Last month, we published the Extra Elite 100 Club Coach Rankings and Tammy Vermeulen was among those ranked in the Top 100.
Vermeulen, a former standout softball player at Bayport Blue Point High in New York and for the Gold Coast Hurricanes before going on to play at LSU and Dowling College, started D1Vision Softball in August 2020 and has already helped 89 student-athletes with scholarships to play collegiate softball. D1Vision currently has eight former collegiate softball coaches and players with four top teams that play club softball at the highest level.
Extra Inning Softball recently caught up with the organizational founder! Here’s what she had to say…
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When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be?
We started in August of 2020. I had two great teams part of Marucci Patriots that I brought over from the Batbusters which we ended up signing and committing a couple of Power 5 players from. That team was ranked top 10 at the time in 14U (Batbusters 14U Southeast from Anderson SC). I really wanted to build something myself so I ​separated from Marucci in 2020 to create D1VISION.
Where are you based? Where do your athletes come from?
We have athletes from 10 States currently, but we are based out of Baton Rouge, LA.
What was the purpose of creating the team?
I wanted to build an all female staff. I couldn’t do that under anyone, so I decided to branch out. We focus heavily on recruiting and working hard to promote and put our girls on the map.
What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events?
We won our PGF berth last January around this time to clinch a spot in the Premier bracket at PGF. 16U National ended up finishing third in Scenic City’s Power Pool last summer along with now going 10-0 at Champions Elite showcase. We also finished top 13 at PGF for our first year out. At PGF, we knocked out top 25 nationally ranked teams by Extra Inning like Tampa Mustangs-Rene, Select Fastpitch and Ora Valley Suncats. The 16U national team that competed at PGF, finishing in 13th place, has 14 players that currently sit in the Extra Inning Top 100.
What makes the organization unique?
Last year alone, we had six sponsored players on our three teams. That’s over over $20,000 given back to help players that otherwise might not have the opportunity to compete at this level. We do four camps per year, bringing in multiple Power 5 programs to evaluate our girls with some funds going to assist in helping a few of our families in need. This year alone, we have committed 23 players to the next level and in total 89 platers committed with 80 percent being Division 1 players (Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Iowa, USF, Liberty, La Monroe, two – SLU, McNeese State, Memphis, three – North Alabama, UAB, Eastern Kentucky, La Tech, two – ACU, Tennessee State, two – ASU). We also have 21 players ranked in the top 100 in 4 different grad year classes.
Collectively, we have also guided and assisted our players to more than 9 million dollars in scholarship funds!!
What’s your softball background and how did you get to the point of leading the team?
I was a part of LI Express out of New York when I began playing softball at the age of 16 where it took one person to believe in me (Dave Rivera) for my dreams to begin. After six months, my talent took me to Coach Marty Cooper, owner of the Gold Coast Hurricanes out of Florida. Six months later, I was going on visits like FSU, Hofstra, UMass, LSU and more. I had the pleasure of playing under coach Torina, Coach Leftwich and Coach Dobson for a year and a half where we went to the World Series in 2012. I also coached college for four years before entering into the travel world. I have now been coaching for eight years.
How many teams are there in the organization overall?
Currently, we have just added a fourth team, so now we have four total where all teams are D1Vision managed and run.
Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team’s history?
I think creating an organization and finishing top 13 at PGF among teams that sit in the Extra Inning Top 15 for multiple years now is pretty special. Overall, 16U national has gone 73-37-3 since we began against all national teams in the country. That is a very high winning percentage. Coach Cailah Niles and our 18U national currently has 12 Division I-committed players on the roster, including Power 5/SEC players with a strong chance at taking down some national teams on their journey. I also believe seeing 21 D1Vision athletes pop into the top 100 Extra Elite rankings this year with results that match (23 commits) has been major momentum for us.
What is your primary focus or goal with this team?
Our main focus has been on recruiting, assisting our families to receive the most possible scholarship. Since we began, our girls have received over 9 million dollars towards their futures. I believe here, parents can see the true return on their investment, traveling, dues, etc. These athletes are hand picked from around the country to compete at the highest level and, with our 100 percent recruiting rate, they know they will be competing in college after they are selected to play for D1V.
What do you think are the strengths of the team?
I think overall we have pitching that can match up with almost anyone. We currently have five Division I-committed pitchers with more to come in our organization that lead these teams very well. All are throwing in the mid to upper 60s with bats that are just as good! Our pitching staff collectively put up over 100 HRs alone last year!!! We then have killer ​defense (especially our 2023 hot corner Kayce Bennett and Ella Bertucci, a speed demon with 33 stolen bases last year) who are still uncommitted, and offense to go along with it. I would say the talent and grit from top to bottom is truly amazing. We have speed, we have defense, we have pitching, we have killer catching and power at the plate creating a powerhouse. We focus on teaching these girls what they offer the team, and to train, and give that tool as best as they can. We can’t win without every single one of these girls. I recruit kids who understand failure will happen in this game and in life, but it’s how we come back that makes them true competitors in LIFE.
If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be?
I do not believe many clubs have an all female coaching staff — not to my knowledge at least. Our staff consists of all former DI/DII college coaching experience, pro softball experiences and even a strength coach. I think the realistic game conversations of our experience is a little different and I do believe as a whole we can connect with them on a deeper level. Currently, we have six former players and college coaches on staff. First, Coach Crystal Tarango, who is our team’s director and coach. She handles mostly all of our day-to-day operations to managing our staff. We have Coach Liz Young, a former Akron pro softball player, D1 college coach and DI softball player. We have Cailah Niles, who hit a career-high 68 HRs at Anderson University, who has been with me for the longest and has made such a great impact on our girls. We also have coach Sai (Daniels), who formerly played for UGA and Syracuse and truly knows how to tap into the mental side of the game with these girls. Lastly, we have former All-American from LSU, assistant softball coach from SEC Georgia for the last six years, Rachele Fico, who just joined us this fall. Rachele has taught me so much in the little time she’s been with us. She’s been a blessing to our pitching staff, teaching them World Series details that the highest level of pitchers would receive (I’ll tell you, the talks at the dinner table are much more enjoyable after a long 36 hours of softball with these stud coaches right here).
Our staff is simply amazing and I wouldn’t want to be on this ride without their empowerment, helping mold these girls on the field, off the field, into strong, independent leaders in their future endeavors.
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*** Scroll down to read about some of the standout uncommitted players that play with D1vision…
