Knoxville Explosion! - Here Comes the Boom!

Thursday 24 Jul 2014

Knoxville Explosion! - Here Comes the Boom!

Welcome to the Knoxville Explosion Fastpitch Softball Team Website!

Written by Joe Birchfield

The Knoxville Explosion Fastpitch Softball Club is currently comprised of 10 teams (16u Select, '99 Spring, '99 Summer, '00, '01, '02, 2020 (12u), '03, '04 and '05) that have a total of 110 very special players. Players are not only selected based upon skill but also character and desire. Our organization is committed to improving the skills of these special players to not only develop them into the best fastpitch softball players that they can be, but also the best students, friends and reliable, honorable young ladies. Our goal is simple, develop the player to make a meaningful contribution to their schools, communities and future endeavors at the earliest possible opportunity. If you are interested in joining our organization, we invite you to observe our practices and games to see what we teach and how we interact with the players. Tryouts are held in early August each year for the respective teams. If you have any questions regarding one of our teams, please call the Head Coach listed in the important numbers section on the right information section of our website. God Bless and Be Safe!

Joe Birchfield

Knoxville Explosion Fastpitch Organization Chief

(865) 363-0728

email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Knoxville Explosion Mission Statement

Written by Joe Birchfield

The Knoxville Explosion Fast Pitch Softball Club is committed to developing player excellence on and off the field. This is accomplished by selecting coaches who volunteer 100% of their time to teach the players the proper fundamentals of the game that include hitting, pitching, fielding and base running. Each head coach will be a certified Double Goal Coach through the Nationally-recognized Positive Coaching Alliance Organization. Key concepts are reinforced using state of the art training equipment, playing equipment, computer software and professional coaches that seek to identify and raise awareness of the player to correct flaws in their own fundamentals. In addition, our players will be taught the proper way to conduct themselves on and off the field. Knoxville Explosion Players are expected to honor and respect their coaches, parents, team mates, opponents and umpires. Our players are also expected to do their very best in school courses and to place emphasis on their studies. We recognize that our players are also students and without achieving the proper grades, our players will not be allowed to compete at the next level. Our coaches are committed to teaching our players the rules of the game and more importantly, how to succeed and have fun! A key component of this commitment is to teach our players the strategy and mental aspects of the game. It is through this commitment to the fundamentals that our coaches and players will honor the game of fast pitch softball.

Joe Birchfield, Head Coach Knoxville Explosion Fast Pitch Organization Chief

Organization-Wide Tryouts, Dates, Times and Locations Announced!

Written by Joe Birchfield

Attention All Prospective Players and Parents! Come and join the largest fast pitch softball organization in Knoxville, the Knoxville Explosion! Our teams have won 12 ASA, ISA and SEAA Open Tennessee State Championships in the 8u, 10u, 12u and 14u age groups from 2011-2014. More importantly, our 80% of our players are A or A/B Honor Roll students and our variety of community service projects teach our players to be assets to their own communities! Our head coaches are all Positive Coach Alliance (PCA) certified coaches and they are hand-picked due to their extensive knowledge and passion for the game of fast pitch softball. Each or our coaches are volunteers that are not compensated to coach. In addition, they are leaders in our communities, Lawyers, Business Owners, Hospital CFOs, Environmental Cleanup, as well as many other professions which mean they are upstanding members of the Knoxville and surrounding communities. This is your opportunity to attend our tryouts and hear from the coaches! In the Fall 2014, we will field a total of 10 teams, their age group, head coach information and position needs are listed as follows:

- 06 Explosion (8u), Head Coach Jason Darnell, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone: 865-776-1351, Needs: 3 to 4 players – Good Bats, Speed, Solid Defensive Skills, Tryout Date: Saturday, August 2; Time: 10:30 am; Location: Springbrook Recreation Center & Ball Field 1537 Dalton St, Alcoa, TN 37701 (2 miles from Tyson McGhee Airport

- 05 Explosion (10u), Head Coach Shane Alvey, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone: 865-621-5200, Needs: Pitchers and Catchers, Tryout Date: Saturday, August 16; Time: Noon, Location: Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church Field (400 Everett Rd, Knoxville, TN 37934)

- 04 Explosion (10u), Head Coach BJ Henderson, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-389-3777, Needs: 3 Pitchers, Catcher, Speed and Utility Players; Tryout Date: Saturday, August 2; Time: 10 am; Location: Fountain City Park, Field #4

- 03 Explosion (12u), Head Coach Scott Blankenship, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-388-9778, Needs: No Openings at this time

