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_ County’s talent, the

LEVY COUNTY JOURNAL

SPORTS & RECREATION

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2006

 

Gold, featuring Levy’s finest, lives up to its name

BY NEAL FISHER
Sports WRITER

Six years ago, when his
oldest daughter, Frannie,
reached the age of 10, Gerri
Seader had a predicament.

Ata young age, his daughter
was showing above- average
talent as a softball player and
the natural skills it takes to
play college softball. With
his other daughter, Annie,
only two years from the same
situation, there was a need
for a local travel team. But
there was no local entity for
them to further develop those
skills.

Seeing a need for a travel
team representing the area,
the former Bronson High
School softball coach along
with his wife, Kathy, formed
the Levy Lightning.

Although designed to
allow the players to attract
interest from colleges by
further developing _ their
talents and showcasing their
ability to play the sport while
competing against teams at
both the state and national
levels, the pool of talent
from which to choose players
capable of competing at those
levels was smaller than most
areas.

The long since defunct
Lightning often played the
Gainesville Gold. | While
Seader was involved and
coaching the Levy County
travel team, the Gold’s coach
was recruiting Annie for his
team.

After considering the
benefits of merging the two
teams, four years ago the
Lightning was absorbed into
the program and the Seaders
became Gold — coaches
themselves.

Since their nuptials, it has
been a marriage ‘made in
heaven. ~~ ~

‘With the infusion bE Ladi
Gold
has become one of the most
prominent programs at both
the state and national levels
in all five of the age groups
they compete in.

Celebrating its 10th season
in 2006, the organization as
a whole has moved from a
successful program to title
contender to champion.

In the last two years as ithas
reached championship status,
the Gold program as a whole
has claimed three state titles,
two runner-up finishes in the
other major state tournament,
a seventh place finish in
the national championship
tournament, 16 tournament
titles, five runner-up finishes
in those tournaments and
almost every team in the
program has qualified for
the American Softball
Association’s national
championship tournament.

“T had known of the Gold
for several years and their

_ reputation,” Seader said. “It

is the kind of reputation that
make people and families
want to get involved, for
the development of both
their daughters’ softball and
personal development. It is
also the kind of reputation
that I look for when I want to
get involved with something.
They had an accomplished
won-lost record; the quality
of their coaches was excellent
and the level of competition
they played was the best.
Unlike the mainstream sports,
there isn’t a lot of recruiting
for college softball on the high
school level. So, the family
priority has to be involvement
with an organization that will
get their daughter noticed.
The Gold had all the qualities
needed to reach that goal.”
In fact, the Gold’s mission
statement reflects Seader’s
reasoning. It is, “to create a
highly competitive athletic
program through the focused
individual development of
each athlete to her highest
potential in a positive and
nutturing environment,

a
~

4

 

2005 GAINESVILLE GOLD SEADER - Fall ISA State A Runner-up. From left,
Coach Gary, Kim Booker, Blair Nitray, Taylor Douglass, Head Coach Kathy
Seader, Katelyn Allbright, Jessica Nathan, Coach John Nitray, Tori Stamper,
Emily Harver, Annie Seader, Michaela Burton, Allison Wrench, Taylor Fuller,

Haley Birkle.

 

2006 GAINESVILLE GOLD 16-U ASA [A] NATIONAL QUALIFIER TEAM, Stand-
ing: Lindsey Whitlock, Robbielyn Roberson, Morgan White, Christine Donovan,
Rachel Lowe, Sadie Mullins. Kneeling: Jessica McClellan, Jordan Cook, Lawna
Hunter, Frannie Seader, Colleen LeeBove Not Pictured - Coach Shane se

. dyen - Coach Gerry Seader - Coach Art Donovan

 

2006 - SUMMER GAINESVILLE GOLD 12U- SILVERMAN TERM NSA ‘STATE A
CHAMPIONS Coaches AC Bob Heron and HC Paul Silverman, Standing, Stacy,
Collyn, Dayna, Kim, Taylor, Jessica. Kneeling, Michaela, Alison, Amber, Tay-

lore, Jaymi

on a foundation of
sportswomanship, teamwork
and integrity, with the goal
of fielding high quality fast-
pitch softball teams designed
to compete at the State and
National level.” \

When the Gold originally
began play, college was
several years away for the
girls, but as they have come
of age the program has also
blossomed into a_ vehicle
for getting noticed by the
colleges.

With over 35 _ players
awarded four-year college or
junior college scholarships
over the last several years
and a total of over 100
tournament titles in their 10
years, it is hard to argue they
have achieved nothing less
than going above and beyond
what is expected of them.

