Jake Underwood Wins MVP Award as the
2008 Awards Banquet Closes Season
2008 Awards Banquet Closes Season
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South Bend, IN 11/15/08
The 2008 season is officially in the books as the Street Kids/Suburban
softball team held their annual awards banquet in South Bend on
Saturday night. The night was full of excitement including two special
video presentations, commemorating a season of success for both the
Street Kids and the Suburban team. Suburban went on to win the
ASA North National and ASA World Championship this season.
Suburban/SKS head Matt Lavender was on hand, as well as
Suburban/SKS manager BJ Roberts. Lavender thanked the members
of the organization for their support throughout the season and also
announced the new agreement that was made between the Suburban Softball Club and Street Kids for 2009.
"This was an exciting season for both clubs," Lavender said during a brief speech on Saturday night. "Being
involved with the Street Kids organization made it that much more special. I am proud of our guys for what
we did and I am proud of what the SKS team has done this year as well. Thats why TJ (Jorgensen) and I
worked out the details to bring us both back together for 2009 and hopefully beyond."
Several people were in attendance on Saturday including several softball players who are not players in the
organization, but attended to show their support for a team that does so much more than play softball.
"I came out tonight for not only to support my
friend, Jake, but to pay my respect for what this
team does off the field," said Jay Jeffery, who
played for Team Worth in 2008. "I am a very
competitive person and love playing against the
Street Kids team but when its all over, most of us
are friends. And what these guys do for the sport
is unbelievable and I respect the hell out of them."
Host Terry Patesel kicked off the night welcoming
everyone and leading into the video presentation
of the Suburban/SKS team winning the ASA
World Championship last month. After Lavender
spoke, Patesel talked more openly about what it
means to be part of this organization.
"I have been with this team at one form or another for several years," Patesel explained. "And for what has
transpired over those years with this team is amazing. I have seen this team grow from a lower level league
team to a full fledged softball organization. The merger with Suburban and having some other teams joining
the group shows the growth that has occurred. TJ and Courtney (Jorgensen) have put so much into this team
- especially with Street Kids Care - that they, as well as the players that have played a part, have taken this
to an entirely different level, one thats unheard of
anywhere. Street Kids Care is direct result of the
kindness and compassion that you guys have and
seeing the look on the faces of those kids from the
Memorial Childrens Hospital shows how much of
an impact you guys have on this community."
After Patesel spoke, a video was shown with
pictures from the entire season, starting all the
back to the tournaments in the Jackson Dome
in January and February and concluding with
some video clips and pictures from some of the
events with Street Kids Care. After the video,
Jorgensen addressed his team and friends.
"When I watch that video, or as I was making that
video, I could not help but think about my own
mother or my family," Jorgensen said. "I blow up your emails, text messages, phones all the time pushing
Street Kids Care on you but I wanted to make sure I explained that it is not a requirement for you to take a
part in our efforts that we do. You can only do this if you feel compelled to make a difference. Joe Horvath
has been to nearly every single Street Kids Care event because the things we do affect him just as it does the
people we help."
Jorgensen made a point to thank his teammates, the sponsors and his
family for a great season and then the night shifted to what everyone was
there to see: the awards.
The Comeback Player of the Year award was given to Nick Bishop, who
raised his average from .636 in 2007 to .663 in 2008. He was also
nominated for the Gold Glove, the Most Valuable Player award, as
well as the Most Outstanding Player in both league and in tournaments.
The Gold Glove award was chosen strictly by the players on the SKS
team. After a close race, Chris Firebaugh edged out Tony Hardiman to
win the award in his first full season with the team.
Joe Horvath won the Most Outstanding Player in League for the second
straight season after also winning this years batting title. Horvath batted .760 in 2008, and broke his own
record for home runs in league, finishing with 74 homers.
