Lady Blazers Lend a Helping Hand

Valdosta State Puts on a Hitting Clinic for Community

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Valdosta State, along with the seven other teams at the NCAA Division II National Softball Championship Tournament, took time Wednesday to put on a softball clinic for the community of St. Joseph, Missouri.

"This is a great experience for not only the young girls out here, but us as well," said Stephanie Carlson. "They get an opportunity to learn but we get the opportunity to teach a game that we all love."

Carlson, along with the rest of the Lady Blazers, put on a hitting clinic for nearly 30 young girls Wednesday as the team prepares for the start of the tournament Thursday.

"This is great. My daughter is clearly learning a lot in just a little bit of time. She is getting an opportunity to learn from the best while she's still a sponge to soak it up," said Regina Jewett, a St. Joseph resident. "Really, this is an opportunity of a lifetime for her."

Valdosta State does plenty of work with youth softball in the Valdosta community, but the Lady Blazers enjoyed the opportunity to help out young softball players in another community.

"Our girls love working with youth. They do it a lot at home, and it's nice to be able to do it here too," said Head Coach Thomas Macera.

Now that Valdosta State has put in a practice session and worked with the community, all that is left for the Lady Blazers is to start playing games. That takes place at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

For the radio broadcast, fans can listen at Talk 92.1 FM, or go online at www.talk921.com. There will be live stats here and the NCAA will also be webcasting games throughout the tournament here. CBS College Sports will broadcast the championship game on television.

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