Let’s go back in time to 2009, when the Victory USA team out of Southern California was loaded… and we mean packed… with talent!
This team was the ASA 10U National Champions, taking the crown in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Most of the girls would go on to compete at the Division I level and the roster included a future Team USA member as well as Pac-12, Big 12 and SEC standouts!
The Victory USA team back then was coached by the late, great Mark Campbell (who wasn’t in the photo when it was taken because he was in Georgia at the 14U Nationals), along with Assistant Coaches Brian Gutierrez (back, left), Tom Best (back, middle) and Robert Young (back, right).
And, yes, that is Coach Young—the same young man who is the father of Duke head coach Marissa Young—and a long-time influential figure in club ball on the West Coast, especially, who now lives in North Carolina and helps train players in the Lady Dukes organization.
Look at this team and their young faces back then… we would definitely love to still have this team all together, even today!
Here’s who’s who along with where they would end up playing in softball, both college and club:
Front row (L to R): Jaymee Campbell (St. Mary’s, OC Batbusters), Irie Siofele (Cal State Fullerton, USA Athletics), Bailey Henke (did not play in college, USA Athletics), Dejah Mulipola (Arizona, OC Batbusters), Mackenzie Boesel (South Carolina, So Cal Athletics), Taylon Snow (Oklahoma, OC Batbusters)
Back row (L to R): Breana Gutierrez (chose to play water polo), Alyssa Barrera (Utah, Firecrackers), Montana Dixon (Stanford, So Cal Athletics), Steffi Best (Cal Poly SLO, OC Batbusters), Alyssa Pelegrin (Oregon State, Firecrackers).