- 02 Explosion (12u), Head Coach Robert Downing, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 256-499-2319, Needs: All positions open; Tryout Date: Sunday, August 3; Time: 1:30 pm; Location: Fountain City Park, Field #4

- 01 Explosion (14u), Head Coach Craig Webb, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-306-4236, Needs: Catcher, SS, 2nd, Pitcher/Utility and Speed; Tryout Date: Sunday, August 10; Time: 2:00 pm; Location: Grace Christian High School Field

- Explosion ’01 Navy (14u), Head Coach Tim Baldridge, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-659-6016, Needs: 1 Pitcher, 3rd Baseman, Good Bats and Speed (6 players needed); Tryout Date: Sunday, August 3; Time: 3:30 pm; Location: Fountain City Park Field #4

- 00 Explosion (14u), Head Coach Ken Tuggle, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-389-8811, Needs: Outfielders and Middle Infielders; Tryout Date: Saturday, August 9; Time: 9:00 am; Location: Anchor Park in Turkey Creek Knoxville

- 99 Explosion (16u), Head Coach Joe Birchfield, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-363-0728, No openings available at this time

-Explosion Select (16/18u), Head Coach Joe Birchfield, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; phone: 865-363-0728, Needs: TBD, call for information

If you have any questions, please contact the respective coach. Also the various age groups will consider good players regardless of the age in a particular group, for example the ’02 Explosion would consider strong ’03 players or ’04 Explosion would consider strong ’05 players, etc. Thanks and see you at the field!

16u Select Wins 16u USSSA Playing for Pride Championship in Elizabethton

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the 16u Explosion Select who won the USSSA Playing for Pride 16u Division held at Happy Valley and Elizabethton High Schools on 7-12-14. The tournament field included 10 teams from the Tennessee and Virginia areas. Teams participating included the Virginia Venom, TN Intensity, TN Sting, East Tennessee Knockouts, Unicoi Blue Devils and others. After a lengthy rain, the tournament format was altered to a single elimination tournament leaving no margin for error. The 16u Select played lights out, going 3-0 and allowing a total of 1 run in 3 games, beating the Virginia Venom 5-0, TN Sting Matthews 8-1 and TN Sting Backhurst 3-0 enroute to the tournament championship. Great job TN Sting Backhurst and Explosion!! A special shout out to the Explosion pitchers (Tara Williams and Madison Owens) who allowed a total of 8 hits in 3 games and 1 earned run! Also a big shout-out to Sydney Birchfield who helped out her older sister's team by making the defensive play of the tournament, a running backhand catch against the fence to deep left centerfield!

'02 Explosion wins 12u USFA Summer Slam Championship in Pigeon Forge

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the '02 Explosion who won the 12u Division of the USFA Summer Slam held at Wear Farm Park in Pigeon Forge on 7-12-14! The '02 Explosion went 4-0 and downed the '01 TN Sting 7-0 in the Championship Game! Great job Sting and Explosion!

'05 Explosion Wins 8u Division of USFA Summer Slam at Holston Park

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the '05 Explosion who won the 8u Division of the USFA Summer Slam held at Holston Park in Knoxville on 7-12-14. The '05 Explosion went undefeated throughout the tournament and beat the '05 Knockouts 10-1 in the championship game! Great job Knockouts and Explosion!!

'00 Explosion Finish as 14u Runnerup in the USFA Summer Slam in Pigeon Forge

Written by Joe Birchfield
Boom! Congratulations to the '00 Explosion who finished runner-up in the 14u division of the USFA Summer Slam held at Wear Farm Park in Pigeon Forge on 7-12-14! The '00 Explosion lost in the championship game to the Georgia Nitro. Great job Nitro and Explosion!

'04 Explosion Takes 4th Place in ISA 10u World Series in Crossville

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the '04 Knoxville Explosion who finished 4th in the ISA World Series in Crossville on 7-13-14! The tournament field included a total of 13 teams, many of which were older '03 teams but the '04 Explosion battled throughout the event to finish a very strong 4th place. Great job ladies!! Also a big shout out to Mackenzie Babb and Bailey Wilder who both were selected to the "All World" Team by the Umpires at the World Series, absolutely outstanding ladies! The entire organization is proud of how you represented us!

