Thursday, September 6, 2018

Bases Loaded Weekly Article III By: Marissa Moore


Excel Elite appears to standout when it comes to ensuring that every single one of their athletes finds a “home.” Excel is a relatively newer organization establishing its name in November of 2017. The organization currently consists of 19 teams spreading across the south, with teams in Louisiana, East Texas, and of course DFW.


Since then Director of operations and Recruiting Liaison, Kristell Williams, has devoted countless hours to building a long list of staff and connections. The goal? To ensure they are dedicating their time to prioritizing every girl’s future. Some of the coaches you may be familiar with; Brian Menefee, Shannon Williams, Greg Taylor, David Newcomb, as well as, J.D. Swindall and Anthony Lotief.

For directors like Kristell it’s all for the love of the game and that incredible feeling of helping a girl find a place where she is passionate on and off the field. Kristell began her journey with softball about thirteen years ago when she and her husband began coaching their daughter. Since then Kristell has dedicated years to establishing herself as a recruiting Liaison, more specifically some of her experience stemming from her work with Christway Sports.

From the beginning, Kristell has found a sense of joy in teaching these young girls about what it takes to be a strong powerful woman who isn’t afraid to chase her dreams. Founder Michael Lotief had one thing in mind when putting the program together and that was, “providing the special opportunity to positively impact the youth in ways that go beyond the softball field.” As founder, Michael Lotief is bringing over his skills and knowledge from his experience as a former head softball coach at Louisiana-Lafayette. Coach Mike has a long history of success leading the Ragin Cajuns to three Women's College World Series (2003, 2008 and 2014). More importantly the graduation rate for his players stood at 99% with a consistent GPA of a 3.0 and above. This is evident in his establishing mission of pursuing excellence. 

Having the opportunity to speak with Kristell was reminder that, as long as you have a passion to make a difference then you can truly leave a positive mark on someone’s life.

Kristell made it clear that the focus for Excel Elite exceeds placing a girl in college. She said that for the organization “we focus on the right fit for the kid.” It’s more than playing for the right school but it’s important to remember that everyone has perfect fit for their education as well. For Excel as a newer organization they will harness the ability to establish their brand.

Many of the athletes within the organization have been working under the current staff since the beginning of their softball careers. This has created relationships that go past creating competitive athletes. For Excel Elite they have been able to nurture strong and driven athletes who aren’t afraid to make decisions for themselves. As an organization their goal is to not focus so much on looking for the next best athlete but to look for those girls who are truly interested in growth. It’s safe to say that mental growth should be as prioritized as physical for the girls playing within the Excel organization.  

In the past few years’ competition within the softball world has increased. Everyone is looking for a scholarship. Excel Elite wants to remind their girls that falling in love with what softball teaches you is just as important as how far it can take you. The organization may be new but it is racing ahead at standing out in a competitive area like DFW. There’s no doubt that their dedicated staff and coaches are willing to put in the extra mile to change these young athletes lives. Excel Elite will continue to pursue excellence.

For a list of alumni click the link.

For more information be sure to visit their site.

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