Softball: Lake Zurich Lightning a community-first organization
LAKE ZURICH — In the world of travel softball, many players are hoping to get noticed en route to a college scholarship.
It’s not so simple for the Lake Zurich Lightning program.
“It’s in our charter to serve Lake Zurich,” said Lightning president Steve Schmit. “Our kids have to be in Lake Zurich or the Stevenson district. It started out in the early 1990s in slow pitch. And we made the transition to fast pitch in the late 1990s. We aren’t practicing five times a week. We are supportive of multi-sports athletes. We don’t have excessive travel costs.”
That doesn’t mean the 14U team won’t travel. The squad took a lengthy road trip in late June, and landed in Tulsa, Okla., for the USSSA World Series. LZ proceeded to knock off a pair of No. 1 seeds.
“(The players) proved to themselves that they really can play with anyone,” Schmit said.
The Lightning fielded three teams this summer, including the first-year 12U squad, coached by John Martinez. The team finished second in a USSSA qualifying tournament.
The roster included Jordan Becich, Lindsey DeLuga, Emily Hunt, Courtney Krennrich, Amy Kudron, Abbey Jokerst, Claire Martinez, Alyssa McCarthy, Hailey Pesch, Tara Wilkes, Mckenna Zobel and Hannah Zurcher.
The 14U team had some experience coming in. Coach Brian Dawson’s squad earned a pair of third-place finishes — in the Rolling Meadows Patriots Big Dreams Tournament and the Aurora City of Lights qualifier.
The Lightning 14U team toppled both the Oklahoma Legion and the Missouri Torque.
Players were Mickenzie Andrews, Rachel Dawson, Vanessa DiVincenzo, Nicole Gaggiano, Maggie Hilton, Marisa Ikenn, Colie Keane, Melissa Klein, Taylor McCarthy, Lindsey Micucci, Courtney Russ, Allison Trybula and Kristina Wojcik.
Looking ahead: Tryouts for next year’s 14U team is scheduled for 5:30-8 p.m. Aug. 14. All tryouts will be held at Heritage Oaks.
Lightning 16U
The 16U team, with several new players on board this season, seemed to peak at the end of the campaign under the direction of coach Keith Pettinger. At the Vernon Hills Stingers Tournament, the squad won three games in a row to reach the quarterfinals.
“It inspired them so much it looks like they will stay in the Lightning program,” Schmit said. “And we’ll have an 18U team in 2013 for only the second time in our history.”
The 16s featured Maria Anagnostopoulos, Kendall Barron, Sara Gazdacka, Jennifer Gorey, Caty Grahf, Jaimie Ims, Megan O’Connell, Hannah Paulus, Brittney Pettinger, Susie Rubiano and Riley Zobel.
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