Fusion ‘07 & Fusion 2028/29

Congratulations to Harper Jones ( team UNA), Sophia Homan (team UNA), and LC Hamilton (team UT Southern) on making it to the championship game last night. What a game it was as both teams competed very well! UNA pulled off the win in the international tie breaker.

So proud of all of our ladies who competed and built relationships with coaches this past weekend. I saw each of you out there networking! Great job ladies!

Want to wish the best of luck to our girls competing in the Level Up Sports 2026 Summer Showcase Showdown this weekend in Albertville!
Go compete, have fun, and take advantage of every opportunity in front of you. We're proud of you and can't wait to see you do your thing!

Alyssa got some work in yesterday at Calhouns prospect camp. She did her thing both defensively and offensively and received some good feedback! Thanks to coach Bowling and the rest of the staff for hosting another great camp and having Alyssa out. Keep working hard kid!

Congratulations to Maci Harris on receiving an offer from Southern Union! Every offer is another opportunity earned through hard work and another door opened. We're proud to see her continue gaining the attention she deserves. Opportunities like this don't happen by accident—they're earned. Excited to see where her recruiting journey leads next. Congratulations, Maci!

What a Night...

Since we got rained out of what was supposed to be our last tournament of the season, we decided to jump into a fun Midnight Madness tournament just to get one more weekend together.

Both Fusion teams came out playing incredible softball. Then, as fate would have it, the semifinal matchup became **Fusion '07 vs. Fusion 2028/29.** Winner advanced to the Gold Bracket Championship at 3:30 a.m. Loser went home.

I've coached a lot of games over the years, but I can honestly say that was one of the best softball games I've ever been a part of. Great pitching. Great defense. Timely hitting. Momentum swinging back and forth. Neither team gave an inch. Every pitch mattered.

As I stood back and watched, I realized I wasn't just watching a softball game.

I was watching years of hard work come full circle.

On one side was the group that helped build this program into one of the best around—a team playing together for the final time. On the other side was the next generation, a team we're continuing to build that's getting better every single day.

Then came the last inning.

Time had officially expired, and with one final opportunity, the 2028/29 girls scratched across the game's only run, walking it off 1-0 and ending the final tournament of our Fusion '07 team's incredible run together.

It wasn't just a walk-off.

It felt like the passing of the torch.

The team that helped establish the standard was passing it to the group that's ready to carry it forward.

I honestly couldn't have imagined a more fitting ending.

The scoreboard said 1-0, but that moment meant so much more than a win or a loss. It was two generations of Fusion playing to the standard against each other until the very last pitch. It was years of sacrifice, commitment, and belief meeting years of promise and potential.

Standing there watching those girls afterward—some celebrating, some heartbroken, but every one of them wearing the same Fusion logo—I realized we had already won.

One chapter was closing.

Another was just beginning.

---

**To Brad...**

Thank you.

From the season I lost my best friend, you stepped in and stood beside me every step of the way. Through every practice, every tournament, every win, and every setback, you were there.

You may not even realize it, but you've had a tremendous impact not only on the success of this team, but on our entire organization. Your loyalty, your dedication, and your friendship helped build what Fusion is today.

There were a lot of moments over the years where I needed someone I could count on, and you were always that guy. You never asked for recognition, never wanted the spotlight—you just showed up and gave everything you had to these girls.

I'll never be able to thank you enough for that.

I love you, brother.

---

**To Mitchell...**

You were the missing piece we never knew we needed.

If I'd have known then what I know now, we'd have started this thing together a whole lot sooner.

The girls absolutely love you, and your ability to get the very best out of them has always been second to none. It always felt like we were coaching with one mind. We were constantly in sync, knowing what the other was thinking before a word was ever said.

These last two years have been incredibly special, and I just want you to know how thankful I am.

Love you, my brother.

---

**To Janiah...**

I love you like you're one of my own.

Watching you grow as a coach over these last couple of years has been so rewarding. Every season you've become more confident, more comfortable, and more impactful. It's been awesome watching you embrace this side of the game.

