Club Team Spotlight: Indiana Magic Gold – Bennett/Goddard… Returning All Players on 1st Place National Winners

You’ll have to forgive Indiana Magic Gold 16U co-head coaches Jeff Goddard and Roger Bennett for impatiently chomping at the bit in hopes the Summer of ’24 will come as quickly as possible.

Made up of standout 2026 and ’27 grads from four states, the Magic Gold squad returns all 14 team members for this year and has also added two more skilled athletes to help the travel team continue to impress in its move to 16U.

The team’s experience and familiarity with each other—thanks to an average tenure of over four years—has seen the team go from a 54 percent winning percentage in 11U to 60 percent in 12U, 58 percent in 13U and 87 percent last summer against a challenging schedule.

The Magic won the 2023 Triple Crown Nationals title and finished second at the Alliance Tier 1 Nationals.

“This team has been built on development and loyalty, incrementally improving over the last few years,” says Coach Goddard.

And it’s not just experience together that leads to the Magic having so much success.

“These incredible young ladies, adds Coach Bennett, “have it all: talent, tenure, loyalty, development, and tenacity. Several years ago, we were firmly behind other teams but no other team embodies ‘Trust the Process; better than this group.”

“They have faced lots of challenges and adversity but stuck together, pushed through, worked hard, played for each other and are now beginning to get the success and recognition.”

— Brentt Eads

I caught up with Coaches Bennett and Goddard to get their thoughts of the past, the present and what the future looks like for this talent-loaded team…

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When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be?

The club has been around for over 20 years and was started by Kim Clay.  Our team’s journey began about 2016 when we met coaching for the local Carmel Dad’s Club community organization.

We both have had a lifelong love of coaching and things clicked when that 8U all-star team played.  From there, we took a core group and began travel ball with the Indiana Mustangs before moving to the Indiana Magic Gold at 11U.  I (Jeff) had previously coached with Indiana Magic Gold as an assistant to James Rudd with his older daughter.

Our goal once this team got started was to model the team after what I had learned going through that process with my older daughter.  We have been working on “Rudd 2.0” ever since focusing on development & loyalty (in eight years together, we have only cut two people from the team.

Our focus during tryouts and when recruiting has certainly been to find athletes with high potential, but another focus has also been on finding kids and families who buy in to the process.

We added excellent assistant coaching early on with diverse personalities so we could really help develop the girls from many different perspectives and build strong relationships throughout the team. Both of our assistants have older kids who played softball in college.  We are truly blessed to have a great group of like-minded kids, coaches and families.

What is your primary focus or goal with this team?

As a nationally recognized travel program, one of our goals is to provide development and exposure to help the girls play the sport they love at the next level in college.  This means seeking out and playing the best competition in the country.

Our primary focus from the start has been to see them as people first, teammates second, and softball players third.

Our goal is to develop confident, independently thinking and hard-working young women who can go out and make the world—and their college softball teams—better.  We use softball as the conduit to teach life skills.

Expressions we use and embrace include:

• Trust the process
• Steal inches
• Team > Me
• Process > Results
• Fall in love with the grind
• Get 1% better

What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events this past year?

Our full 2022-23 season record was 78-20-4 including going 23-13-2 in Fall, 9-1 in the Winter and 46-6-2 in the Summer.

We won the TC Nationals Invite National Championship in July and followed that up by a runner up finish in the Alliance Nationals (AFCS) in Westfield, Ind. in August including a great three-game final day against Orange County Batbusters Stith/Black.

We finished 3rd or better in every large national tournament we competed in this past summer and the team was recognized with a No. 1 ranking by the US Club Rankings at the end of the season.

Summer 2023 Results:

• 1st @ TC Nationals Invite
• 2nd @ Alliance Nationals (AFCS)
• 3rd @ Boulder IDT (lost to champions)
• 3rd @ Atlanta Legacy (lost to champions)
• **Unbeaten and in Tier 1 bracket at Team1 Elite Club Invite prior to being rained out on Sunday
• 1st @ Lasers Showcase/Alliance Qualifier (regional event)
• Outscored opponents 331 – 117
• In 302 innings pitched, the staff recorded 462 K’s

Signature wins through the year included top organizations such as OC Batbusters – Stith, Texas Glory – Naudin, Texas Bombers, Iowa Premier, Corona Angels, Firecrackers, Top Gun, Select, Aces, Oklahoma Athletics, Impact Gold, Unity, Louisville Sluggers, Intensity and Chaos.

What makes the organization unique, in your opinion?

The organization is unique in that it has not jumped into the franchising & expansion model that many other nationally recognized programs have.  When you see an Indiana Magic Gold team at a national event, you will more than likely see a team full of future college players, competing against other top national programs.  The coaches and players that have come before are always available to help with advice, introductions, or instructions to our players.  Indiana Magic Gold has also remained a purely volunteer organization, with a focus on keeping fees as low as possible.

Some unique characteristics of our team include:

• Development and loyalty: our team still has three original players from 8U.  There has been very little turnover on this team – the coaches, players and families have all bought into the vision from the beginning and have focused on developing and sticking with it through adversity.  The organization has enabled the team to gain exposure at top showcases & tournaments.
• Seasoned coaching staff: three of the four coaches have older daughters who play(ed) in college.
• Families who have “been there:’ there are a number of families who have older children who have played softball or other sports in college.  Having several families who understand the long-term process has helped maintain a supportive and dedicated culture “behind” the fence.
• Access to top softball mentors & examples: the team has been very fortunate to enlist the help of many former IMG players to guest coach, mentor, and connect with the girls on this team.  Standout IMG alumni who have helped along the way include Erin Coffell (Kentucky), Jordyn Rudd (Northwestern), Brooke Benson & Macy Montgomery (Indiana), Chloe Parks (Miami), Sarah Goddard (Duke), Vanessa Miller (Louisville), Emma Key (Dartmouth), Zoey Smith (Bucknell) and Danielle Watson (Florida State).

How many teams are there in the organization overall?

There are 16 total teams, including several younger developmental teams.

If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be?

We created some key absolutes for us to follow as coaches early on largely driven from the past experience of so many of our families.  In addition to the focus on the process and the journey, we emphasized playing better competition and de-emphasized winning early.

Our goal each season was to achieve around a .500 record, as that indicated that we competed well enough, but also challenged ourselves enough.

We ensured a singular focus on the girls: eliminate the egos of the adults as it is not and was never about us—it’s entirely about serving a group of girls so that they would have the best chance at achieving their goals.

It’s a silly example, but one way we have tried to keep this principle true to our hearts is by not being present in photos when the girls have won big events.  It started as a small signal as to what we were about but continues today as a tradition in line with our values.

And, according to plan, we finished the Fall 2023 season just above .500 after going against some of the top teams and programs in the country and getting exposure at some tremendous showcase events.

The team was a first year 16U team in 2023 and played a majority of second year teams from top programs.  This “iron-sharpens-iron” approach should motivate the players to continue working and growing in the off-season to come back strong in the summer.

Provide a list of your entire team roster (with a 1-2 sentence description of each player)?

#00 Baylee Huth (2026, 1B/OF)

Baylee will catch your eye – she is >6′ tall and athletic and is commonly asked about by many P5 schools who have come to watch us play.  Easily one of the hardest working kids on the team, Baylee has taken over at 1B for us and can play well in the OF too; at the plate, she hits lasers over the fence.  She was invited and took part in the Alliance Stars of Tomorrow event in August.

#1 Grace Sharp (2027, OF)

Sharpie” is more reliable than the mailman when it comes to catching flyballs in the outfield – always making routing or difficult plays and usually making the spectacular ones.  She tracks the ball as well as anyone we have ever seen and gets the ball where it needs to go faster than most.  At the plate, Grace has come through many times in clutch situations – she had the clutch walk-off hit versus Iowa Premier in the HFL Fall Championship game last Fall.

#4 Madison Wainwright (2027, C/3B)

Madi is new to our team for fall 2023 and complements our strong 2026 catchers (Lambert/Schatko) and our new 2027 pitcher (Mannon).  We have known Madison for several years, watched her get better every year, and are thrilled to have her with us now.  She brings infectious energy, a strong arm and a skilled bat to the team.  Madi will wear a bigtime uniform in college and has caught the attention of several big schools already.

