The Washington Hurricanes ‘97 softball team has had a very busy summer and they aren’t done yet. The team of girls, competing in the 12U age bracket, qualified for the national tournament in Indiana in August.

The Canes, as they are often referred to, qualified for the Amateur Softball Association’s (ASA) National Championship Tournament during various ASA tournaments locally, such as the Northwest Regional National qualifier, held in Seattle earlier in the summer. The national tournament will be held in Bloomington, Ind. Aug. 3-8.

“It certainly is the first time we’ve qualified,” said head coach John Gibson last week. “We’re in uncharted waters.”

This isn’t a team of girls who are unaccustomed to success, however uncharted the national tournament might be. On invitation, the team traveled to Colorado earlier this summer to take on some of the top 12U teams in the country, including various state champions. The Colorado Fireworks Tournament featured 15 teams from Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, with the Canes being the only team from Washington.

At the tournament the team went undefeated in pool play, earning a 4-0 start, beating state title teams from Texas and Oklahoma. They finished in third overall for their age bracket.

“We got a little taste of what I think it will be like in Colorado,” said Gibson. “Some of the same teams will be there. The game will be fast. The players are bigger, stronger and faster. A lot of the teams play 12 months a year. We’re limited by the weather, but a lot of those places aren’t.”

The team is assisted by Forest Brown and Doug Turner. Gibson has been coaching with the Canes for three years and was an assistant coach with the program for a year prior. He said he’s been coaching some of these girls since they were 7.

According to Doug Turner, “The team has been together with little turnover since 2008, when they played in the 10U category. Over the past three years the team has only turned over one or two girls a year, with the core of the team staying together.”

Turner said much of the team played Little League together, winning their respective state championships in the 9-10 age group for consecutive years.

Gibson said the team is strong because they are smart on the field.

“They know the game,” he said. “They don’t require a lot of coaching during a game.” Another plus, especially for a team that’s been traveling a lot, they get along on and off the field.

“When someone makes a mistake, they don’t let each other get down,” said Gibson.

The team won’t know who it will face at nationals until they get to Indiana, said Gibson. The tournament, which starts with a random draw, consists of two pool play games, which determine bracket seeding for the rest of the games. But Gibson said he has a fairly good idea what regions are likely to do well at nationals.

“Southern California and the Southeastern U.S. I think you could put most of those teams in a hat and pick out anyone,” said the coach. “There are some awfully good teams there.”

In preparation for those teams, Gibson said the Canes have been picking up their speed at practice.

“We are trying to speed it up a little bit,” he said, especially after seeing how fast teams at the Colorado tournament played the game.

Until they leave, the girls and coaches will try and remain focused on those practices, along with adding in fund raising efforts to help pay for the trip East.

“We are also in fund raising mode right now, making sure we can cover expenses for the trip to Indiana,” said Doug Turner. He said they’ve held car washes and are selling See’s Candy Bars, but are also actively looking for any private or corporate sponsors willing to donate. The Canes are considered a non-profit organization.

“My hope, first of all, is that they have the times of their lives,” said Gibson. “Secondly, I hope they see how good softball is played at the highest level.” He added, especially for team members who hope to compete at top levels someday, seeing and learning how the best in the country play will only be a benefit.

Visit www.canes97.com for more information.