Two Familiar Faces
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December 3, 2011
Danny Penale has some unfinished business with Street Kids
Softball. In 2012, he will look to finish what the team was unable
to do yet. Win a title.
Penale and longtime Suburban Softball player Chris Douglass will
join the new SKS team this coming season and both know a little
something about winning titles. Penale's Lazer Show team beat
SKS in the finals of the 2009 NSA B World Series to win the
crown and Douglass is not only coming off a recent USSSA B
World title in Florida in October, but his Suburban/SKS team
won both the ASA North National and the ASA Hooters World
Championship in 2008.
"With my work schedule the way it was in 2010, it was hard to
make tournaments," the slick fielding first baseman said. "The end
of the year was impossible and that team in 2010 - on paper-
might have been one of the strongest Indiana teams ever
assembled. But at that time, we just couldn't get the chemistry
right."
After a promising start to the 2010 season, the Kids retooled the
team right at the beginning of the post season, sans Penale also.
They went on to finish second at the ASA National. Penale joined
the high powered John Snyder Softball team in 2011, and up until
some late season drama, Snyders were right there with SKS all
season, winning tourney's at will. But after the team broke up,
Penale made it public that one of the places he would consider
joining was SKS.
"If you would have compared the 2010 SKS team to the 2011
SKS team - again, on paper - you would think the 2010 team
would be much better," Penale said. "But the way the 2011 SKS
team played this year, with heart, passion, chemistry.. it really
wasnt a shock to see how well they did."
When asked about Jay Jeffery, the Kids' first baseman this year
who had a huge season, Penale - who is primarily known for his
size and swift movements at first - said he talked to Jeffery prior
to coming on board.
"I told him that he did a great job over there and I am sure going
into the season, he will still be there," Penale added. "I am glad to
just be a part of a team that has proven to win year in and year
out. With a good mix of youth and veteran players, I cannot wait
for the season to start."
Chris Douglass is coming off an injury riddled season that saw
him miss the first half of 2011. Upon his return to the
Plumbers/Suburban team, he struggled at times to find the groove
that earned him multiple MVP awards with Suburban in years
past.
"Its hard to come back from injury and earn a spot when the guys
that filled in for you have played great," said Douglass' longtime
teammate Todd Fairbanks of Plumbers. "Chris is a very good
hitter, and when he got the chances to come in, like a lot of
people that are cold or sore, he struggled. As a teammate, I am
going to miss seeing number 54 in the dugout, but as a friend, I'm
happy that he is getting a chance to go to a team like Street Kids."
Douglass, who lives in Grand Rapids, plays multiple positions, but
the main reason the SKS team went after him was for his offense.
"When healthy, I believe Chris Douglass is as good as a hitter as
anyone," said TJ Jorgensen of SKS. "In 2009, we was MVP of
a Suburban team that went 80-32 overall, and he was second on
the team in hitting with a .697 average. He says his injury was like
it never happened and is ready to play any role needed to help
our team win. Plus he is a great teammate."
In 2008, Douglass batted .711 and helped lead Suburban to the
ASA National and World titles. He knows some of his best
softball is still in front of him.
"I am excited as I have ever been in my career to be joining
Street Kids," Douglass said earlier this week. "I know a lot of the
guys for a long time and one thing I absolutely love is team
chemistry, and Street Kids is the epitome of that. This team has a
lot of veteran leaders as well as some phenomenal young players
and I can't wait for the season to start."
There was one third addition the team made this year, but it
wasn't really an addition because he has always been there.
"The day before Thanksgiving, we got some awesome news that
Shane Varga's latest scan came back clear," Jorgensen said.
"With that said, we now have another GREAT outfielder added
to the team, one that is a former batting champion, the 2008
tournament player of the year and a guy that may play with more
heart than anyone I know. We wont rush Shane back, and he
may not play a full hard schedule, but I expect his appearance at
the diamond to strengthen us tremendously."
