RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
In 2020, in the midst of COVID-19, Coach Shaun Bridger stood in the kitchen of one of his assistant coach’s houses, discussing how to create a team that exhibited reliance, eagerness to learn, and confidence.
The daughters of the two coaches were playing on the same team and their fathers decided that, in order to have an elite level team, they would have to create one.
“At the end of the 2020 spring/ summer season, we had a decision to make,” Bridger recalls. “Did we want to take on the task of putting together a high-level travel ball team or did we just allow the girls go their separate ways? The team these girls were on was disbanding, but we knew the talent that was on the team was something special so we decided to try and keep the team together, add a few pieces, and go compete against the best competition possible.”
The first thing the coaches had to do was to convince the parents to entrust their athletes with the vision and then Bridger had to host a tryout and attract elite level players.
And that wasn’t all.
“The last thing we had to do was join a great organization,” the coach continues, “and Brooks Cherry with Mojo gave us this opportunity. Fortunately for us, we were able to do all those things and in the Fall of 2020 Mojo 2024-Bridger was formed as a second year 14U team.”
Bridger next locked in two coaches, Aldo Pecorilli—a former MLB player—for hitting and defense, and Hayley Hanson—a former collegian—for pitching. He believed that with this coaching staff, the girls would be disciplined, devoted, and dynamic but the newly formed coaching trio had their work cut out for them.
There were a few players they targeted around the Atlanta area but assembling the team they wanted would be challenging as these were elite athletes they were after who had no idea what to expect with the unproven start-up.
“Fortunately,” says the current Mojo head man, “at the first tryout there were about 30 girls who showed up and there was some great talent. Discussions were had, decisions were made, and the Mojo 2024 – Bridger team was underway by the Fall of 2020.”
The new team went out that Fall and quickly made a name for themselves, competing in top showcases and against the best teams possible.
In November of 202, everything came together at the Scenic City showcase in Tennessee and it was at this tournament, Bridger remembers, that he knew he had selected a talented group of girls.
“We started off with a lot of nervous energy as we were all getting to know each other,” he explains. “These girls went out and posted a record of 5-0-1 and then at the Veteran’s Showcase in Atlanta the players really battled and finished with a record of 4-1.”
That initial season concluded at another prestigious tournament, Thunderbolts 5-Star, where the Mojo 2024 team went 3-1-1.
“We could not have been prouder of this group for battling against some great competition and finishing with an overall record of 12-2-2,” their coach continues. “I knew we had a good team and felt the best ball was ahead for us moving into Spring and Summer seasons last year.”
Assembling the team, however, wasn’t complete and there were admittedly some difficult decisions to be made. Some of the original Mojo players left to join other teams while many other standouts were calling the coaching staff asking when the next tryout would be.
Over the course of several months in late 2020 and into early 2021, several tryouts were held and, eventually, the Mojo – Bridger team roster was finalized to face a tough gauntlet of 16U competition, even though much of the schedule will be against 18U teams.
“We had great turnouts at each event,” the coach recalls. “We had several talented athletes show up and the decision process was hard. After we made those selections, we felt as if we had a good group and could not wait to get started.”
The 2021 season kicked off on February 20, 2021, at the Fastpitch Classic in Newberry, Florida and competing against older competition in the High School division the Mojo 2024 team went 1-2-1 with both losses by one run.
Improving each and every tournament, the squad put it all together at the PGF Show Me The Money tournament in Florida and against some of the best teams in the country finished in the Top 8 by winning five games.
But that wasn’t the best of the summer for the young team: at the USA Softball JO Cup, Bridger’s group took 4th and, finishing the season, went 9-2 at the PGF Southeast Nationals in Tennessee.
“We had a great first season and I thought we competed well,” the coach says proudly. “We were certainly looking forward to the 2021 Fall season.”
What was key, Bridger believes, is the great core group of players he started with and the additions made over the last year.
Middle infielders/outfielders Olivia Bridger and Bronwyn Conroy, pitcher Isabelle Pecorilli, catcher Braeden Hale, and infielder Erica Bennett were important contributors on the team from Day 1.
The Mojo coaching staff added first basemen Holly Merritt and outfielder Mary Suzan Aman to their roster during the 2021 Spring season and pitcher Jacy Harrelson joined the team mid-Summer to bolster the depth in the circle and all of the players decided to come back for the Fall 2021 season.
After the Summer, the Mojo – 2024 team added five more players to the roster in middle infielders Lilian Holshouser and Paige Carroll, outfielder Chesnie Cox, catcher Leah Johnson, and pitcher Taylor Daniel.
Last Fall, Bridger’s team competed in two events—Scenic City and Clearwater Classic—where they went 8-2-1 and expectations are high for an even stronger Summer of 2022.
“In just a season and a half, we have put together an amazing group of young ladies,” the Mojo coach concludes. “The future is bright for this team as we look forward to taking the field against the best competition around. We’re grateful to Brooks Cherry for entrusting us with the Mojo brand and are fortunate to be a part of such a great organization.”
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Here’s a look at each player on the team listed numerically with comments by Coach Bridger…
*** Scroll down learn more about each of the players on the Mojo 2024 – Bridger team!