Lanny Fisher, the 2007 overall MVP, edged out Jake Underwood by one vote to win the Most Outstanding
Player in Tournaments award. Fisher set many team records this season, including the highest batting
average in tourneys (.732) and highest on base percentage in tourneys
(.756). He also had a record 229 hits in tournament action alone.
Fisher's 2008 season, arguably the best in his 20 year career, was
highlighted statistically by a team record 107 doubles, 47 more than
anyone else on the team.
"I love what we did on the field this year and I am glad to accept this
award," said Fisher. "It was nice to have another well known team join
the organization this year in Suburban and we had a lot of fun. But the
real highlight of the season to me is the work that Courtney does with
Street Kids Care. I know Terry spoke about it earlier, but our
organization is filled with so much potential on and off the field and for
any of you that took part in the Relay For Life this summer, or you were
there for the Memorial Childrens game, you can see the impact we made
on other people. That is what this organization is all about. On the field,
I am looking forward to us competing and having a great year, and off the field I am looking for us as a team
to make an even bigger difference."
The 2008 season is officially in the books as the Street Kids/Suburban
softball team held their annual awards banquet in South Bend on
Saturday night. The night was full of excitement including two special
video presentations, commemorating a season of success for both the
Street Kids and the Suburban team. Suburban went on to win the
ASA North National and ASA World Championship this season.
Suburban/SKS head Matt Lavender was on hand, as well as
Suburban/SKS manager BJ Roberts. Lavender thanked the members
of the organization for their support throughout the season and also
announced the new agreement that was made between the Suburban Softball Club and Street Kids for 2009.
"This was an exciting season for both clubs," Lavender said during a brief speech on Saturday night. "Being
involved with the Street Kids organization made it that much more special. I am proud of our guys for what
we did and I am proud of what the SKS team has done this year as well. Thats why TJ (Jorgensen) and I
worked out the details to bring us both back together for 2009 and hopefully beyond."
Several people were in attendance on Saturday including several softball players who are not players in the
organization, but attended to show their support for a team that does so much more than play softball.
"I came out tonight for not only to support my
friend, Jake, but to pay my respect for what this
team does off the field," said Jay Jeffery, who
played for Team Worth in 2008. "I am a very
competitive person and love playing against the
Street Kids team but when its all over, most of us
are friends. And what these guys do for the sport
is unbelievable and I respect the hell out of them."
Host Terry Patesel kicked off the night welcoming
everyone and leading into the video presentation
of the Suburban/SKS team winning the ASA
World Championship last month. After Lavender
spoke, Patesel talked more openly about what it
means to be part of this organization.
"I have been with this team at one form or another for several years," Patesel explained. "And for what has
transpired over those years with this team is amazing. I have seen this team grow from a lower level league
team to a full fledged softball organization. The merger with Suburban and having some other teams joining
the group shows the growth that has occurred. TJ and Courtney (Jorgensen) have put so much into this team
- especially with Street Kids Care - that they, as well as the players that have played a part, have taken this
to an entirely different level, one thats unheard of
anywhere. Street Kids Care is direct result of the
kindness and compassion that you guys have and
seeing the look on the faces of those kids from the
Memorial Childrens Hospital shows how much of
an impact you guys have on this community."
After Patesel spoke, a video was shown with
pictures from the entire season, starting all the
back to the tournaments in the Jackson Dome
in January and February and concluding with
some video clips and pictures from some of the
events with Street Kids Care. After the video,
Jorgensen addressed his team and friends.
"When I watch that video, or as I was making that
video, I could not help but think about my own
mother or my family," Jorgensen said. "I blow up your emails, text messages, phones all the time pushing
Street Kids Care on you but I wanted to make sure I explained that it is not a requirement for you to take a
part in our efforts that we do. You can only do this if you feel compelled to make a difference. Joe Horvath
has been to nearly every single Street Kids Care event because the things we do affect him just as it does the
people we help."
Jorgensen made a point to thank his teammates, the sponsors and his
family for a great season and then the night shifted to what everyone was
there to see: the awards.
