During the month of June, the 8U Franklin All-Stars softball team went from a group of girls who had never played together, to a team with an unbreakable bond that ultimately found themselves competing at the All-Stars State Tournament. With little time to prepare, their dedication, strong coaching, and community support carried them to the state tournament and left a lasting impression on all involved.
To form an All-Star team, all of the coaches from the regular baseball and softball seasons get together to vote and determine which players would make up the best of the best. Head coach Kayla Schulte took on the role of coaching the group of young athletes who had an uphill battle for the state tournament bid.
When asked why she took on the head coaching role, Schulte said, “I just have such a passion for softball, and these girls just really have something special that I wanted to be a part of.”
Schulte, alongside assistant coaches Matt Corbin, Gordon Vanderpool, Casey Schulte, and Orlando Torres, cultivated an environment where the team’s vision took a front seat over individuals.
“The girls really pulled together and worked as a team unit. It was never about one single person, it was about the team as a whole,” Schulte emphasized.
Early challenges
The team faced a significant hurdle from the beginning; they only had about two full weeks of practice together before their first games started. Several of the girls, accustomed to playing infield positions, had to take on the challenge of playing a new role in the outfield.
“The girls transitioned from infield to outfield very well and were very willing to try something new, which is a tough thing when you’ve gotten used to a certain position all season,” Schulte noted.
Their resilience was truly tested after a humbling scrimmage doubleheader against the 8U Great Smokies, where Franklin lost both games. How- ever, this setback only fueled their determination. The coaches implemented practice drills to focus on batting and defensive skills, and practicing four days a week for more than two hours each session to get ready for the following weekend.
Their hard work paid off. The All-Stars dominated their district tournament, securing victories against the same Great Smokies team (15-1) and Transylvania County (10-0), both dominating wins. Next, they clinched the District 5 championship with a hard-fought 7-5 win over Blue Ridge, a Murphy/Hayesville area team, their toughest competition yet.
Community supports State tournament bid
Their triumph led to a chance to compete for the state championship title in Lake Norman. The team then faced another major challenge, with only six days to raise around $15,000 for expenses to get to the state championship. That was when the community of Franklin stepped up in a big way. From individual donations to fundraisers by local businesses like Chick-fil-A and Red’s Lemonade, the community’s generosity was vital for the team to travel to Lake Norman.
“We were just blown away by the amount of community support; it was such an incredible thing to see,” said Schulte.
With the community support behind them, the girls headed to Lake Norman to compete against the best teams in the state.
At the state tournament, Franklin faced seasoned travel teams like McDowell County and King, who had been practicing and playing together for many months. Despite a 16-13 loss to McDowell in the first game, the Franklin team showed that they were able to compete with more experienced teams. Their game against King was a testament to a fighting spirit, lasting two innings longer than regulation 8U games, before ending in a heartbreaking 16-15 loss in the 8th inning.
Even though the team could not advance further in the tournament with two losses, they still had to face the final team in their bracket the following day. The Franklin team concluded the tournament with a 13-3 victory against South Durham, a true Little League All-Stars team like Franklin. This final win allowed them to end the season on a high note. The girls handled the pressure with remarkable composure, staying positive and encouraging each other.
The coach’s message was clear: “As long as they hit the field every day, every game, and they give it 100%, then they’re winners either way; that’s really the main thing we always told the girls,” said Schulte. “Coaching this team was so rewarding, especially just seeing the town pull together to support the girls. The [number] of families that traveled with us … it was such a fun thing to see.”
She shared that it was encouraging to witness the overwhelming support from families, including grandparents, aunts, and uncles, who all traveled to see the team shine.
Each team’s journey
Franklin ultimately wrapped up the regular Little League baseball and softball seasons by forming six All-Star teams: 8U, 10U, and 12U in both softball and baseball. The All-Star program brings together top players from each regular-season team to compete against regional opponents, with the goal of advancing to the state tournament.
The 10U Minor League softball team, coached by Amber Southard, ended their season as the runner-up team in the district playoffs, losing to the Great Smokies team. The 12U softball team, coached by John Hamlin, also clinched the runner-up spot after a loss to Jackson County in the district tournament.
For baseball, the 8U Boys Machine Pitch All-Stars, led by coach Shawn Bowles, played an impressive five games in their tournament run, ultimately falling to the No. 2 seed. They showed their grit despite facing a tougher path than several teams who played fewer games in that bracket. The 10U Minor League All-Stars, coached by Justin Cashion, had a strong tournament run despite losing a starting pitcher to injury early on.
After an impressive win over top-seeded Blue Ridge Mountain in Game One of the district championship, Franklin ultimately finished as runner-up following a hard-fought loss in the deciding second game.
As for the 12U Boys Major League All Stars baseball team, their season is not finished: they will play in the state tournament in Kernersville, N.C., on July 18 to test their skills against the best teams in the state. The team still needs the financial support of the community to get to the state tournament. If you would like to contribute to the team, you may send donations to Jody Mason through Venmo: @Mason2124.
See the July 31 edition of Macon Sense for an update on how the 12U Boys concluded their season at the state tournament.