the team and commands the outfield very well.  Her softball IQ is extremely high and she is probably the smartest baserunner I have ever seen.  Sydney has good speed but even better decision-making skills.  She takes an extra base when given any opportunity.  Sydney is committed to play at Abilene Christian University (D1) in the Southland Conference.

C/3B Brooke Johnson (2021, uncommitted)
Brooke is a player everyone wants to have on their team.  She is one of the hardest workers and has great leadership qualities.  Her softball IQ is very high and she commands the field from behind the plate as well as any player I have had the chance to coach.  I look for her to continue to improve as an offensive threat as she is constantly working to improve.

SS Alexa Langeliers (2021, uncommitted)
Alexa has been on the team since 12U and is simply a gifted athlete.  We brought her on as a catcher not knowing she would eventually play shortstop for us. She is a true “5-tool player.”  Last summer she hit .387 with six home runs, 18 doubles, and five triples against some of the best competition in the country.  She currently has multiple offers on the table from schools in the Big 12, Sun Belt and Southland Conferences.

UT Gwyn Miller (2021, uncommitted)
Gwyn joined the team this past fall and can play both middle infield and outfield.  She is a very coachable player who is willing to listen and learn.  She is constantly trying to improve her game both offensively and defensively.  She is another player that has home run power and hit .419 in the fall with a slugging percentage of .651.

1B Mia Moore (2021, uncommitted)
Mia is one of our core players who has been on this team since our second year of 10U.  She is what I call a quiet leader in that she leads by example.  Mia is the quietest player on the team as it took her two seasons to even speak to me, but she is probably the most intellectual player with the highest IQ.  Defensively, she can dig or pick up any ball in the dirt.  She will also sell out to get to any ball she can play including running through a brick wall if that is asked of her.  Offensively she has home run strength, but she is also one of our best bunters.

OF Cassidi Mullen (2021, uncommitted)
Cassidi joined the team last fall and has added depth in the outfield.  She is an athletic player with above average speed and a very strong arm.  Cassidi is a lefty power slapper who can also hit for power.  She bats at the top of the lineup and has the ability to get on base and cause problems for the opposing defenses.  She led the team in steals in the fall with 10.

P Bethany Noble (2022, uncommitted)
Bethaney is also a new addition and the second of two 2022’s on the team.  She is a 6-foot right-handed pitcher who throws upwards of 60 mph with good control, great movement, and the ability to change speeds.  She also has home run power with some of the quickest hands I have seen.  We can’t wait to see her development and how she fares against some of the best teams in the country.

OF Allie Shaw (2021, uncommitted)
Allie has been with the team since its inception in 2012.  She plays outfield and is the fastest kid on the team.  She has good range and knowledge of the game.  As the leadoff hitter last summer, Allie hit .400 and led the team in hits with 80, runs scored with 71, and stolen bases with 81.  She is a finesse-type slapper with exceptional speed.  She missed most of the fall due to a broken thumb and we look forward to her getting back this summer.

2B/UT Gabby Smith (2021, Abilene Christian University)
Gabby Smith joined the team as a first year 12U player who can play multiple positions including second, shortstop and outfield.  She has great range and great glove work along with a very good arm.  Gabby has some of the quickest hands on the team and can transition from glove-to-release instantly, allowing her to turn double plays with ease.  She is also a power hitter with good speed.  Gabby is committed to play at Abilene Christian.

P Brailey Wasik (2021, Sam Houston State University)
Brailey came to us three seasons ago from the Texas Glory.  She is a 5-foot-10 right-handed power pitcher who throws upwards of 62 mph.  She throws multiple pitches and has just transitioned to a new pitching coach to prepare her for the next level.  Brailey is also a power hitter who can drop bombs.  She hit .327 last summer with 11 home runs and has committed to play at Sam Houston State University (DI) in the Southland Conference. 

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