RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
What a crazy last couple of years we’ve had!
Last year (2020) was dominated by the COVID pandemic and this year we’ve seen weather cause so much disruption and danger in addition to the worldwide virus continuing to wreck havoc.
Just this week, for example, we saw the PGF Ultimate Challenge get cancelled because of the expectation of heavy rain and–sticking to California still for a minute–the news reports are now saying too much rain in the drought stricken Northern part of the Golden State could cause mass flooding and mud slides.
Yikes!
Of course, other parts of the country have been hit hard with weather issues including Texas and much of the Southern coastline which has been hit by hurricanes and and other major storms.
In the next two days, we’ll reveal one Texas infielder who is likely to make the Top 20 of the 2022 Extra Elite 100–Kylei Griffin who plays for KC Jackson’s Impact Gold 18U team and how she got to dodge some heavy snowfall earlier this year.
Here’s more on this standout shortstop now committed to the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns who will be coming up again on our site really soon!
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
*****
Extra Star Power: 2022 Texas Infielder Kylei Griffin… The All-Stater is “Riding the Storm Out” (With Family in a Hotel!)
Originally published Feb. 16, 2021 on Extra Inning Softball
This week has seen unprecedented cold temperatures and snow fall across Texas and it’s pushing some into uncharted territories.
Take the Griffin family from Tyler, Texas, for example.
Standout softball player Kylei Griffin–a 2022 infielder who plays on the Chapel Hill High team and competes for KC Jacksons’ Impact Gold 18U squad–and her family has been forced to reside in a hotel 15 miles from her home since Sunday due to power outages (although it’s been a 45-minute drive the last few days due to road conditions).
With nearly eight inches of snow already, zero degree temps and more snow expected on Wednesday, it looks Kylei, her father, James; her mother Latoya, her brother, Kameron, a cousin, Kaydence, and “two favorite nephews who never miss one of her tournaments,” Khalid and Malachi, will get to enjoy each other’s company through the end of the week in their temporary home away from home.
Kylie, a member of the 2022 Extra Elite 100 rankings, however, is looking at the situation in a positive light.
“I’m a Southern girl, so I have never seen this much snow!” she laughs. “Therefore, I am living in the moment, sliding down hills, and having snowball fights with my brother and cousin. That never gets old!”
There’s one other benefit of “being on the road” close to home.
“Being in the hotel is somewhat easy,” Kylei explains, “because here I don’t have to worry about chores such as putting up clothes, washing dishes, and cleaning my brother’s room, so I can honestly get used to the hotel life!”
Ironically, her parents have been on the road for much of their lives, at least in the sense of relocating their homes as his job advanced in the oil industry.
“Our family is originally from Mississippi,” the matriarch of the family begins, “but due to my husband being in the oil field, she has never lived there. She was born in Slidell, Louisiana, and lived in Mobile, Alabama for some time, which is where softball began for her. We then moved back to Louisiana, and now we live in Tyler.”
Kylei just finished a strong basketball season for Chapel Hill High that saw them go into the Bi-District playoffs and last week the junior capped her season with a 16-point, 10-rebound performance.
LOVE this team💙 @LadyDogsBasket1 @coach_triley12 https://t.co/lX6l6cPbTL
— kylei griffin (@queenkylei) January 6, 2021
She’s excited to start high school softball now that hoops is over, but that’s dependent on how fast the snow will melt. After an amazing, but truncated 2020 campaign, it’s no wonder the Texan is eager to get back on the field.
As a sophomore, the infielder hit a spectacular .705 with a .780 on-base percentage with eight home runs, a .780 OBP and an eye-opening 2.280 OPS. She slugged 20 RBIs and scored 31 runs as her team went 12-6 with a nine-game winning streak at one point before COVID prematurely ended the season.
“We have unfinished business!” Kylei, who was the MVP of the 2020 Wills Point Tournament, says emphatically.
“The team consisted of a great group of girls with great chemistry who all loved to compete,” continues the two-sport athlete, who was a TAPPS All-State honoree as a freshman. “Our coaches (head coach Catherine Ripka and assistants Cheyenne Boles and Misty Estridge) were absolutely awesome and Coach Ripka was like a second mom to me and the other girls on the team. The plan for this year is to take the same energy we had into this year so we can pick up where we left off and finish it!”
Depending on weather, the Lady Bulldogs could play as early as this Saturday and then, once school ball concludes, she’ll suit up for Jackson’s powerful 18U Impact Gold team. With his help, Kylei, joined the Impact at the end of the fall season, was recently identified for the USA HPP Texas Gulf Coast team being coached by the Bombers’ Scott Smith.
“I am excited for the addition of Kylei to our already star-studded, fast and explosive roster,” Coach Jackson told Extra Inning Softball today.
“Kylei is one of the top ‘22s that has just recently become available,” he continues. “Her previously being committed to Nebraska as an 8th grader (now decommitted) lends to her talent level. She is a freak of nature: tall, big, strong, fast, and athletic. We’re looking forward for Kylei to add great depth to our team, explosive home run power at the plate and diversity in the field. She is easily one of the Top 5 uncommitted 2022s around.”
Congratulations to the Impact Gold Jackson and the @IG_National18U players that made the USA Softball High Performance Program in the Gulf Coast Region!!! #betheimpact #trusttheprocess #goldblooded @briellis1 @THEOG_OJO @CCarmouche1 @brookeelorenzo @Nicolebodeux @queenkylei pic.twitter.com/zxzJu2p7xR
— Impact Gold Jackson 18U🥎 (@IG_Jackson18u) December 24, 2020
Kylie has reopened her recruitment and, according to college sources, has been in communication with schools such as Georgia, Texas Tech, Baylor, Southern Miss, Stephen F. Austin, Loyola Marymount and other top schools across the country.
The future is bright, but first the athlete has to ride this week’s storm out before she can even think of playing between the lines again. Still, Kylie is constantly reminded that this freak Winter storm can’t be all fun and games—there’s always softball work to be done.
“My dad is constantly telling me that even though we have inclement weather, there is nothing wrong with continuing part of my workout, which includes swinging my weight bat, continuous reps of pushups, stretching, and core work. In our house, there is no escaping softball!”
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
*****
*** Scroll down to read more about this top 2022 including what scares her the most (even though she has FIVE of them!)…