The Birmingham Giants 2014 Year End Banquet

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photoaaThe 2014 season has come to a close for the Birmingham Giants with the end of the Year end banquet Saturday night at Huffman Baptist Church.  For many years the Birmingham Giants were a Baseball only organization,but at the end of 2013, the Giants began an 02 softball team, which then became an 01, and 03 team, totaling 4 teams, leading into the 2015 season, all of which were represented at the banquet.

imageFormer Houston Astros AAA player Damien Brooks and Boston Red Sox scout Rod White both delivered speach’s  to the Giants players and parents, covering work ethic, character, college athletics that were informative and motivational.

Coach Kiley Barton and Coach Clint Cabiness, coaches of the 02 Giants softball team kicked off the team festivities with awards to their players, followed by Coach Kristie Harris and the 01 team and then Coach  Rob Kersey of the 15u Giants, and Coach Steven Rowe and Coach Kevin Glaze of the Giants new 03 team.

imageCoach Barton’s 02 team returns all of its 02 players, moving only 1 player Chy “chicken” Barnhill to the 03 team. Lauren Cabiness, Elissa Glaze, Kim Livingston, Olivia Renta, Blakely Burr, Kinley Hall, Mollie Freeman, Hadley Andrews, Ka’Mya Hampton, with Elizabeth Wheat  an exceptional Volleyball player, moving to Volleyball full time.

Coach Kristie Harris next present awards to her 01 team, a team that returns, imageCassi Williams, Sarah Moore, Skylar Street, Turner Cole, and Maci Harris and Tori Layfield, while adding new comers Mollie Peoples, and Allison Roberson, and Taylor Dawkins.

imageThe new 03 team was introduced, Coach Steven Rowe, Coach Kevin Glaze, and players Abby Warnick, Whitney Goodwin, Kaylie Hicks, Julia Petty, Chy Barnhill, Elissa Glaze, Krista Glaze, Lauren Dill, Ali King, Piper Lowery, and Reese Lowey.

 

Finally Coach Rob Kersey introduced and presented awards to the original Giants 15u team. imageCoach Rob Kersey, Coach Greg Garcia, Coach Sean McGuire , and players Hunter Garcia,  Quenton Kersey,  Noah Hathorn, Stone Faverot, Jamie Rainer, Charles Cobb, Joey Schramm, Mikey McGuire, Ethan Thrasher, Tyler Miller, and not present Ben Jackson,  and Gaitlin Roberson.

With the teams introduced and team awards given out, next up were the individual team awards.

imageBatting Averages:

15U: Mikey McGuire .476

01:  Tori Layfield .421

02:  Lauren Cabiness (year overall) .482

Elissa Glaze (fall season) .525

 

 

imageExtra Base hits:

15u: Ethan Thrasher 9

01:   Maci Harris.  7

02:   Ka’Mya Hampton. 18

 

 

 

imageOnbase Percentage:

01: Cassi Williams   .536

Sarah Moore.     .536

Turner Cole        .536

 

 

 

Pitching Awards:

imageMost Wins

15u:  Quenton Kersey   8

01:     Skylar Street     2

02:     Olivia Renta.   39

 

 

 

ERA

15u:  Noah Hathorn  1.71

02:    Blakely Burr  1.62

imageAwards were also given for the 7 no hitters and the triple play  turned by the 15u boys team.

No hitters:

Olivia Renta (2)

Ka’Mya Hampton

Chy Barnhill (2)

 

imageBlakely Burr (2)

Skylar Street

Triple Play

Tyler Miller

Stone Favrot, Joey Schramm

 

 

imageThe 2014 season marked a season in which the Giants organization amassed an 86-66-7  record, placing 1st or 2nd in 12 tournaments, (3rd or above in 25 of 39 tournaments), placing 29 players on their school ball teams, throwing 7 no hitters, 20 shut outs, 39 pickoffs, 47 caught stealings, 681 ground ball outs, 400 strike outs, hit .382 as an organization, with 138 extra base hits, all while maintaining a commitment to player development, a characteristic that is indicative of the Birmingham Giants.

imageIn 2015, the Giants returned all of their sponsorships and associations as well as adding some new ones. Baseball/Softball factory, Impact Players, Under Armour Top 96, Team Express, Rawlings and Schutt, along with The Jackson 96ers make up an impressive line up of sponsors that are beneficial to all Giants players and their family’s .

 

A Giant thank you goes out to Andria Livingston, Danielle Parker, Laura Rowe, Pratt Trucks, Brenda Glaze, Connie Hyche, Aimee Burr, and all the ladies that helped with the Banquet, and to Rod White, and Damien Brooks who graciously gave their time to speak at the 1st annual Banquet.

imageCoach Rob Kersey said of the Giants in 2015, ” We had a great 2014, and 2015 should be a great year with everything we have and are lining up to help these kids, unlike many organizations, this one is strictly about the game and the players, that has served us well so far and will again in 2015″.