Three Lady Bruins will head west

Published 12:16 pm Friday, July 15, 2011

Starting next Wednesday, Northwest Whitfield High softball players Emily Boyd, Ashley Conner and Bayli Cruse will head to St. George, Utah, to play in the Adidas Futures National Tournament— a five-day showcase for 750 of the nation’s top softball players who have yet to commit to a college program.

Lady Bruins coach Shane Ramsey, whose coaching career spans 10 years on the baseball diamond and five years with softball, considered the trio an elite group already, though.

“I can’t say enough about these girls,” Ramsey said. “They are on top more than they fail.”

The Lady Bruins have a motto — “Yes we play a team sport, but individuals have to perform” — so each of the girls understands they must work their hardest to ensure success for the entire team.

Boyd, a junior pitcher who was selected as The Daily Citizen’s All-Area Softball Player of the Year each of her first two high schools seasons, and Conner and Cruse, sophomores, have already had outstanding careers at Northwest. Boyd holds the records for strikeouts and innings pitched, and Cruse, a catcher, held the record for doubles until Conner passed her. Conner, a shortstop, also holds the single-season record for RBIs.

The Futures National Tournament is billed as one of the biggest softball recruiting events in the nation, with many Division I programs scouting the talent. The girls are hoping this tournament will give them a chance to show off their talents to coaches who otherwise might not have had a chance to see them play.

“I hope we get a lot of looks,” Conner said. “Coaches will be aware we’re all here.”

Cruse, 15, said is preparing for the tournament by concentrating on her individual lessons and practices.

“I just want to get noticed,” she said. “Get a good average and play the field well. It really means a lot to be chosen. It’s a big deal to me.”

Fifty all-star coaches were chosen through an application process before selecting their players, who range from ages 14-18. Each team represents a region, and the three girls will be playing for the Tennessee Fury, coached by Kirk Lewis and Tad Andrus. The tournament starts with two pool games, followed by double-elimination games until a champion is crowned.

Having three athletes representing one school in the tournament is practically unheard of, Ramsey said, but he believes all three of his Lady Bruins truly deserving of this honor.

“These kids can play,” Ramsey said. “They all have success because they work hard, and they are the first ones on the field and the last ones to leave.”

Boyd, 16, who Ramsey said is the one who keeps the team upbeat with her bubbly personality, said she is always trying to make herself better. Ramsey described Conner and Cruse as more shy and reserved, but very serious when they take the field.

“I’m not perfect,” Boyd said, “but I work hard all the time, and try to make the best of a situation.”

Said Ramsey, “I’ve never seen a harder worker than Emily. She always expects more from herself.”

To the three girls, this tournament is a rare honor they all take pride in.

Although she plays shortstop at Northwest, Conner will be playing second base for the Fury during the tournament.

“I feel like it will give me more confidence in myself,” she said.

When considering possible colleges, both Conner and Cruse would love to head to the state of Alabama, though their dreams would put them on separate sides of a rivalry — Conner wants to play at Alabama and Cruse’s dream is to play for Auburn. Conner, who at age 4 picked up the same sport her mother had played, said she has been to Crimson Tide camps and admires their coaches. Cruse, who’s been playing since she was 7, said she has been following the Tigers since she was very young.

As for Boyd, who took up softball at age 9 in order to channel her energy, is open-minded about where she goes — she just wants to help a team win, she said. Ramsey believes the programs that sign Boyd, Conner and Cruse won’t have to worry about regretting the decision.

“Not only are they great athletes, they are great students who have high GPAs,” Ramsey said. “Not only would they help the team, they would help the university. They are great kids and they would never do anything to embarrass themselves or the university.”

But before the leap to the college level, the three standouts still have a big goal for their careers at Northwest — they want to win state.

“I want to be able to leave Northwest with a ring,” Boyd said.

As a father of three boys, Ramsey said these three girls have become like this own children.

“They’re like my daughters,” Ramsey said. “I’m there to help them succeed in life. I’m hard on them, but I’m close to them. These girls are going to make something of themselves.”