Van Softballer Competes

Van’s Jasmine Gipson thought, with a little luck, she might wind up with a t-shirt. She got t-shirts all right. She picked up several, as well as a suitcase load of other booty during an all-expense paid trip to the All-Star game.

Gipson traveled with her U14 "Elect" team, the Sneaky Cleats, of Tyler, for a Hit, Pitch and Run contest in April. She was unfamiliar with the competition, and had little idea what she was embarking on, as she and teammates were "laughing and having fun," through the different stages.

Not only did she win the Tyler contest, but her point total qualified her for the Super Regional held in Austin a week later. The Austin contest was one of ten Super Regionals held around the nation, and only three girls would advance to the national competition to be held in St. Louis during the All-Star game festivities.

"We weren’t even sure if we wanted to go," her mother, Petra Gipson said. "You think, ‘What are the chances of being in the top three?’"

One could hardly blame a family that travels practically non-stop for softball practices and tournaments, but they did make the trip to Austin, and later, one to St. Louis.

"They (Austin officials) said I had a good chance because I had a good point total, but I didn’t know until later that I advanced," Jasmine said after returning from the All-Star trip. "A lady called me and told me ‘Congratulations,’ I was in the top three in the United States, and I was going to compete at the All-Star game."

The trip included an all-expenses paid trip for two. Her dad Dale got the other spot, because he can catch her throws.

That’s when she decided to start practicing the Hit, Pitch and Run skills. Players are given a point total scored from the three skills. In the hitting portion of the competition, players hit off a tee and are scored on distance and hitting straight to center field. In running, the players are timed from second to home, and for pitching they are scored on accuracy.

Gipson qualified along with a girl from Georgia and another from California, and became friends with both during the two days of sightseeing and All-Star events. They also were among the kids that were on the field to shag balls during the home run derby.

The competition took place three hours before the home run derby.

"When we first stepped on the field, it was nerve-wracking," she said. "There weren’t a lot of people in the stands yet, but it was intense. People with video cameras were all around us, and we were on the big screen."

Petra watched to competition on ESPN. Her daughter also, according to friends that called later, made a cameo appearance on Good Morning America while she was shagging balls.

And the competition results? The girl from Georgia won with Jasmine placing second.

"The difference was about two inches on one of the throws," her mother explained.

"But she wasn’t throwing hard. She was just tossing it up there," added Jasmine, who was clocked at 63 mph. Speed didn’t factor in though.

Gipson did succeed in one of her other objectives when the Texas Rangers’ Josh Hamilton visited the bullpen where the ball shaggers were.

"He was really the only one I know and wanted an autograph from, and he was the only player to come see us in the bullpen and gave autographs," she said. Jasmine was representing the Texas Rangers, so he especially signed her hat and a ball.

Jasmine and her father arrived home on Wednesday afternoon, and immediately headed to Tyler for a four-hour practice with the Sneaky Cleats. The team is now in Florida for a national title tournament.

There was just enough time to reload the suitcase.