Get on board with Extra Inning Softball’s regular feature, The Last Inning
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at info@extrainningsoftball.com and also los.extrainningsoftball@gmail.com.
Here’s our TLI for Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021 …
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NEWS & NOTES
*** Legendary club and high school coach Rob Weil said he is no longer with Tony Rico‘s 18U Firecrackers team. Weil, who oversees the Los Alamitos (California) High School program, said he is focusing on his Firecrackers Weil 12U and Firecrackers Weil 2024 teams.
In December, Coach Weil was listed as one of the Top 5 High School Coaches in our Extra Elite 100 High School Coach Rankings: #’s 10-1 (Dec. 11, 2020). In our bio on the championship-winning coach we wrote:
Weil’s team was ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps when the 2020 season came to an end due to the Coronavirus. Weil has led his teams to six CIF Southern Section titles and a MaxPreps national championship in 2017. He won five of those championships at Pacifica from 1997-2004. Weil’s 2017 team went 28-3, beating mighty Norco in the championship game. “I told them when we were in pregame today, ‘We’ve beat every team that we’ve played this year,’” Weil told the OC Register. “We lost to La Habra, played them the second game and beat them. Played Mission Viejo, beat them in the second game. I said, ‘Let’s go out and do the same thing tonight.’” Weil was named the National Softball Coach of the Year by USA Today in 2017.
In 2016, Weil and Rico coached the Firecrackers 18U team to the 2016 PGF 18U Premier National Championship which they won 2-0 over the California Cruisers.
***Virginia Unity 14U-Johnson picked up 2024 C Haylee Whittemore, #83 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 and a USA All-American, from Atlanta Vipers-Harris. Whitmore is a superior athlete with track speed and she has sub-2.00 pop time.
Excited to get the opportunity to be a part of this awesome team. There is a ton of talent on this team and I can’t wait to hit the dirt with them in Florida next month. Thank you Coach Josh and the rest of the team for the warm welcome. See you all soon! https://t.co/DMZZn9lczD
— Haylee Whittemore (@hayleewhittemo1) January 25, 2021
***Virginia Unity 16U-Parker added 2022 C/OF Hailey Hardaway from Williamsburg Starz Gold.
I am so excited to announce that I will be playing for Virginia Unity 16u 2022 Parker! I can’t wait to be coached by @coach_jenny2 and get to play with the girls!! I can’t wait to get back on the field!🧡💜 pic.twitter.com/EFVMKhX79C
— Hailey Hardaway (@hardaway_hailey) January 25, 2021
***Earlier this month, the Florida Gulf Coast League announced it will participate in the Valencia Cup from May 8-15, 2021, in Valencia, Spain. The event also features Team Mexico, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Spain.
The FGCL will play under the Team Florida banner and feature professional softball players as well as FGCL coaches who have played on national teams and/or Power 5 NCAA teams.
“To say this is an honor for the FGCL to receive this invitation is an understatement,” FGCK executive director Ryan Moore said in a statement. “This is an unbelievable opportunity for the FGCL to build partnerships with not only the professional players participating on Team Florida, but with softball organizations from throughout the world.”
For Official Press Release:
@espnW @fgclproseries @ExtraInningSB @JustinsWorldSB @FloSoftball @notarabledays pic.twitter.com/ceB7UZyaCq— Florida Gulf Coast League (@FGCLsoftball) January 12, 2021
*** Scroll down to read about 8 verbal commits, power (lifting) hitters and a top 2024 who was highlighted on the MLB Network!