'99 Explosion Closes Out 2014 Spring Season with 14u ASA Championship in Johnson City

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the '99 Knoxville Explosion who won the 14u Division of the ASA Firecracker Classic at Grandview Park in Telford, TN on 7-5-14! The '99 Explosion went 5-0 in a great field of 9 teams from Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky. The '99 Explosion beat a very good Greenville Marlins 5-3 in the championship to claim the tournament championship. On the day, the '99 Explosion outscored the competition 36-8 with some great pitching and defense! A big shout out goes to our home run hitters on the weekend: Maddie Sickau, Tori Ogle and Lauren Acker! Also a shout out to Emily Spry who made the defensive play of the tournament with a running backhand toss behind 1st base to nail a runner!

The '99 Explosion closes the Spring 2014 Season with an overall record of 57-15-1, playing in 14 tournaments, playing in 12 Championship Games, winning 9 championships including the ISA Class A 14u Tennessee State Championship and finishing as the runner-up in the 14u Division of the Alabama ASA/USA Heartland Elite Showcase in Gulf Shores, Alabama! Tournament win locations include Knoxville, Johnson City Chattanooga, Cleveland, Crossville, Athens, as well as Spartanburg SC and Gulf Shores AL. For the year we played 59 different teams from 10 states and made numerous friends along the way. Great job players, parents and coaches, WE ARE FAMILY!

'04 Explosion Wins 10u WFC Championship at Badgett Park

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the '04 Knoxville Explosion who took first place in the 10u division WFC Firecracker Classic at Badgett Park in Knoxville on 7-5-14! The '04 Explosion played a total of 6 games eventually winning the championship ...over the '03 Kentucky Frenzy in a hard fought victory! Even more impressive, the '04 Explosion won the game with only 8 players due to a funeral, wow!!! Great job girls we are all very proud of your efforts! Also a big shout out to BJ Henderson and the rest of the '04 Explosion Coaching staff for battling through much adversity to bring this championship home!!

2020 Explosion Finish as ASA Summer Sizzler 12u Runner-up in Cleveland

Written by Joe Birchfield

Boom! Congratulations to the 2020 Knoxville Explosion who finished as Runner-up in the 12u Division of the ASA Summer Sizzler Tournament in Cleveland, TN on 6/28/14! The 2020 Explosion went 4-2 on the day losing in the "if necessary" Championship game. Great job ladies, we are all very proud of your efforts!! Also, a great job and shout out to the 2020 Explosion coaches who have worked very hard with this team to get them into the championship level shape. Nice job Tim Baldridge and 2020 Assistant Coaches!

16u Explosion Select Hits the USA/ASA Eastern Elite Showcase Circuit to Improve Overall Skill Set

Written by Joe Birchfield

When most 16u Fast Pitch Teams begin their summer season, typically they wouldn't play teams from 8 different states at the Class A level but that is exactly the challenge the 16u Knoxville Explosion Select has faced. In it's first 11 games, the 16u Explosion Select has played Elite A Teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Colorado and Indiana! Straight from the frying pan to fire out of high school play, the 16u Players have competed in each and every game, winning 5 and losing 6, (losing 2 heartbreakers against the Georgia Force and Southern Indiana Heartbreakers in the Tennessee Elite Showcase 6/27-6/29). The 16u Explosion Select competed in both the Alabama and Tennessee USA/ASA Heartland Elite Showcases. At the core of our program is the development of our young players and competing against some of the best competition in the nation definitely helps this cause. I am extremely proud of how our team has represented the organization in these prestigious tournaments as our quest to help these players become the best they can be on and off the field continues. Great job ladies!!!

'04 Explosion Pitcher Works to Strike out Cystic Fibrosis!

Written by Joe Birchfield

On the surface, Avery Flatford looks like any other 10 year old softball player. Avery is one of the lead pitchers for the '04 Knoxville Explosion. She has a big smile and a big arm and most Saturdays, you will find her playing the sport she loves at any variety of East Tennessee Softball Parks. What you don't know about Avery is that she has cystic fibrosis (CF). But rather than be defined by her illness, she has chosen to strike it out! Avery receives regular treatments at Children's Hospital to help eradicate the illness. Check out Avery Flatford rocking her Explosion Softball shirt on her Wednesday treatment as she went through rounds of testing at Children's Hospital for her yearly Cystic Fibrosis check up. What is even more impressive is that Avery battles on the mound as well, pitching a perfect game with 8 strikeouts and one walk in 3 innings in the semifinal this past week at the ISA Tennessee Class C State Tournament. Her efforts helped her team finish as the 10u runner-up in the ISA Class C Tennessee State Tournament on 6/22/14 in Crossville, TN! She's striking CF out! We are so proud of you Avery, keep up the great work!!!

Explosion Organization Players Post Record Academic Year in 2013-2014!