The best part?

You're not getting rid of me.

As we start this next chapter together, I couldn't imagine having anyone else standing beside me.

Love you.

---

**To Our Parents...**

Thank you for believing in me.

Every one of you has been amazing.

The support you've shown me over the years—not just by showing up, but by trusting me—allowed me to simply be myself. You trusted my decisions, my advice, and my vision for your daughters. That trust took an incredible amount of pressure off of me and allowed me to coach from the heart.

I hope you all know how much I appreciate that.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Thank you for believing in what we were building, even when it wasn't always easy.

Your daughters became so much more than softball players to me. They'll forever hold a place in my heart and always be a piece of my life.

This has never just been a team.

It's been a family.

And I love every one of you.

---

**To My Girls...**

I don't think you'll ever truly understand what you've meant to me.

Outside of my wife and my kids, you gave me purpose.

Through some of the hardest years of my life, you were there—even when you didn't realize it.

My greatest memory will never be a championship or a trophy.

It'll always be from the hardest day of my life, my mom's funeral.

I remember standing there, feeling completely alone in a room full of people. Then I looked up and saw all of your faces walking in together.

In that moment, I didn't feel alone anymore.

I felt surrounded by family.

That is something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.

Thank you for trusting me through the good times... and through the bad (sometimes really bad 😂).

Thank you for believing in me, challenging me, laughing with me, and loving me at both my best and my worst.

Everything I ever did—right or wrong—was because I truly believed it was what was best for you. My intentions were always with you girls first.

Watching each of you grow into the young women you are today has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

I have no doubt you'll all go on to be successful—not just because of the softball players you've become, but because of the women you've become.

Go chase every dream.

Go compete for everything life has to offer.

Know that no matter where life takes you, you'll always have a coach who loves you, believes in you, and will always be in your corner.

I love every single one of you.

The End. 💙💛

Help us welcome Shyla Thompson and her parents, Chris & Casi Thompson, to the Fusion 2028/29 family!

Shyla is an All-State RHP from Geraldine High School, Class of 2029, and we're excited to have her joining our program. She brings another proven arm to our pitching staff and will make an impact offensively with her bat as well. She's a talented athlete with a bright future, and we can't wait to see what she'll accomplish in a Fusion uniform.

Welcome to the family, Shyla! We're excited to get to work and can't wait to see what the future holds together.

Congratulations to Harper Jones (Class of 2028 | SS/OF) on receiving an offer to continue her academic and athletic career at Gadsden State Community College!

Harper's dedication, consistency, and commitment to the game continue to open doors, and we're excited to see her hard work being rewarded. Congratulations to Harper and her family on this outstanding accomplishment!

We're proud to be a part of your journey and can't wait to see what's next.

Congratulations to LillyCate Hamilton (Class of 2028 | 2B/OF) on receiving an offer to continue her academic and athletic career at Southern Union State Community College!

LillyCate's hard work and dedication continue to create opportunities, and we're excited to see what the future holds. Congratulations to LillyCate and her family on this outstanding accomplishment!

Keep your head down and keep working hard!

Congratulations to Annabelle Anton (Class of 2028 | SS/OF) on receiving an offer to continue her academic and athletic career at Southern Union State Community College!

We're proud of Annabelle and excited to see the opportunities that continue to come her way. Congratulations to Annabelle and her family on this well-earned accomplishment!

The journey is just getting started.

Alyssa, LC, and AB spent two great days at the Wallace State camp with Coach Sallie Beth and her staff, and no doubt had an awesome experience!

I'm proud of the way these three represented themselves, their team, and the Fusion organization while continuing to put themselves in front of college coaches and create opportunities for their future. Every camp is another chance to learn, compete, and be seen.

A big thank you to Coach Sallie Beth and the entire Wallace State staff for putting on another outstanding camp and for investing in these athletes. We appreciate the opportunity and look forward to seeing what's next for these girls!