Club Team Profile: Stacy Tamborra’s Atlanta Vipers ’05 Ready to Bite at 14U Level

Saying Stacy Tamborra is passionate about softball is a gross understatement: her love of softball drove her to become an All-ACC pitcher at Florida State University (1996-1999) and become the founder of Champions Fast Pitch Academy (2000), the Director for Champions Fall and Summer Showcases and one of the best pitching instructors in the Southeast region.

As a pitching coach, she has had the opportunity to help develop some of the nation’s top pitchers including Kelly Barnhill (Florida All-American, Team USA member), Kelley Lynch (Washington commit and the #1 ranked player in the 2019 Extra Elite 100, and Hannah George (North Carolina freshman) to name a few.

In spite of all of Stacy’s accolades, however, she still had the desire to coach a travel softball team.

In staying with her mission for Champions Fast Pitch Academy, Stacy wanted to build a champion-level travel ball team. Her team vision would be to start a team comprised of skilled athletes who she could develop, nurture, and prepare to compete at the highest level.

The former Seminole great didn’t want to create a team characterized only by practices and tournaments on the weekends, though; instead, she desired to create a team with a strong family environment.

“She recognizes that the players are developing relationships, going places, and having opportunities that many of their peers aren’t experiencing,” said one coach in the Vipers organization.

“However, she also recognizes that an enormous amount of time, dedication, and hard work are required to perform at a high level which means that her players would be sacrificing typical teenager activities.

Stacy became very intentional–“be intentional” is one of her staple sayings to the girls–in creating lifelong experiences and memories outside of the diamond.

Therefore, with Stacy, it only makes sense to do “things” such as giving the girls the opportunity to hit or attempt to hit Kelly Barnhill (one of Stacy’s protégés) for off-season batting practice, setting aside time for a team photo shoot during every tournament, making a point to highlight and celebrate the girls successes outside of softball, planning a surfing lesson for the team while at PGF Nationals, or having a team camping trip the night before the first game of the fall.

The ’05 Atlanta Vipers Team

Stacy has been molding her ’05 Atlanta Vipers, a first-year 14U squad, into that team she envisioned for the last four years.

Seven members of the team have been with her for over three years, a direct reflection of her desire to develop her girls, have stability and promote a sense of family.   The current team is a good blend of power, athleticism and skill.

The team will go into spring 2019 with good momentum having accomplished the following in 2018:

• 41-15 Spring record
• PGF 12U Nationals Premier berth
• 25-8-3 Fall record
• 2-2 against four Top 10 PGF finalists
• Tied two of Top 10 second-year 12U teams
• Participated in the following fall showcases: D9 Sun Classic Showcase; Champions Fall Showcase; Veterans and T-Bolts 5 Star Showcase

To follow the Atlanta Vipers or learn more about the organization, click HERE and to follow on Twitter go to: @AtlVipers05. For information on the Champions Fast Pitch Academy, click HERE.

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Here’s a look at the Vipers ’05 team alphabetically:

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