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San Marcos seniors Ysa Gonzales and Sydney Salazar and San Marcos Academy senior Lindsey Fields have been selected for the second annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes All Star Softball Classic taking place Wednesday and Thursday this week.
The players were each nominated by their high school head coaches and were among 39 student-athletes from the central Texas area named for the event. Gonzales and Salazar will represent the Lady Rattlers on the blue team. Fields will represent the Lady Bears along with the SMA head coach Toby Wade on the gold team.
“I was blessed to coach this event last year and thrilled to be included again this year,” Wade said. “It was an incredible two days with some fun-loving Christian coaches and a group of amazing young ladies. Considering it was the first go for an FCA all-star softball game in the area, I don’t think it could have gone any better.
“I am really happy that Lindsey is playing in this year's game. We have been looking forward to it for a while, and she got positive feedback from Becca Baergen, who played in it last year and had a great experience. Lindsey's season came to kind of a disappointing end when her senior night game was rained out, so this at least gives her a chance to end her softball career on a high note.”
The all-stars will attend a banquet Wednesday evening, featuring motivational speeches from former and current Texas State softball players, then hold a youth clinic for athletes between six and 12 years old Thursday morning. The clinic will be held at the San Marcos High School Softball field at 9 a.m., helping players improve their hitting, fielding, batting and other skills.
The event will conclude with the All Star Classic Game at 7 p.m. at the Lady Rattlers’ field. Texas State FCA campus director Pat Ford said the purpose of the event is to help with outreach and funding for the ministry as well as highlight central Texas softball talent.
"I'm really excited for (Gonzales and Salazar)," San Marcos head coach Cathy Stoughton said. "They have been varsity contributors at the high school their entire careers and they've been a part of a lot of success their first three years. And this year didn't go the way that they probably wanted to finish their career and I'm thrilled that they're getting this extra opportunity to play some more softball.
"Especially with Sydney, she's going to be going into the Army. Ysa gets to play four more years (at Our Lady of the Lake University). And so for Sydney, this will be at least another shot to play softball again and to put on that uniform again. So, I think they've both worked hard for it, they've earned it ... They both love the game and I think it will be a great opportunity for them to not only get to play again, but to play on their own field."
