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With the 2023 Extra Elite 100 rankings being launched this Monday, we like to learn more about the candidates on and off the field.
Today, we learn of a tough decision outstanding outfielder Ava Venturelli of Rhode Island Thunder 16U National faced this spring.
Ava has played for Head Coach Dave Lotti since fall of 2018 on his 14U national team that was ranked #8 in the country, then joining his 18u team last year and now on the first-ever 16u National team recently ranked 18 in the Extra Elite Eighty Club Rankings.
The talented New England sophomore was ranked #55 in last year’s 2023 Extra Elite 100 and is getting ready to start her third summer playing on the national stage, playing in national tournaments such as Demarini Invitational, Boulder IDT (18U level) and PGF Premier 16U Nationals.
In the fall, she helped the Thunder go 28-7-2 and was looking forward to getting back on the field with her Taunton (Massachusetts) High team after the 2020 season was wiped out by COVID.
Two years ago, the 2019 Taunton Tigers went 22-3 and was the Hockomock Kelly Rex Division Champions after scoring 234 runs and allowing just 30. Ava batted .450 on the year and didn’t make an error all season.
Still, she faced a gut-wrenching decision: to play or not play high school ball in 2021.
Here’s what went into her thinking and the reasons behind her ultimate decision…
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In the Northeast there are two things I get excited about once spring rolls around: nice weather and high school softball.
Here in Massachusetts (and most Northeastern states), we get a small window of ideal temperatures to play softball in. Some days are freezing, some are snowing and/or raining, and then there are those few hot spring days where the weather is perfect to play.
I’m so fortunate to live in a city where softball is loved city-wide.
If you live in Massachusetts and follow softball, you know the Taunton Tigers. We have won multiple state, sectional, and league championships and have had tons of girls go onto to play softball at all levels in college.
In 2019, as an eighth grader, I tried out for the team and made varsity—the only eighth grader to do so for the year—and I was so excited. I started in left field every game and had so much fun playing with my friends and enjoying the bus rides, senior night, all the fans coming for night games, and so much more.
Then, as freshmen year came around, our season was completely cancelled due to Covid-19 and I was so upset, as was everyone else on the team, especially the seniors. I tried to stay optimistic and I was excited for my sophomore year and hoped for it to be a normal one… but that didn’t happen.
As a 2023 recruit and with September 1st and college recruiting closely approaching, this summer is probably the most important season of my life; however, the high school season this year does not agree with that.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) officially ruled that the spring sports season would start April 26, which is almost a month later than normal, and would end July 3rd.
*** Scroll down to read about what Ava felt was the best option in her situation…