#10 Hadley West (2026, IF)

Hadley is a tremendous athlete with gap-to-gap power, a smooth glove with MIF range, elite game IQ and excellent baserunning instincts.  On top of those skills, she is one of the most coachable and enjoyable kids on the team and is an outstanding teammate.  Hadley was selected to the All-Tournament Team at Triple Crown Nationals and participated in the Alliance Stars of Tomorrow.

#11 Jenna Mannon (2027, P, SS)

Jenna joined our squad this fall to round out our team as we go forward into 16U ball and is first and foremost an outstanding athlete – a legit 5-tool player who is also an elite pitcher.  She comes from an incredibly athletic family – both parents were D1 athletes and her older sister is the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in Ohio and a freshman pitcher at Arizona.

#15 Thea Key (2027, 3B/OF/UT)

Thea has been with our squad for 5 years and has one of the highest ceilings of our 2027 players.  She is a true utility player, and nothing should keep her from being a full 5-tool player at an elite school.  Her older sister played softball at Dartmouth.  Thea has caught the eye of some top-20 teams when they have come to watch us play and we believe she can be an impact player at the next level if she continues to develop and work hard.

#17 Kayla Benthall (2026, OF)

“KB” is arguably one of the most athletic kids in all of the 2026 class.  Kayla was invited to the Alliance Stars of Tomorrow event in August, where she won the fastest woman contest for all ages with a 10.73 home-to-home time.  She is dynamic at the plate from the left side and has an incredibly high ceiling.  Her stats for the summer were a 418 batting average, second on team; a  .478 OBP, third on the team; a 1.003 OPS, fifth on team; 51 Hits, second on team; 47 runs scored, second on team); 28 of 30 stolen base attempts, second on team; 7 doubles, third on team. All-Tournament Team at AFCS Tier 1 Championships; an Alliance Stars of Tomorrow participant and an All-Summer Team pick in 2023.

#19 Hannah Dent (2027, OF)

Hannah is another triple threat from the left side and is recognized as one of the most improved 2027 players in the country.  A 100 percent team player, no one on our team gets more excited about doing the little things that help the team.  Hannah gets as  pumped about a sac bunt or advancing a runner as she does about an extra base hit.

#21 Reese Mosolino (2026, RHP)

Reese was one of our dynamic duo pitchers this past summer and pitched a gem in the Triple Crown Nationals championship game.  She keeps getting better and we expect she will end up with an elite college program.  She comes from a very athletic family as both parents played sports in college.  Her stats for the summer were: 133 IP, a 3.053 ERA, a 1.579 WHIP, 100 K’s, 67 percent ground balls, a .266 BAA and a 14-6 record with two saves. Reese also made All Tournament Team at 14U Triple Crown Nationals and was an Alliance Stars of Tomorrow Invitee. Finally, Reese was an Extra Inning Softball 2023 All Summer Team honoree.

#22 Chelsea Bennett (2026, RHP)

Chelsea was recovering from an injury this past summer but before that she was an effective and crafty pitcher for us.  She is consistently voted the best teammate and is working hard to get back into the circle for us.

#23 Ellie Goddard (2027, MIF)

Ellie was one of our offensive stars of the summer – she has been incrementally getting better every season and really hit her stride this summer against an extremely challenging schedule.  From the left side, she produced some incredible power numbers, but Ellie also has great speed: nearly 50 percent of her hits were extra bases, which is an incredible stat.  Her mother was a D1 athlete, and her older sister plays softball at Duke.  Ellie’s stats for the summer were: a .398 average, third best on the team; a  .481 on-base percentage, second on the team; a 1.202 OPS, 1^st on our team; a .722 slugging percentage, first on team; 26 extra base hits, 1st on team; 14 doubles, tied for 1^st on team; seven triples, 1st on team; 5 HRs, tied for 2nd on team, 40 RBIs (2nd on team and was named to the All-Tournament Team at 14U Triple Crown Nationals and was an Extra Inning Softball 2023 All Summer Team selection.

