Academy Notebook: Black History Month Jamboree postponed; College baseball at the Youth Academy; Texas Rangers Youth Academy softball coaches

Black History Month Jamboree – Postponed

Due to freezing weather conditions in the DFW Metroplex, the Black History Month Jamboree scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5, has been postponed.

The second annual Black History Month Jamboree, presented by Nike was scheduled to include a two-hour camp followed by a doubleheader between W.H. Adamson High School and South Oak Cliff High School, Wilmer Hutchins High School and David W. Carter High School.

Details regarding the rescheduling of the event will be announced at a later date.

College baseball at the Youth Academy

The Texas Rangers Youth Academy will host its first-ever college baseball games Friday, Feb.11, and Saturday, Feb. 12. This three-game series will match up two NAIA baseball teams, Texas Wesleyan University and Sterling College, to compete on Johnny Oates Field in West Dallas.

First pitch for Friday’s game between the Texas Wesleyan Rams and Sterling College Warriors will be at 10:30 a.m. On Saturday, Feb. 12, the teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader scheduled to start at noon and 2:30 p.m.

The Fort Worth-based Rams typically play home games at their Sycamore Park baseball and softball facilities, less than a mile from campus. Texas Wesleyan University and the Texas Rangers Youth Academy worked alongside one another to organize this first-of-its-kind neutral site series.

Texas Wesleyan is 4-0 to start the season after sweeping regional rival Wiley College. Kansas-based Sterling College is currently 0-4 after dropping their first four to Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

Next weekend’s series will mark the first time these teams have played since 2013 when Texas Wesleyan beat Sterling College 3-0 at their first meeting.

Admission is free for all three Texas Wesleyan-Sterling College games at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. To access live game stats for the series, visit ramsports.net.

Championship caliber coaching

Softball at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. A place where some of the hardest working athletes and coaches join together at one facility.

After experiencing the highs of success during their own storied playing careers, the Rangers softball coaching staff strives to give back to the game and guide the next generation to new heights. Whether it be seasonal programming or producing championship-winning teams, each coach shares the same driving force.

While their work never stops, National Girls and Women in Sports Day was celebrated on Wednesday, Feb. 2, to recognize women like these.

Selena Mendoza –

Growing up on the softball diamond, coach Selena received endless praise from her coaches and family for possessing a high IQ for the game. In the summer of 2018, she found a new way to use that knowledge, thus beginning her coaching career.

“It was one of the best opportunities I didn’t know I needed,” she said. “I had just graduated college and had no idea what I was going to do next because I never knew anything else but softball. I’m so thankful to the Youth Academy for allowing me to be a part of the sport I love, but now I help other young athletes chase their own dreams.”

Coach Selena works each day to share her extensive softball knowledge to develop top-level talent and leave a positive impact on each athlete.

“I believe it’s important for the Academy athletes to feel comfortable around me rather than be intimidated to ask questions about their game,” she said. “I encourage them to relax because I know as an athlete it’s hard to perform under constant pressure. I’ve always seen positive performances from my athletes when I tell them to relax and enjoy the moment.”

One of those moments was coaching the Rangers Softball All-Star team to victory at the 2021 Jennie Finch Classic, claiming the first tournament win in Youth Academy history. Even then, coach Selena’s greatest accomplishment is motivating and mentoring athletes to follow their dreams.

Gigi Garcia –

Coach Gigi’s journey to finding softball wasn’t a traditional one, and some may even say softball found her. After years of dedication to soccer, she was presented with an opportunity to try something new. Several reminders from her soon-to-be-coach led Gigi to take a chance. “I showed up for tryouts with an old baseball glove I found in my garage, soccer shorts, my U.S. women’s soccer tee and my soccer cleats,” she said.

“Without knowing anything about the game, I tried it out. Who knew eight years later the sport would become one of my best friends?” Later, Gigi joined the Texas Rangers Youth Academy for year-round training. When she completed her journey as a player, she became a coach at the very same Youth Academy where she once trained.

As a former Academy athlete, Gigi knows firsthand the potential of each individual that walks onto those West Dallas fields.

“The Youth Academy community is special. It is where I started to build my life’s foundation," she said. "It taught me lessons, it helped me grow and it helped me set my life in the right direction.”

While she’s only just beginning her journey as a coach, Gigi is excited to give back to the sport and her community by helping athletes develop on the field and in life.

Nicole Cazley –

Coach Nicole has a long history with softball, first playing in third grade, competing for a state title in high school and eventually playing at the University of Illinois. Inspired by her high school and college coaches, especially Highland Community College coach Tyra Perry, Nicole knew she wanted to give back and grow the game.

“When I was growing up, there were not many black softball players,” said Cazley. “When coach Perry became my college coach, it truly made me feel that we all belong in this sport. I hope to be that visual representation to some little kid out there playing right now.”

Every time Nicole takes the field with her athletes at programming, she projects her love of the game and works to instill hustle and maximum effort while pushing her athletes to reach new heights.

Ultimately, she wants every hour on the diamond to be memorable, impactful and fun.

Tayler Nave –

When coach Tayler found the Texas Rangers Youth Academy, she recognized an opportunity to cultivate the next generation of athletes in a community that hasn't always had these resources within reach.

Inspired by one of her college softball coaches, Heidi Jordan, Tayler created a coaching style that focuses on simplifying each play, improving upon strengths and weaknesses, and coaching with tough love, respect, and belief in everyone's ability to be great.

“I like to break things down…teach drills and focus on what the kids need to get them to the next level,” she said. “Getting them to the next level requires many things that aren't always softball related, and that is one lesson that I hope to instill as I keep coaching young girls.

“Women's sports don't get the spotlight as much as men's, but I am proud to be in this industry, and as long as I can make a difference, I will keep coaching and sharing my knowledge with future players.

“I want my players to own the field because that is where they want to be and deserve to be.”

Samantha Householder –

Coach Samantha has been an elite softball player for her entire life. She spent years on travel teams, played four years of varsity softball in high school and earned a starting position during her entire career at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Softball has always been a large piece of her life, helping to shape her into the successful woman she is today.

Samantha has credited her travel team coach for leaving an everlasting impact on her life, saying, “If it wasn’t for him, I would not have been the athlete I was, nor would I be the person I am today.”

She has adopted that experience into a coaching style that aligns with the Texas Rangers Youth Academy’s mission to develop Major League Citizens. She encourages focus and drives her athletes forward, acknowledging that mistakes happen in this sport, but you must learn and grow each time you take the field.

For coach Samantha, every time she’s on the softball diamond, there is an opportunity to lead with intention while providing mentorship and lasting life lessons.

“It means so much that I get to help these young women grow not only as athletes but as people," she said. "I want these young women to know that nothing can stop them from achieving any goal they set in life.