Get on board with Dugout Chatter’s regular feature, The Final Pitch!
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
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Here’s our TFP for Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023:
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THE FINAL PITCH: MADISYN “MADDIE” WEATHERS
Uncommitted 2025 C/3B Madisyn “Maddie” Weathers recently talked to Dugout Chatter about Nationals-Sars, East Coweta High history, North Gwinnett High, Buford High, overcoming a knee injury, future college, child psychology, geometry, Jessi Warren, Colleen Hoover, Archie Eversole, “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “A League of Their Own” and TikTok dancing.
THE FINAL PITCH Q&A
Name: Madisyn “Maddie” Weathers
Hometown: Senoia, GA
High School: East Coweta High
Club Team: Nationals-Sars 16U
Graduation Year: 2025
Height: 5-foot-7
Position: C/3B
Nickname: My nickname is Maddie, but my parents call me “Maddawg.”
Twitter/Instagram: @MadisynWeathers/@maddieweatherss
Honors: 1st Team All-County (2021); and Honorable Mention All-District for 2AAAAAAA (2021).
Travel Ball Summer Stats: .468 AVG, .523 OBP, 1.406 OPS, 44 hits, 7 HRs and 42 RBIs.
High School Stats (So far): 15 games, .489 AVG, .500 OBP, 1.682 OPS, 28 hits, 10 HRs and 37 RBIs.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? My dad had always communicated with Coach John Sars about softball, but I was happily in another organization. Soon enough, we learned that moving to his team, Carolina Cardinals Nationals, which is now the Nationals, would be the best fit for me. I fell in love with the girls and the bond we all have together. I can count on them for anything and the team is like one big family and I love it.
Can you tell us about East Coweta High’s softball history and where you fit in the mix? East Coweta has won 3 AAAAAAA state championships in the past six years and two runner-ups. We also have 13 straight Region championships. I always looked up to girls who came through the organization like Rachel Vaughn, who just graduated from South Carolina. The first East Coweta kiddie camp I went to I thought she was the coolest person ever and wanted to be like her one day! Seven years later, I got my opportunity to be a freshman starter for the East Coweta Lady Indians and I was not passing it up!
Who is your biggest high school rival and why? Our biggest high school rival is definitely North Gwinnett High. They have a great program and we have gone back and forth with state championships. In 2021, we came up short, and in 2020 East Coweta defeated them, 2-1. I always love playing them because I know it’s going to be a great game.
Which player/team has been your toughest opponent and why? The toughest team we have played has to be Buford High. Their program is just great and they unfortunately beat us last year to win the state championship. Even though last year was a tough loss, we are coming for them this year. I don’t really have someone who is a “tough opponent” to me. My mindset is if they beat me once, I promise that they won’t beat me again.
What have you faced/overcome in life that has made you the person you are today? The beginning of last year I was practicing with a friend when the unimaginable happened. I ended up tearing my ACL and meniscus and couldn’t play for a year. I want to give a BIG shoutout to Dr. Thomas Myers for doing an amazing job on my knee. He made sure that we took it easy and that I was 100 percent when I came back. I still supported my teams at tournaments, games and practices throughout the seasons, but it was very hard not being able to be on the field. I learned how to be a great teammate. This February, I got to be back and play again. I haven’t looked back ever since. One thing I have learned through this is to play every game like it’s your last because you never know how quickly it can be taken away. Just. Like. That.
What are you looking for in a future college? What are you doing for recruiting? I am looking for a place that isn’t far from home, but a place that also feels like it. My top school right now is only two hours away from my house. I want to go somewhere where the coaches are the same coaches that they are when they first meet you, then behind closed doors they don’t change. Before September 1st, I emailed my top-five colleges three times every week.
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? In college, I want to do Child Psychology. When I am older, I want to have my own office where I can work with troubled or mentally-disabled kids. I want to give back to the community and help in any way I can.
What’s your favorite subject to study in school and why? My favorite subject has to be Geometry because I am surprisingly really good at like multiplication, adding and subtracting with shapes, but that’s about it.
Who is your sports hero and why? My sports heroes have to be Jessi Warren, Megan Wiggins and Megan Good. They were my coaches last spring and this spring when I came back and that was the best and most fun I have ever had playing. I was so blessed to have a coaching staff like them. In 2018, I was there when Jessi made her famous catch and I have always wanted to be just like her ever since.
What’s your favorite book to read and why? I love reading Colleen Hoover’s books. She is the best author in my opinion, but I need to try more books.
What’s the best hype song and why? My all-time favorite hype song is “We Ready” by Archie Eversole. I gets me so turnt every time I hear it.
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? I love love love to binge watch “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” It’s such a happy show and my mom loves watching it with me even though she’ll never admit it.
What’s your favorite movie and why? My favorite movie is definitely “A League of Their Own.” It shows them overcoming people who didn’t believe in them.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? My secret talent is that I can actually dance really good. I post a TikTok like every day, so, maybe, one day it won’t be a secret anymore.
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SIGNING/COMMITMENT ALERTS
Alexah Gordon, 2024, OF, EC Bullets-Rodriguez/Kettle Run High, VA, Christopher Newport
COMMITMENT ALERT! Congrats to Alexah Gordon (our #5) for her commitment to continue her academic & athletic career at CNU. Go Captains! #softball #fastpitch #committed @EastCobbBullets @ECBullets18uVA @CNUSoftball @CNUathletics @CNUcaptains @CoachKeithParr @SBRRetweets pic.twitter.com/2rqHF4eZWl
— EC Bullets 18U Rodriguez (@ECBullets18uVA) September 17, 2023
Sophia Jimenez, 2024, 3B/1B/UT, Texas Boom Elite/Socorro High, TX, Barstow Community College
After a great talk with Coach Garland, I am very excited and blessed to announce my first verbal offer to Barstow Community College to further my academic and athletic career! Thank you Coach Garland Jr! Go Vikings💙💛#softball #TBE @ChrisLoveless15 @TxboomMtz @LadyBulldogSB pic.twitter.com/ogDzppEw3D
— Sophie (@Sophie_j16) September 12, 2023
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HSOTD
Today’s Hype Song of the Day is …
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BTITW
Today’s Best Thing In The World is …
Every. Single. Day.. 😂 pic.twitter.com/04bOjYVKeq
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) September 17, 2023
— Carlos Arias, Dugout Chatter (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff, Instagram @los_stuff and Threads @los_stuff)
