RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
There are travel ball organizations that have been around for decades and then there are new ones that just started recently and SmashHouse Fastpitch is one of those.
Going into its third year, the program has strong University of South Carolina ties as it was begun by former Gamecock player Ashlyn Masters and coached by Tim Drotar, the father of current South Carolina standout Cayla Drotar… he answers our questions below.
Here’s a closer look at SmashHouse which currently has seven teams and already has a Top 5 finish at a national event.
When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be?
SmashHouse Training Facility opened up November 2, 2014 by former University of South Carolina player Ashlyn Masters. Ashlyn’s goal was to open up a training facility that gave young female athletes a place to work out of and train with D1 athletes. From that beginning, SmashHouse Fastpitch Organization started in 2015 when Keith Taylor, a current SmashHouse 16U assistant coach, approached Ashlyn with the idea of starting a team.
Where are you based? Where do your athletes come from?
Although SmashHouse Training Facility is located in Thomson, Georgia, our travel teams are located in Georgia and South.  At this time, all of our athletes are from South Carolina or Georgia. With our growth we now have teams that are very close to the North Carolina border so we anticipate we will soon have players from North Carolina as well.
What was the purpose of creating the organization?
The purpose of SmashHouse is to develop young athletes and grow the game of softball. Our goal is to not only to teach fundamentals but to expose their talents to college coaches.
What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events?
All of our teams have demonstrated the ability to compete at elite levels by winning or placing in various tournaments and qualifiers including a berth for the ASA National Tournament and placing 5th out of 80 teams in the TCS Nationals.
What makes the organization unique?
I think what sets our organization apart from others is that we are an organization where all decisions made are in the best interest of player development and recruitment.
This is truly a player’s organization. The dedication of our coaches is also another unique facet to SmashHouse. Our higher age group teams are coached by former D1 players or coaches with experience at the highest levels of travel ball.
In only a few years, we have grown from a single team to teams at all levels. However, the goal is not to have 10 teams at the 14U level. Instead, the growth of the organization is managed to ensure player development is the focus. In other words, quality over quantity.
What’s your softball background and how did you get to the point of leading the team?Â
I have always worked with my daughter, Cayla Drotar, since she was little and just starting in the game. She worked with several coaches and pitching instructors over the years, but I was always the person that worked with her the most.
I had to work to always increase my knowledge of the game to help her achieve her goal of playing in college. Cayla in now playing for the University of South Carolina where she helped lead her team to the Super Regionals in 2018 with her work as a pitcher and at the plate batting primarily in the 5-spot.  Being a successful pitcher and hitter in the SEC is rare so we must have done some things right to have that outcome!
I was asked by one of the SmashHouse assistant coaches that I knew well to help out with the SmashHouse organization. At that time my plan was to just to enjoy watching Cayla’s career and not to coach any longer.
Throughout most of Cayla’s travel ball days I helped coach several teams including Carolina Elite’s National 18U team. I have coached from one side of the country to the other and was blessed to be a part of some highly competitive and successful teams.  I met with Ashlyn to discuss me joining the SmashHouse organization to once again enter the ring of coaching.
When I first started with SmashHouse we had two teams, a 12U and a 14U. My first tournament with Smashouse was in January of 2017 coaching the 14U team in a D9 Fall Showcase in Orlando, Florida. We played some good competition in that tournament. We won some and we lost some.
What I observed was a team with a lot of talent and girls that had played a lot of travel ball. However, what I thought they were missing was playing travel ball at a higher level.  The players were very well coached in fundamentals of the game. What I thought I could offer was my experience of coaching travel ball on the national level and my knowledge of recruitment.
How may teams are there in the organization?
There are currently seven 2019 SmashHouse teams: one each at 8U, 10U, 12U, 16U and 18U and two at 14U.
Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team’s history?Â
I think there were several key moments in the history of this organization that have helped us get to where we are now.