Written by Joe Birchfield

Congratulations to all of our Explosion Players who finished the 2013-2014 School Year on the A or A/B Honor Roll! We are exceptionally proud of your academic achievements! Overall, here are the statistics for our players this year:

109 Players

54 Players achieved all A Honor Roll (49.54%)

34 Players achieved A/B Honor Roll (31.19%)

88 out of 109 Players achieved honor roll overall – 80.73%!!!

In addition, several of our players received individual academic and social accolades, we celebrate and honor their achievements!

- Kelsey Birchfield - Most Fluent Spanish

- Sydney Birchfield - President's Physical Fitness Award, Spanish Award

- Emilee Fowler - A honor roll, Peer Buddy Award, Language Arts award, Duke Tip award, Hero Award for working with special needs children

- Haveyn Stooksbury - Perfect Attendance

- Jada Reeves - Most Academic in Math

- Kesney Brown - Beta Club, Student of the month, All Advanced in TCAPs, Most Outstanding Math Student

- Lexi Fugatt - Presidential Award for Academics, Principal's Award

- Brooklin Richardson - FCA Officer

- Makayla Alvey - "PRIDE" Award for academics, sports, & helping others

- Cameron Young - Presidential Award for Academics, Admiral Citizenship Award

- Heather "Deuce" LaForce - captain of NX36T - a two time TN State championship FIRST FLL Robotics team

- Abby Johnston - Character Counts Award, Top AR reader in her class.

- Lauren Brakovec - Citizenship award the last two years. Made Safety for upcoming Fifth grade; Made ""superior"" rating past two years in the National Federation of Music Clubs, National Federation Junior Festivals for piano solo.

- Tyrah White - Honors club, student of the month, 3rd place in the Modern Woodmen speech contest

- Emma Blankenship - received an award for perseverance, was inducted into the hall of fame for character and academics

- Sarah Burton - She was the only student in the entire school (500 students) to be awarded the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.

- Kendal Pitts - perfect attendance

- Jodie Spangler - honored as Chess master for the school chess club

- Mackenzie Babb - Sterchi Elem PE Athlete of the Year

- Avery Flatford - Admiral Spirit Award

- Avery Perkins - only 4 from each grade were chosen to go to Washington DC based on grades & behavior

- Jaci Drinnon - National Physical Fitness Award

- Kourtney Clevenger - Perfect Attendance, National Physical Fitness Award

- Bradynn Belcher - First Honors award

- MaKenzie Henderson - English / Language Arts award, National Physical Fitness Award

- Bailey Wilder - Science award

- Chloe Lackey - Star Testing Math Award for 2nd Grade, Exceptional Accomplishment Reading Log Award for reading 2686 minutes

- Madi Jones - perfect attendance

- Ella Janish - class spelling bee winner

- Brooklyn Copley - Certificate of Scholarship for Superior work in all Academic Subjects, Writing Award, Math Award, Reading Award, Social Studies Award, Science Award, Language Arts Award, Spelling Award, Accelerated Reader Program Certificate

- Addison Oliver - 2nd Place School Spelling Bee

- Emily (Bug) Buskey - junior national honor society, link up mentor in the recycling group, band excellence award, selected first chair flute in Knox County honors band, karns middle school jazz band, selected East Tennessee Honors Band

Great job everyone!!! It all starts and ends with your education!

'99 Knoxville Explosion Wins 14u ISA Class A Tennessee State Championship

Written by Joe Birchfield

BOOM! Congratulations to the '99 Knoxville Explosion who went undefeated in the 14u ISA Class A State Championship n Crossville on 6-22-14! The '99 Explosion went undefeated, outscoring the competition 22-5 in bracket play. The '99 Explosion beat the TN Sting, Maryville Wildcats and Tennessee Knockouts in the Championship game. Great job Knockouts and '99 Explosion! A big shoutout to Maddie Sickau who hit a homerun against the Maryville Wildcats and a Grand Slam against the TN Sting! Great job ladies, we are very proud of your efforts!

02 Knoxville Explosion Wins 12u ISA Class A State Championship

Written by Joe Birchfield

BOOM! Congratulations to the '02 Knoxville Explosion who ran the table against all older teams to win the 12u ISA Class A State Championship in Crossville TN on 6-22-14! The '02 Explosion beat the '01 Storm and '01 White Lightning enroute to a Dersom det oppstar en tvist, vil avgjorelsen til casinoets ledelse v?re endelig. 7-4 victory over the '01 Sting in the Championship Game! WOW! Great job Sting and '02 Explosion!!! We are all very proud of your efforts!!

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