A Thursday afternoon in mid-June at Jet Sports Training near the intersection of Ajo Way and Park Avenue was the place to be for softball standouts.
Quality softball players at all levels, including a professional draft pick (Salpointe graduate Yannira Acuña of Arizona State) were on hand with Jet Sports Training coach Jose Felix.
Acuña and CDO grad Halle Morris, formerly of Utah, were at the facility to speak with Felix’s regular softball training summer campers.
“They train three times a week,” Felix said. “These girls are all currently in high school and club. Highly competitive, some are D1 commits and a couple state champions.
“I want to make sure they know what to expect out of a college-style training program. And bringing current and former D1 athletes to let them know what to expect — from recruiting to living away from home to learning how to handle the stresses/pressures of being a collegiate athlete.”
Acuña grew up on the southside, where the Jet Sports Training facility is located, and was a member of the 2013 Sunnyside Little League softball team that won the Little League World Series.
After concluding stellar careers at Salpointe and Arizona State, Acuña was the No. 10 pick in the recent Athletes Unlimited draft.
Former Salpointe @schssoftball_ standout Yannira Acuna @yanniraacuna pic.twitter.com/vr8ycX4PLg
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) June 15, 2023
She told AllSportsTucson.com’s Andy Morales that she plans to concentrate on becoming a coach rather than immediately continue her playing career.
“I decided to put the game away for a little bit,” Acuña said. “I can eventually always go back, but I was very fortunate to get drafted by AU sports. I’m just going to finish off my school at ASU and be a GA, graduate assistant, finish up my master’s in communication and just help out around softball.
“Hopefully, I can get into a coaching job somewhere. My dream is to coach at ASU and coach with the staff that’s there right now.”
Acuña batted .363 with 44 doubles, 35 home runs and 105 RBIs in her five-year career at ASU.
Former @CDOSoftball Halle Morris @hallemorris24 pic.twitter.com/lJCgr9Pj2Q
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) June 15, 2023
Morris was an important member of Utah’s Pac-12 tournament championship team (achieving that in her hometown at Hillenbrand Stadium). The Utes advanced to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 1994.
Morris completed her senior season this year but has an extra year of eligibility granted because COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2020 season when she was a freshman.
She is in the transfer portal as a graduate student in business administration.
She showcased her versatility in her career at Utah with starts at first base, third base, designated hitter and as a pitcher.
Ellessa Bonstrom, a teammate of Morris’ at CDO and Utah, concluded her five years with the Utes this season.
“It was a lot of fun — our team was super connected and we clicked at the right time and got going,” Morris told Andy Morales of AllSportsTucson.com of Utah’s run to the WCWS. “I absolutely loved Utah. Getting to play at beautiful Utah was a lot of fun and my teammates were amazing.
“We had some tough years, but we got better and it was a lot of fun playing with them.”
FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER!
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
Recommended for you