________________________
Danny Penale has some unfinished business with Street Kids
Softball. In 2012, he will look to finish what the team was unable
to do yet. Win a title.
Penale and longtime Suburban Softball player Chris Douglass will
join the new SKS team this coming season and both know a little
something about winning titles. Penale's Lazer Show team beat
SKS in the finals of the 2009 NSA B World Series to win the
crown and Douglass is not only coming off a recent USSSA B
World title in Florida in October, but his Suburban/SKS team
won both the ASA North National and the ASA Hooters World
Championship in 2008.
"With my work schedule the way it was in 2010, it was hard to
make tournaments," the slick fielding first baseman said. "The end
of the year was impossible and that team in 2010 - on paper-
might have been one of the strongest Indiana teams ever
assembled. But at that time, we just couldn't get the chemistry
right."
After a promising start to the 2010 season, the Kids retooled the
team right at the beginning of the post season, sans Penale also.
They went on to finish second at the ASA National. Penale joined
the high powered John Snyder Softball team in 2011, and up until
some late season drama, Snyders were right there with SKS all
season, winning tourney's at will. But after the team broke up,
Penale made it public that one of the places he would consider
joining was SKS.
"If you would have compared the 2010 SKS team to the 2011
SKS team - again, on paper - you would think the 2010 team
would be much better," Penale said. "But the way the 2011 SKS
team played this year, with heart, passion, chemistry.. it really
wasnt a shock to see how well they did."
When asked about Jay Jeffery, the Kids' first baseman this year
who had a huge season, Penale - who is primarily known for his
size and swift movements at first - said he talked to Jeffery prior
to coming on board.
"I told him that he did a great job over there and I am sure going
into the season, he will still be there," Penale added. "I am glad to
just be a part of a team that has proven to win year in and year
out. With a good mix of youth and veteran players, I cannot wait
for the season to start."
Chris Douglass is coming off an injury riddled season that saw
him miss the first half of 2011. Upon his return to the
Plumbers/Suburban team, he struggled at times to find the groove
that earned him multiple MVP awards with Suburban in years
past.
"Its hard to come back from injury and earn a spot when the guys
that filled in for you have played great," said Douglass' longtime
teammate Todd Fairbanks of Plumbers. "Chris is a very good
hitter, and when he got the chances to come in, like a lot of
people that are cold or sore, he struggled. As a teammate, I am
going to miss seeing number 54 in the dugout, but as a friend, I'm
happy that he is getting a chance to go to a team like Street Kids."
Douglass, who lives in Grand Rapids, plays multiple positions, but
the main reason the SKS team went after him was for his offense.
"When healthy, I believe Chris Douglass is as good as a hitter as
anyone," said TJ Jorgensen of SKS. "In 2009, we was MVP of
a Suburban team that went 80-32 overall, and he was second on
the team in hitting with a .697 average. He says his injury was like
it never happened and is ready to play any role needed to help
our team win. Plus he is a great teammate."
In 2008, Douglass batted .711 and helped lead Suburban to the
ASA National and World titles. He knows some of his best
softball is still in front of him.
"I am excited as I have ever been in my career to be joining
Street Kids," Douglass said earlier this week. "I know a lot of the
guys for a long time and one thing I absolutely love is team
chemistry, and Street Kids is the epitome of that. This team has a
lot of veteran leaders as well as some phenomenal young players
and I can't wait for the season to start."
There was one third addition the team made this year, but it
wasn't really an addition because he has always been there.
"The day before Thanksgiving, we got some awesome news that
Shane Varga's latest scan came back clear," Jorgensen said.
"With that said, we now have another GREAT outfielder added
to the team, one that is a former batting champion, the 2008
tournament player of the year and a guy that may play with more
heart than anyone I know. We wont rush Shane back, and he
may not play a full hard schedule, but I expect his appearance at
the diamond to strengthen us tremendously."
________________________
