Event Preview: Top Gun KC Spring Invitational This Weekend Featuring Top Midwest 14U & 12U Teams

Top Gun Events kicks off the spring season in Kansas City with the 12U/14U Top Gun KC Spring Invitational running Friday through Sunday (April 14-16) at Adair Park and Markey Park in the Kansas City Metro area.

This event is filled with the top clubs in the Midwest including some teams and organizations recognized as being nationally elite including:

• Aces Fastpitch
• Select Fastpitch
• Nebraska Gold
• Top Gun Academy
• Louisville Lady Sluggers
• Iowa Premier Fastpitch
• Originals Fastpitch
• Louis Chaos
• Missouri Bombers
• Iowa Gold

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Here are some of the teams to watch in this weekend’s Spring Invitational…

12U

Team: Nebraska Gold 12U

Coach Name: Mark Michaelis
Twitter: @NEGold_12U

Bio: Nebraska Gold is a team to watch heading into the TGE 12U Spring Invitational. They are a veteran team that have played together throughout the Summer 2022 and one of their ingredients for success and stellar play is the contribution from each member of the team. In the Fall of 2022, the squad had three Top 2 finishes as part of their resume’.

Expectations for Spring/Summer 2023: “We expect to continue to grow together as a team,” says Coach Michaelis, “as well as work on our continued education and knowledge of the game. We want the continued focus of the players for themselves and each other and we’ll see what happens.

14U

Team: Louisville Lady Sluggers 14U – VB

Coach Name: Ashley VanBoxmeer
Twitter Handle: @LLSluggers09vb

Bio: Louisville Lady Sluggers organization introduces a new 14U team for the 2023 Spring and Summer season with the Louisville Lady Sluggers 14U – VB (for VanBoxmeer). This team is full of extremely talented young athletes including Ari Baker-Laster, Mak Brown, Norah Culver, Arianna Scott and Kenley Kitson. The Lady Sluggers will be looking to start off their 2023 season strong at the 14U Spring Invite.

Expectations for Spring/Summer 2023: “We want to get stronger and more developed with time and reps,” says Coach VanBoxmeer. “This teams loves softball, working hard and are sponges looking to soak up all the experiences!”

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Team: Nebraska Gold 08 Waller

Coach: Kelli Waller
Twitter Handle: @14u_gold

Bio: Nebraska Gold brings another team to watch in the 14U division at the 14u Spring Invitational. Nebraska Gold 08 Waller is also a new team for the 2023 spring/summer season and combined top players in the loaded Omaha Metro and looks to compete with the best teams on a national level. In the Fall of 2022, the team earned 3^rd place in the 14U PGF National Qualifier in Kansas City and recently placed 2^nd in the HS division of the Indoor Spring Fling in Omaha, playing up a division from their usual 14U division.

Expectations for Spring/Summer 2023: “The team has only practiced together a handful of times,” explains Coach Waller, “and has already seen successes with top finishes in tournaments. There are big expectations for this team as they look to improve as the season progresses!”

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Team: Iowa Premier 14u National

Coach: Paige Shannon (Dickel)
Twitter Handle: @IowaPremierFP

Bio: Iowa Premier Fastpitch 14u National is a combined squad from two of Iowa Premier’s teams from the 2022 season that have merged and looks to make a big splash on the national level. In the Fall of 2022, the Iowa Premier team received a bid for the 2023 AFCS and also attended showcase events in the power pools at the Team1 Fall Invite, Texas Bombers Exposure Event and Scenic City. It has already claimed a championship this Spring after recently winning the HFL Spring Kickoff in Bentonville, Ark., and will look to continue the team’s success this weekend at the 14U Top Gun KC Spring Invite.

Expectations for Spring/Summer 2023: “We’re placing this team on some pretty challenging stages this year because we know they belong and are excited to see them compete against the top 14U talent in the US,” stated Coach Shannon. “We set our sights on being the last team standing each weekend and work one game at a time. You can expect to see this group of girls at major events this summer such as Team1 Elite Club Invite, Patriot Games, Triple Crown Sparkler, WFC Nationals, before capping off the season at AFCS.

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Team: Top Gun 2027 National

Coaches: Stephanie Kim, Amanda Schuster
Twitter Handle: @topgun_skim

Bio: Last year, competing in the Spring/Summer 2022 12A division, the team played a strong schedule and competed well in PGF Super Select tourneys with a Top 3 finish at the PGF Top Gun Invitational and USA Memorial Day. Another top finish was making the Elite 8 at the Colorado Sparkler in the Silver Division. Top Gun 2027 had multiple strong finishes playing up in 14A and four players made the USA 12U All-American Region-7 teams including Zariya Mabion, a lefty 5-tool outfielder ranked #25 in the Extra Elite 100; Bailey Barnett, a strong infielder who had 11 home runs; Bryli Seifert, a standout middle infielder and right-handed pitcher; Maddyn Gates, a 5-foot-10 and power hitter from Iowa. In the Fall, the team was runners-up at the 16A Recruit Look Showcase and the 14A Strike Out Cancer and took 5^th place at the PGF Goliath 13A.

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Here’s the complete list of teams that will be competing this weekend: