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We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
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Here’s our TLI for Wednesday, Jan. 26:
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EXTRA SPOTLIGHT: KAYLEY PRUDHOMME
Texas Dirt Divas 16U National-Chandler SS/UT Kayley Prudhomme, #80 in the 2023 Extra Elite 100, talked about her recruiting journey and how she ended up committing to Houston, recruiting tips for young players, and her stitching skills.
EXTRA SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Kayley Prudhomme
Hometown: Beaumont, TX
High School: Hardin-Jefferson High
Club Team: Texas Dirt Divas 16U National-Chandler
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 5-foot-5
Position: SS/UT
Nickname: KK
Twitter: @kayprudhommeSB
Honors:
PGF Futures All-American Watchlist (2021); #80 in 2023 Extra Elite 100 and #22 IF in the Class of 2023 (2021); #103 in the Class of 2023 and #71 IF in the Class of 2023 (2020); and #121 in the Class of 2023 and #68 IF in the Class of 2023 (2019).
Travel Ball Highlights/Fall Stats:
During the summer, she had multiple home runs at the Colorado Sparkler in the Power Pool Division and at PGF in the Premier Division with one being a grand slam. Mainly played a defensive role at showcases during the fall, so teammates could show off their offensive skills for coaches that were coming to see them.
High School Highlights:
Made varsity and hit six home runs during Covid-shortened freshman year. Was named 1st Team All-District Region 21-4A and 2021-UIL Scholastic All-District as a sophomore. She’s one of the team captains for upcoming junior season.
Other High School Honors:
Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Member; English and Science Award (2020-21); member of the H-J ISD’s School Board’s School Health Advisory Committee (2021-22); All A Honor roll; and most spirited girl for her class on Homecoming Court (2019-21).
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them?
I was 10U age playing on a 12U team, the coach of that team moved to Dirt Divas for 14U. Coach JD (Chandler) offered me the opportunity to play on a high level ’05 team instead and I took it! I’ve been there ever since.
One thing about us is we work very hard and we work together. Our coaches, especially JD, are all about pushing our limits to become better, learning to work together and being prepared to play at the next level. We value using every single piece of our puzzle to get to the top.
Can you talk about your recruiting journey and how you ended up at Houston?
I didn’t realize it at the time, but the journey actually started at my first set of camps in 10U. Who thinks someone is watching your skill set and considering you playing at their school in 10U? I then moved up to 12U at 10 years old and went to my first regular skills camp at the University of Houston. I liked it so much that I went to the overnight camp there, where I won the Most Valuable Cougar Award, and Coach (Kristin) Vesely invited me to attend their elite skills camp! I was 11 years old.
Weeks later I attended a Power 5 camp at my thought-to-be dream school, where the coach told me she wanted to see me in that school’s uniform one day. I was overly excited considering my dream school told me they wanted me at 11. Then a few months passed and the rule changed. I was still going to camp, but I wasn’t getting feedback like before because they couldn’t tell me much. It seemed like they liked me, but how did I know it was enough to want me at their school without them saying it. In all honesty, if the rule wouldn’t have changed I would’ve ended up committing to my thought-to-be dream school without taking any of the things into account that I listed in my advice.
As time went on, I started getting invited to and attending camps all over the country with emails and questionnaires saying “Due to the rule change, we can only send you this.” But no feeling ever compared to what I felt at Houston. Every time I went to a camp there, it felt like home. Nothing was forced, and Coach Ves was always real with me. Over the years she eventually turned into family in a sense.
On the Day of September 1st, things got real. I was so blessed and thankful for every call I received. When coaches would call, they’d be confused as to why my age and grade didn’t match and then I’d have to go on to explain that I skipped a grade. Or some would just completely lack person-ability. But no phone call compared to the one with Coach Ves. She knew me. Not just the plays she saw on the field. She knew the real me. She was so shocked that I had gotten old so fast, and that the time to call me was even here. She told me “Offering you over the phone was like getting a gift card for you birthday,” so we set up a visit where it happened there! She went on to say again that she couldn’t even believe she was doing this because she remembered little 10-year-old me at camp like it was yesterday.
I went home and for many days after that (and) considered my options. I even met with the academic advisor at UH two times to make sure I could complete my pre-requisites for applying to medical school while being a student athlete there. When I finally decided that Houston was my choice, I called Coach Ves back and said that I wanted to go to a home football game to commit, so I wouldn’t be giving her a gift card on her birthday! And here I am now committed, knowing it was the best choice I could’ve made! I am very thankful for everyone who has supported me through this journey! Especially my parents. I couldn’t have done it without them. Go Coogs!!!
What recruiting advice do you have for younger players?
The biggest thing is putting yourself out there! If you don’t advocate for yourself, why should anyone else? No matter if it’s going to camps or posting on twitter, you have to make yourself known! Also, take into account that coaches don’t just look at your softball performance. They watch how you talk to your parents on the way to and from the car, your recovery after an error, and so many other things! It’s not always just about softball, things like that matter! Next, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You want to have as many options as you possibly can because you never know what could happen. And finally, when choosing a school, make sure you find your fit! Every school is NOT for everyone. You want the school to fit you in as many ways as possible. If the unthinkable happened and you couldn’t play softball there, would you still want to go there? How easy will it be to get to and from home on the holidays? If the current coach leaves, would you still want to play softball there? Those among many others are questions you want to ask yourself before you chose a school.
What should we expect from your club team this summer?
Constant hard work and fight as usual! The goal is to always win, but the main thing is to learn. We will do things the Dirt Diva Way!
Do you have a secret talent/skill?
This is very ironic considering my most memorable softball story, but I am very good at placing stitches in my suture kit! I purchased it off Amazon and it comes with suture thread and fake skin to place them in. That’s what I usually (use) when I’m bored at home and I’ve gotten pretty good over time.
What’s your most memorable softball story?
We were playing a highly-ranked team at the Colorado Sparkler in 2019. My friend from the other team was on second and I was playing third. She was stealing and when I went down to tag, she cleated me in the mouth. I stand up, catching my own blood in my hand trying not to get it on my jersey, so I could go back into the game. The first thing two things I asked my coach when I got up were “Did I get the out?” and “Are teeth okay?” She laughs and brings me into the dugout. While I’m looking at myself, I see cuts on my lip, chin and gums. I ask one of my teammates how I look and she just smiles and laughs. That clearly wasn’t a good sign. I start cleaning myself up and put Band-Aids on the affected areas, thinking that would do something.
The next inning comes and I go back into the game with these cuts concealed in Band-Aids and blood constantly filling my mouth from my bleeding gums. The game then gets called to an end due to a hail storm. While in the car, we have to park under a gas station covering, so our rental car doesn’t get damaged. When the weather settled, we headed to the hospital to get my face fixed. I ended up having to get dissolvable and regular stitches in my lip, regular stitches in my chin, and a trip to the dentist when I returned home to make sure my teeth would stay in place. The next day I head to the field, stitches and all and played the next few games like nothing had happened!
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