The Comeback Player of the Year award was given to Nick Bishop, who
raised his average from .636 in 2007 to .663 in 2008. He was also
nominated for the Gold Glove, the Most Valuable Player award, as
well as the Most Outstanding Player in both league and in tournaments.
The Gold Glove award was chosen strictly by the players on the SKS
team. After a close race, Chris Firebaugh edged out Tony Hardiman to
win the award in his first full season with the team.
Joe Horvath won the Most Outstanding Player in League for the second
straight season after also winning this years batting title. Horvath batted .760 in 2008, and broke his own
record for home runs in league, finishing with 74 homers.
Lanny Fisher, the 2007 overall MVP, edged out Jake Underwood by one vote to win the Most Outstanding
Player in Tournaments award. Fisher set many team records this season, including the highest batting
average in tourneys (.732) and highest on base percentage in tourneys
(.756). He also had a record 229 hits in tournament action alone.
Fisher's 2008 season, arguably the best in his 20 year career, was
highlighted statistically by a team record 107 doubles, 47 more than
anyone else on the team.
"I love what we did on the field this year and I am glad to accept this
award," said Fisher. "It was nice to have another well known team join
the organization this year in Suburban and we had a lot of fun. But the
real highlight of the season to me is the work that Courtney does with
Street Kids Care. I know Terry spoke about it earlier, but our
organization is filled with so much potential on and off the field and for
any of you that took part in the Relay For Life this summer, or you were
there for the Memorial Childrens game, you can see the impact we made
on other people. That is what this organization is all about. On the field,
I am looking forward to us competing and having a great year, and off the field I am looking for us as a team
to make an even bigger difference."
The final award was the Most Valuable Player award,
presented by Starcraft Bus. This years winner was
Jake Underwood, who edged Lanny Fisher by a mere
five points, or the equivalent of a third place vote (see
graphic on this page). Underwood enjoyed a season
for the ages in 2008, including hitting a team record
123 home runs, and driving in a record 433 rbi's.
When he accepted the award, Underwood made it a
special point to thank those special people out there
that know who they are.
"Most importantly tonight I want to thank the haters,"
Underwood said. "This award is for my teammates,
especially Lanny and Tony who always seemed to be
on base when I came up in a run scoring situation, but
the haters that kept saying this team would not make it
presented by Starcraft Bus. This years winner was
Jake Underwood, who edged Lanny Fisher by a mere
five points, or the equivalent of a third place vote (see
graphic on this page). Underwood enjoyed a season
for the ages in 2008, including hitting a team record
123 home runs, and driving in a record 433 rbi's.
When he accepted the award, Underwood made it a
special point to thank those special people out there
that know who they are.
"Most importantly tonight I want to thank the haters,"
Underwood said. "This award is for my teammates,
especially Lanny and Tony who always seemed to be
on base when I came up in a run scoring situation, but
the haters that kept saying this team would not make it
throughout the year, or I would be a cancer to this team. The haters is what drives me to practice to get
better and better."
After a night of celebrating with the team well into the morning, Jake sat down with Jorgensen on Sunday
morning and talked more in depth about how much winning the award means. That interview can be read on
the website also.
With the conclusion of the banquet, the 2008 season is also concluded. Street Kids Care will continue their
efforts in the off season, including taking part in a big food drive in January, but Jorgensen will remain busy
building the team for the 2009 season. He has spoken to many players in the last several weeks and hopes to
make a major announcement in the next several days.
better and better."
After a night of celebrating with the team well into the morning, Jake sat down with Jorgensen on Sunday
morning and talked more in depth about how much winning the award means. That interview can be read on
the website also.
With the conclusion of the banquet, the 2008 season is also concluded. Street Kids Care will continue their
efforts in the off season, including taking part in a big food drive in January, but Jorgensen will remain busy
building the team for the 2009 season. He has spoken to many players in the last several weeks and hopes to
make a major announcement in the next several days.
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