#26 Haley Schatko (2026, C/CIF)

Haley can be counted on to produce runs either by the long ball or by getting a clutch hit with 2 strikes and runners in scoring position.  Behind the plate, Haley receives the ball well, gives our pitchers confidence and led the team in pickoffs last summer.  She can always be counted on to bring smiles to everyone in and out of the dugout.  Her stats for the summer were a .381 batting average, fourth on the team); a .475 OBP, fourth on team), a 1.130 OPS, second on the team; a .655 slugging percentage, second on team; 15 extra base hits, third on the team doubles, third on team; 8 home runs, first on team; 43 RBIs, first on team; 1.06 BB/K ratio, first on team; All Tournament Team – 14U Triple Crown Nationals; Alliance Stars of Tomorrow Participant and an Extra Inning Softball All Summer Team in 2023

#30 Grace Swedarsky (2026, RHP)

“Swedes” was our other superstar pitcher this past summer and one of the top 2026 pitchers in the country including being awarded the MVP Pitcher by Extra Inning Softball for the All-Summer team.  She will be an impact player in the circle wherever she lands. Grace’s stats for the summer were: 179 IP; a 0.429 ERA, she gave up just 11 earned runs all summer; a  .479 WHIP; 379 K’s to 18 walks; a 31-2 record with seven saves; a .137 batting average against; a .133 BAA with RISP); named MVP of 14U Triple Crown Nationals; was All Tournament Team at the AFCS Tier 1 Championships and was an Alliance Stars of Tomorrow Invitee.

#55 Gracie Lambert (2026, C/IF)

Gracie is a unique athlete who excels behind the plate and on the left side of the infield.  She is a 5-tool player and has an incredibly high ceiling.  Behind the plate, Gracie receives the ball well, gives our pitchers confidence and led our catchers in throw outs at 40 percent.  Gracie was also second on our team in home runs this past summer.  She also was an Alliance Stars of Tomorrow participant.

#77 Natalie Hester (2026, SS/CIF)

Natalie is the consummate 5-tool player who can hit for power (21 extra-base hits and five home runs; 17 steals and 48 runs scored. plays shortstop at a high level with a strong arm.  She has grown every season since she has been with our 10U squad and still has plenty of room to grow to reach her potential.  Natalie comes from an athletic family as her mother was an all-state and eventual D1 basketball player.  Natalie’s stats for the summer were a .367 batting average, a .447 OBP, 5th on team, a 1.049 OPS, 3rd on team. Also, nearly half of her hits were extra base hits with 14 doubles, two triples, five home runs and she was second on the team in extra base hits and home runs was tied for first in doubles, second in home runs and tied for fifth with 31 RBI’s.  Natalie’s 48 runs scored led the team and her 17 steals was third best. She was also an Alliance Stars of Tomorrow Invite and was a 2024 All-Summer Team selection.

#99 Makayla Watson (2026, OF)

Makayla is one of our originals and has been with us since 8U.  She is a speed demon and has developed into one of the more impressive 2026 kids out there.  She is a legit triple-threat at the plate, a disruptor on the bases, and a difference-maker in the field.  Her stats for the summer were a .448 batting average which led the team; a .500 on-base percentage, 1^st on team; a 1.045 OPS, 4th on team; 36 runs scored, 4th on team; 40 of 41 stolen base attempts, led team; four triples , 2nd on team; made the All -Tournament Team at 14U Triple Crown Nationals and was All Tournament Team at the AFCS Tier 1 Championships; won the “Fastest Player” challenge at the Alliance Nationals for the 14U division  with a home-to-home time of 10.8 seconds; an Alliance Stars of Tomorrow Invitee and Makayla was also Extra Inning All-Summer Team in 2023

Planned Summer Schedule:

June 7-9            Lasers Nation Alliance Qualifier                      Columbus OH

June 13-16       Team1 Elite Club Invite                                     Kansas City

June 20-23       Top 25 / Scenic City Summer                           Dalton, GA

July 1-7              TCS Sparkler                                                          Denver

July 12-14       Atlanta Legacy/Easton Rawlings (TBD)       Atlanta or Chicago

July 21-28       Alliance Nationals                                                Westfield

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