Illinois Impact moves, announces tryouts
Illinois Impact Fastpitch Softball, celebrating its 10th anniversary, announced it is now affiliated with and sponsored by MVP Sports Academy, a softball and baseball training facility located in Lake Zurich.
Illinois Impact, a college exposure program, is holding tryouts for its 14u, 16u and 18u teams for the 2019-20 season. They will be held at:
*14u - 9 to 11 a.m., Aug. 3 at Lindholm Park, 30090 N. Park Lane, Libertyville; noon to 1:30 p.m., Aug. 4, Lindholm Park; 7:30 to 9 p.m. Aug. 7 at MVP Sports Academy; 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 11 at Lindholm Park.
* 16u - 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at Lindholm Park; 2 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at Lindholm Park; 9 to 10:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at MVP Sports Academy; 11:30 to 12:30 p.m., Aug. 10 at Lindholm Park.
* 18u - 2 to 4 p.m., Aug. 3 at Lindholm Park, 3:30 to 5 p.m., Aug. 4 at Lindholm Park; 9 to 10:30 p.m., Aug. 7 at MVP Sports Academy; 1 to 2 p.m., Aug. 10 at Lindholm Park.
Art Saenz of South Barrington and Wil Benjamin of Mundelein are the owners of MVP Sports Academy, formerly Homerun Sports and Fitness. MVP's mission is to provide educational and developmental programs instructed by an elite group of coaches who specialize in all aspects of baseball, softball and speed and agility. The facility includes 28,000 square feet of space including a full-size infield, 18 cages/tunnels and HitTrax.
Illinois Impact Fastpitch Softball was founded by Program Director Kent Szarabajka, who is also the head softball coach at Harper College and former head coach at Trinity International University. The competitive program has an outstanding winning record and has a mission to help 13-to18-year-old athletes find college programs to continue their softball careers. About 90% of its 2019 and 2018 graduates have been recruited to play college softball. (The other 10% chose schools for academic reasons). The program attracts top talent from Illinois' north and northwest suburbs and southern Wisconsin. 30 of our players received all state, area, and/or county honors over the last 3 years. The program's teams have placed in the top 4 in more than 50 tournaments over the last 9 years, including 13 top ten finishes in state and national tournaments.
In 2018/19, Impact had 4 college exposure level teams at the 14u, 16u, and 18u levels. One of the two 18u teams won the NSA Illinois State Championship and the Eastern "A" World Series and a No.1 national NSA ranking. The 14u team placed in the top the 3 of 8 tournaments, including taking 3rd place at the 104-Team NAFA Northern Nationals in Minneapolis and finished with a No.19 national NSA ranking. The 16u had a very good record, took 2nd place in the NAFA Midwest Nationals and played in several exposure tournaments in front of college coaches from across the Midwest.
For more information about tryouts or the program, contact Szarabajka at Campkent2002@yahoo.com.