And while the Gold might
be based in Gainesville, their
representation of the entire
north central Florida region
has allowed for the Levy
County connection to make
their mark with the team. It
has been just as important
to the organization’s success

af

as any county or city that it
regionally represents.

“T think the reason there is
such a high level of talent in
Levy County is because of the
recreational leagues we have
in Bronson,” Seader said.

“We get the kids out on the
field in all sports when they
are young,” he said. “So, they
get to learn the fundamentals
at an early age and at a time
when they can be taught. We
don’t have a large population,
but the proportion of the
number of youth that can play
at such a level to the county’s
population is very high. That
means the coaches can spend
more time with each child and
they get to know them better
than they would if there was a
large population.”

Seader is a good example
of the type of coach the
organization looks for. Not

only is he the former coach of

Bronson High School, but he

_was also the former president

of the Bronson Youth league
and currently coaches at
East Side High School in
Gainesville.

With his standing of being
a quality coach he was a

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teams at

perfect fit for the Gold as the
organization also recruits
its coaches. They look for
a reputation of quality as a
winner and as a person as well
as experience. In fact, all of
the coaches with the Gold have
reputations of being winners,

many years of experience and

continue to attend clinics for
coaches. They are very adept
at adapting to the talent around
them and that is another reason
for the organization’s ability
to develop talent.

The prime accomplishments
that the Gold has achieved with
Levy County’s fingerprints on
it is the 2006 National Softball
Association and United States
Fast Pitch Association’s state
titles for the 12 and under age
group.

They also finished seventh
in this year’s National Softball

Association’s national
championships and were
the Independent Softball

Association’s runner up in
their state competition the last
two years.

With a roster of 11 athletes,
the team boasts five players
who are either from Levy
County or began their career
while living in the county.

“This particular team started
playing together in 2004,”
their coach and founder of the
Gold, Paul Silverman said.
“Us along with two other
teams from south Florida are
generally considered the best
in the state. They were very
talented from the beginning,
but like most teams they had
to learn to beat their biggest
rival. We had a lot of second
and third place finishes the
previous two years, but this
year we put it all together.
This is a group of girls who
can play any style, but their
most prominent ability is
power. There were five girls
on the team with at least one
home run hit over the fence.

They also have speed.”
In fact, their
accomplishments came

playing mostly 14 and under
teams this year.

Silverman also said most
this level lose
something when going from
the infield to outfield, but the
Gold has an excellent outfield.
Among. the other notable
differences in their play that
make the Gold champions is
strong pitching.

Understandably, these
travel teams are made up of

young women who are being

exposed to the lessons of adult

life for the first time and have

the issues of maturing to deal
with.

Silverman noticed that as
the girls have grown into
young .women, their way

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. became a more polished and °

of thinking was the final

piece of the puzzle to their.
championship aspirations. .
Their physical capacity has

grown over the three year

period, but they have learned

understanding and an at bat

without a hit can still be a

successful at bat, keeping |
their focus when things don’t °
go as expected and learning -
that they need to approach '
and play every game the '
same way, even if they are '
the more talented team, ’
are settle, but valuable and ;
significant parts within the

mindset of a: championship :
outfit.

Or perhaps the final
ingredient to the puzzle was °
how the parents handled '
coming so close without °
winning the title. They °
supported the players, but °
more importantly, they were °
patient and allowed the girls’ :
coaches to teach them how to
beat the best teams, instead
of interfering. Allin all from °
player to coach to parent
and family the Gainesville :
Gold 12 and under team :

v2

oo

"

sophisticated team over the °
last three years. .
“They are undeniably the -
best in state,” Silverman said.
“They won two state titles
and were the runner-up in
the other major association’s +
state championships.
“This team will be -
playing the 14 and under age -
group next year, but after -
three years of taking their up °
and downs, the girls are just - .
as capable of doing the same :
in this age bracket. They »
had outstanding talent from -
the beginning, but it doesn’t -
mean. anything without.
dedication, an understanding -
of the game, confidence,
hard work and a desire to do |
what it takes to win. They -
have all those variables.

In fact, they were very
disappointed about finishing
seventh in the national
competition. They thought .
they should have won it. .
That disappointment is a
real good window into their .
competitiveness and why. .
they are so good.”

Silverman started the
Gold in 1996, because his °
two daughters also needed -
a team that could be used
as a tool in developing their :
skills. He coached the then -
10 and under team through
the age groups until his
youngest daughter left to go |
to college in 2004.

When his youngest
daughter left to attend college
two years ago, he decided

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