My first summer with what was our 16U team at the time was what I would call a time of learning. Learning how to take those talents I saw in our first tournament, develop those talents, and increase our softball IQ. In other words, we learned to play the game at a higher level. During that summer we had our first player, Truett Taylor, commit to play at the University of South Carolina-Upstate.
Once our first player committed, we experienced a domino effect where one player after the next committed. By the end of our Fall 2017 season almost the entire 16U roster was committed with five players committed to D1 teams.  This team also secured a bid to play in the ASA National Tournament placing 5th out of 80 teams in the TCS national tournament. Both of those events served as building blocks to the success we are seeing in this organization.
What is your primary focus for goal with this team?
The players that I began with are all on our 18U team coached by Ashlyn Masters. I am coaching the SmashHouse 16u team and my goal is to once again teach these players to play this game at a higher level. I have a group of players with a lot of talent that remind me of the first group of players I started with.
Last Fall we watched this group improve in all facets of the game, but most importantly I saw them start to believe in themselves as players and trust the process. Those players are on the radar of many college coaches and I am confident in a short period of time we will see these players continue our cycle of players committing to play for the college of their choice.
What do you think are the strengths of this team?
I think our greatest strength is that our players are coachable.  They want to be successful and understand the work it takes to achieve at a high level.
What would you say separates you from other clubs/programs?Â
SmashHouse is a family. We expect a high level of commitment from our players and parents. In turn, our parents entrust their kids with us knowing what our purpose is.  Anyone that has had a child play travel ball understands the amount of time and financial impact it has on a family.  There is constant communication between all the coaches in the organization to ensure we are focused on our purpose.
*****
SmashHouse 18U is coached by Ashlyn Masters and the featured players below have been a part of SmashHouse since the very first 14u was established. This group was also coached by Tim Drotar until the summer of 2018…
IF/C Truett Taylor (2019, South Carolina Upstate)
Truett is a true competitor and was the very first committed player for the SmashHouse organization.  Truett has the ability to play any position on the infield and brings a lot of power to the plate.
UT Kayleigh Nicholson (2019, Gardner-Webb)
Kayleigh is an exceptional athlete with excellent lateral movement and footwork which allows for her to easily transition from infield to outfield.
UT Libby Williams (2019, Belmont Abbey College)
Libby has an extremely high softball IQ. A great base runner with the ability to play infield or outfield.
P/1B Caitlin Toole (2019, South Carolina-Beaufort)
Caitlin Toole has been a solid force for SmashHouse in the circle over the years. Caitlin has a high spin rate giving her extraordinary movement on her feature pitches.
UT Ashlee Baker (2019, Gardner-Webb)
Ashlee Baker adds power to the SmashHouse 18u lineup by leading the team in HR this season. Ashley is a mainstay on third base with the ability to move to outfield or behind the plate.
*****
SmashHouse 16u is coached by Timmy Drotar.  This team has players ranging from 2020 2022.  Below are a few key players from the team…
OF Kimber Bradley (2021, uncommitted)
Kimber brings a strong bat leading her team in on-base percentage from the lead off position. Kimber possesses a high-level understanding of the game.
P/1B Chloe Poss (2022, uncommitted)
Chloe is a powerful pitcher throwing in excess of 60 mph with exceptional control and movement.
MIF/OF Dallas Mayers (2021, uncommitted)
Dallas Mayers is an outstanding athlete with high level speed on the bases. Can play any position in the outfield and second base, but primarily holds down the shortstop position.
3B Olivia Martin (2022, uncommitted)
Olivia Martin is a natural player that goes all out on every play. Olivia has a strong bat along with an excellent work ethic.
OF Audri Bates (2022, uncommitted)
Audri Bates possesses the ability to quickly read the ball off the bat and position herself quickly to make the play. High level speed in the field and on the bases.
MIF Aaliyah Felder (2022, uncommitted)
Aaliyah Felder has exceptional power at the plate leader her team this season in homeruns. A high percentage hitter with great speed on the bases.
To learn more about SmashHouse Fastpitch click HERE to go to the organization’s website.