Future of sports in the SCV: The start of something ...
People and even top colleges are already chatting about 14-year-old softball player Maddy Jelenicki
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By Paul Putignano
Signal Staff Writer
Posted: August 4, 2010 10:40 p.m.
Updated: August 5, 2010 4:55 a.m.
Courtesy photo
Maddy Jelenicki is a talented catcher who will be a freshman at Valencia High in 2010-11. Just 14 years old, Jelenicki has already garnered interest from some of the top NCAA Division I softball programs in the country.
Though there are generally signs of greatness early on, it's during high school that top-tier talent often hits its stride.
Valencia freshman-to-be softball player Maddy Jelenicki is a different story.
She may have tapped into that talent earlier.
"She will be the best athlete that has come out of this valley, period," says her trainer Dean Fausett. "She can pretty much handpick her college right now if she wanted to.
"I've been doing private lessons since '91 out here and I've never worked with a kid that has her work ethic."
Jelenicki turns 15 in October, but already she's garnered attention from many of the top programs in the country, including reigning national champion UCLA, Arizona, Washington, Texas, LSU and Tennessee, among others.
"She's wanted from Florida, all the way through to Washington and by everyone in between," says Michael Perez, the recruiting coordinator for the Orange County Batbusters, Jelenicki's travel-ball club. "Everyone that comes out to see her play can't believe she's a high school freshman, not because of her size or strength. It's because of her savvy on the field. Whoever wins the recruiting battle for this kid, they are going to have an All-American kid on their hands for sure."
Perez serves as a liaison between the team and potential college suitors.
"She loves playing the game more than anything in the world," says her father, Dan. "The problem for me is, I have to be careful because that is a lot of pressure on a 14-year-old girl when they are offering her scholarships and she is not going to be there for five years. It's all good for her, but as a parent, it makes you worry more."
For Maddy, it's just a part of the game.
She doesn't let it bother her and especially doesn't let it go to her head.
"It's crazy, but I don't really let it affect me," Jelenicki says. "It's cool and everything, and I really appreciate it and it's what I worked for, but right now, I just want to focus on being with my team and put that aside. There will be a certain point to think about that, but now is definitely not the time to think about it. ... (Schools) have the right to stop looking at me if I stop performing, so I have to keep doing my thing."
Right now she is busy competing at the ASA 16U Girls Fastpitch National Championships in College Station, Texas, for the Batbusters.
Jelenicki primarily plays catcher, but also sees time at third base. She hits for power and average from the cleanup spot.
"I coach high school in Santa Ana at Mater Dei and I don't think I've ever had a player that has been a better hitter," says Batbusters head coach Doug Myers. "She's amazing. She's only struck out, from September until now, three times. She sees the ball so well."
Jelenicki started playing baseball with her father when she was 6 years old.
Dan was a pitcher at Pima Community College in Arizona, and has served as an inspiration for Maddy.
"He has basically said from the beginning, ‘If you are not going to do stuff on your own, you can't make it,'" she says of her father's advice. "He has been the most influential."
That extra time has taken the form of private lessons with Fausett and Wendell Mitchell.
She made her first travel ball team when she was 9, even though she didn't think she would make the roster.
The rest was history.
"She has all the talent in the world and she does hard work," says Valencia head coach Donna Lee. "She can play anything. She's the kind of kid who will say, ‘Where do you want me, coach?' Those are the kids you just love - kids that are coachable."
There will undoubtedly be a time of transition, but the potential is there.
So is the drive to make it a reality, which is something the rest of the Foothill League is weary of.
"She will be the best to come out of this valley," says West Ranch head coach Bob Shults.
However, that kind of reputation is not what motivates Jelenicki.
She just loves the game.
"She's just got to go out there and be her, not try to be anyone else," Lee says.
People and even top colleges are already chatting about 14-year-old softball player Maddy Jelenicki
0 Comments
By Paul Putignano
Signal Staff Writer
Posted: August 4, 2010 10:40 p.m.
Updated: August 5, 2010 4:55 a.m.
Courtesy photo
Maddy Jelenicki is a talented catcher who will be a freshman at Valencia High in 2010-11. Just 14 years old, Jelenicki has already garnered interest from some of the top NCAA Division I softball programs in the country.
Though there are generally signs of greatness early on, it's during high school that top-tier talent often hits its stride.
Valencia freshman-to-be softball player Maddy Jelenicki is a different story.
She may have tapped into that talent earlier.
"She will be the best athlete that has come out of this valley, period," says her trainer Dean Fausett. "She can pretty much handpick her college right now if she wanted to.
"I've been doing private lessons since '91 out here and I've never worked with a kid that has her work ethic."
Jelenicki turns 15 in October, but already she's garnered attention from many of the top programs in the country, including reigning national champion UCLA, Arizona, Washington, Texas, LSU and Tennessee, among others.
"She's wanted from Florida, all the way through to Washington and by everyone in between," says Michael Perez, the recruiting coordinator for the Orange County Batbusters, Jelenicki's travel-ball club. "Everyone that comes out to see her play can't believe she's a high school freshman, not because of her size or strength. It's because of her savvy on the field. Whoever wins the recruiting battle for this kid, they are going to have an All-American kid on their hands for sure."
Perez serves as a liaison between the team and potential college suitors.
"She loves playing the game more than anything in the world," says her father, Dan. "The problem for me is, I have to be careful because that is a lot of pressure on a 14-year-old girl when they are offering her scholarships and she is not going to be there for five years. It's all good for her, but as a parent, it makes you worry more."
For Maddy, it's just a part of the game.
She doesn't let it bother her and especially doesn't let it go to her head.
"It's crazy, but I don't really let it affect me," Jelenicki says. "It's cool and everything, and I really appreciate it and it's what I worked for, but right now, I just want to focus on being with my team and put that aside. There will be a certain point to think about that, but now is definitely not the time to think about it. ... (Schools) have the right to stop looking at me if I stop performing, so I have to keep doing my thing."
Right now she is busy competing at the ASA 16U Girls Fastpitch National Championships in College Station, Texas, for the Batbusters.
Jelenicki primarily plays catcher, but also sees time at third base. She hits for power and average from the cleanup spot.
"I coach high school in Santa Ana at Mater Dei and I don't think I've ever had a player that has been a better hitter," says Batbusters head coach Doug Myers. "She's amazing. She's only struck out, from September until now, three times. She sees the ball so well."
Jelenicki started playing baseball with her father when she was 6 years old.
Dan was a pitcher at Pima Community College in Arizona, and has served as an inspiration for Maddy.
"He has basically said from the beginning, ‘If you are not going to do stuff on your own, you can't make it,'" she says of her father's advice. "He has been the most influential."
That extra time has taken the form of private lessons with Fausett and Wendell Mitchell.
She made her first travel ball team when she was 9, even though she didn't think she would make the roster.
The rest was history.
"She has all the talent in the world and she does hard work," says Valencia head coach Donna Lee. "She can play anything. She's the kind of kid who will say, ‘Where do you want me, coach?' Those are the kids you just love - kids that are coachable."
There will undoubtedly be a time of transition, but the potential is there.
So is the drive to make it a reality, which is something the rest of the Foothill League is weary of.
"She will be the best to come out of this valley," says West Ranch head coach Bob Shults.
However, that kind of reputation is not what motivates Jelenicki.
She just loves the game.
"She's just got to go out there and be her, not try to be anyone else," Lee says.
I do know 3 families that switched HS's because of softball. It worked well in those cases. I imagine if I had tried that, we would have went from bad to worse.
