It's the off-season...."no news is good news"....Ready for SPRING!!
July 20, 98
2nd Annual Diamond Express Watermelon Classic girls fastpitch softball tournament was
held July17-19 in Farmerville. 10U teams included Downsville Dodgers, Rayville
All-Stars, Linden Tom-Boys (TX), and Bossier Belles. Teams playing in the 18U division
were Walker Warriors (Baton Rouge), Farmerville Softball, and 16U Diamond Express.
Bossier Belles defeated the Tom-Boys in the finals of the 10U bracket, and Diamond
Express defeated the Walker Warriors in the finals of the 18U bracket 12-2. Diamond
Express was 1-1 in pool play being beaten by Walker 5-3, but the Diamond Express
came back and pounded out 10+ hits in the final game.
July 6, 98
16U Diamond Express is LA NSA state runner-up at NSA state tournament
in New Orleans 4th of July weekend. Joni Kennedy was named Tournament Offensive MVP. Congratulations to all girls on the 16U team. Great Job Girls!
May 7, 98
18U Diamond Express has 2 girls that have signed to play college
softball. Jennifer Lofton, Senior Pitcher from West Ouachita H.S. has signed with Central Alabama, and Marcy Bleich, Senior Shortstop from Ruston High H.S.
has signed with Centenary. We are looking forward to a successful 18U travel ball season with hopes of more girls being recognized this summer.
May 4, 98
Just added another player to 18U roster, Carly Grayson of Cedar Creek H.S.
will be playing for the Diamond Express this summer. Carly is a Senior, who will be playing college ball at University of Arkansas-Monticello in 1999. We also
picked up Teresa Ritchie from Arkansas, she played for the Lady Gators of Minden last season. Also on the 18U we picked up B.J. Spann a power hitter from Oak
Grove H.S. On our 12U team we picked up a good pitcher from Cedar Creek Junior High, Samantha Sheehan. She will play with us starting in Mid-May.
March98
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Sunday, March 29th, 1998 and discussed the 98 season. Tournament schedule for all teams was finalized. Uniform sizes are to be in by first week of April.
Discussed purchase of team insurance as well as getting sanctioned NSA and ASA. All rosters have been filled.
March98
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Monday, March 6th, 1998 and discussed the 98 season. We are hosting a 18U NSA World Series Qualifier June 5-7 in Ruston, LA. Hamburger Lunch is schedule
for March 14th. 16U NSA World Series Qualifier will be held June 5-7 in Monroe, LA. 18U team is on track Coach May from Ruston High School will be the head
coach of this team. 6 girls from Ruston H.S. have committed to play this summer and 3 girls from Bernice H.S. are planning to play. Uniforms will be ordered by
April 15th. Coaches will meet Friday, March 13 to prepare for Saturday's Hamburger Cook-Out.
February98
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Monday, February 16th, 1998 and discussed the 98 season. We will have 12U, 14U, and 16U teams this year also in the works to have a 18U team. 10U may
be formed later on during the summer to play in about 3 tournaments. Talked of hosting 12U and 14U NSA National Qualifier on same weekend June 19-21. Planned
a Hamburger Cook-Out for March 14th at Wal-Mart in Farmerville to raise money for upcoming season. Planned to meet 2/24 to discuss further. Next coaches meeting
3/9/98.
January98
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Tuesday, January 27th, 1998 and discussed the 98 season. We decided to not order Bleacher Feature, we are gonna hold a BAKE SALE April 11th at
Wal-Mart in Farmerville. As of tonight we will only have a 12U and 14U team in 98. Both teams will have a Hit-A-Thon to also raise money, 12U will be March 21
Set tournament dates for 12U Spring Classic and 14U Invitational. See TOURNAMENTS page for more detail. High School Jamboree will be February 21, 1998
on our softball field at Arnet Smith. Next meeting February 16th.
January98
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Monday, January 5th, 1998 and discussed the 98 season. We decided on trying to take orders for Bleacher Feature this year to see if it will be a
successful fundraiser. We also plan to have a cake sale in the spring. We picked a logo for caps this year and everyone liked the logo that is above. Still not
sure if we will field a 10U or 16U team, don't seem to have much coach interest. I will be sending out mass sponsor letters in the next couple of weeks then
we are gonna go business to business to try and get sponsorship. 12U will play in Clinton, MS in June. We also plan to hold a 12U and 14U Invitational but
we are gonna find out when other local teams are gonna host a tourney and try to schedule each tournament around theirs, probably 12U end of April and 14U
first of June. 2nd Annual Watermelon Classic will be July 17-19, 1998 look under Tournaments on home page for more details. We plan to meet again
Monday, January 26, 1998.
December97
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Monday, December 1st, 1997 and discussed the 98 season. The focus of the meeting was talk about the 16U team, and whether or not coaches could
agree to combine two travel teams from the area into 1 team for 98. Doesn't look like we will for now.....will know more in January.....talked about ordering trader
pins and whether or not we need them.....We also talked about fundraisers, but decided not to make a decision on what to do until we know the girls and parents
that will be playing for Diamond Express.....We did decide that Shannon Futch (I) will coach the 12U Diamond Express and Bobby Grier will be the Assistant-Coach
Bobby will be the head coach of the league team and I will be assistant. Keith Bowen will coach the 14U Diamond Express, and Tim Kelley will be the Assistant-Coach
Sponsor letters will be sent out in early January and mid January we will start to go talk to the businesses in person. I expressed that I would like to get all
sponsors for 98 done by end of January. Merry Christmas to all !!! Spring98 is almost here..............
We will meet again January 5, 1998.
October97
The Louisiana Diamond Express girls fastpitch softball organization
met on Monday, October 20th, 1997 and discussed the 98 season. The focus of the meeting was to discuss coaches
for the 98 season, fundraising, uniforms, tournaments, and budgets. We tentatively decided to try to enter 12U, 14U, and
a 16U team in aleast 6 tournaments during the 98 season. We will try to pay for rooms for the girls in aleast 2 tournaments.
We plan to set the player fee at $150. We discussed the possiblity of raffles, car washes, and cake sales to raise money
as well as getting out and drumming up business sponsors to add to our sponsor list. We will meet again on Monday, December 1.
Home Plate