Bloomingdale Youth Sports Association’s (BYSA) 8U Girls All-Star Fastpitch Softball team was made up of 13 athletes. These players were selected from multiple recreational teams within the league to represent BYSA.
“The best part was watching a group of talented players from different teams come together so quickly. They put aside individual accomplishments, embraced their roles and became one team. Their energy, competitiveness, and support for one another made coaching them an incredible experience,” said Manager Bryce Raub, reflecting on the 2026 All-Star season.
The All-Star season is short, so it was important to capitalize on each practice the team had together. As the team already had individual talent, coaches Bryce Raub, Jasmine Denton, Chris Cruz and Charles Hicks focused on building trust between teammates to reach their goals together. The team accomplished this by emphasizing communication, situational defense, quality at-bats, aggressive baserunning and playing confidently.
“We worked on building trust and making sure the girls believed in one another. They bought into the team-first mindset from day one, and that showed every time they stepped on the field,” said Raub.
By coming together as a unified team, they finished runner-up at the Florida Babe Ruth Softball District 10 All-Star Tournament. This performance qualified them to compete in the state tournament held in Lake City.
At the state tournament, the players competed with determination and composure against some of Florida’s strongest U8 All-Star teams, ultimately finishing third out of 15 teams.
“This group represented our league with tremendous pride, sportsmanship and heart. While we’re proud of what they accomplished on the field, we’re even more proud of the way they encouraged one another, competed with class and created lasting friendships along the way. We’d also like to thank our families and league for their support throughout the All-Star season. Their encouragement and commitment made this experience possible for these young athletes,” said Raub.