And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 

 

Click Here To Visit The Sports Reach Homepage

SportsReach FastPitch based in Louisville Kentucky, is entering into it's first season as a Sports Reach outreach ministry. We invite you to use our site to learn more and keep up with our season and activities. You're also invited to visit SportsReach.org to learn more about the total sports ministry that we are blessed to be a part of.
Contact: Kevin Johnson | 502.376.6509 | kj.sportsreach@yahoo.com
HOMEPAGE & NEWS | ROSTER | SCHEDULE & RESULTS | HISTORY | SUPPORT SRF
JOHNSON FEELS CALL TO BEGIN SPORTS REACH FASTPITCH

The following is from a special excerpt from an article published in the Spring 2009 edition of the Sports Reach publication...


Kevin Johnson thought he had started his Sports Reach career as a softball players in the early '90s. He played in tournaments for give summers before taking time to start coaching his daughters' softball teams.

But the real beginning to his Sports Reach career is just starting. Johnson, a proven fastpitch coach and instructor has started a girls 18 and under Sports Reach fastpitch team.

But with that beginning came an ending...

Johnson had started the Stunners fastpitch team and training program several years ago. He leaves it at at time when it's the largest program in the state. " People kept telling, 'you're crazy!." Johnson said. "But I feel this is what God is leading me to do."

It won't hurt that his entire 18 and under team will be joining him. "I told the girls what I was going to do and they couldn't' wait to join me. Every one of the them."

Johnson has fielded a completive schedule that will run through the summer. "We're going to have a chapel service in every ballpark we play in," Johnson said. " And we've already purchased New Testament Bibles to hand out. We're not taking this lightly. We're here to show what a witness can be while playing sports."

The schedule also includes a mission trip to Knoxville, Tennessee between July 8-12.

As a way of funding the trip, the team will host the ASA Northern Qualifier in Louisville, KY. ASA has graciously chosen to donate all profits form the tournament to help fund the trip. As a community event, Johnson's home church, South Jefferson Christian in Louisville, KY, will host a free camp ran by the team on July 19th.

"We feel that it will be a good experience for the girls to work with other youth and raise money for a good cause," Johnson said.

Our team is looking forward to our inaugural season and will be focused on trying to make a difference in people's lives!

Inaugural 2009 Summer Season Recap...


Sports Reach finished up a successful 18U summer season with a 5th place finish in the NSA "A" World Series in East Peoria Illinois.

The season ended with two tough 1-run losses in bracket play including falling 2-1 to the eventual champs, Indy Diamond Chix after taking a 1-0 lead into the final inning as well as a tough extra-inning loss to the Central Illinois Rebels.

Thanks to all for the support during our inaugural season and we pray for the continued success on and off the field for those girls that are entering their freshman year at college.

2009 Summer Mission Trip...

During the week of July 5th, the SportsReach team traveled to Knoxville Tennessee to help with various local children's facilities and youth groups.

While in Knoxville, they were able to play a nightcap game against the Chattanooga Fury Gold at an exposure event at UT's Lee Stadium, where they were also treated to a tour of their amazing facilities and a time of fellowship with UT's co- head coach Ralph Weekly.

They then traveled to Nashville to continue their mission trip by visiting a local Children's Hospital and volunteering their services to help a food bank prepare boxes of food for over a thousand families.
The week rounded out with the team finishing as runner-up in  the Tennessee USSSA State Tourney held in Gallatin Tennessee. Congratulations to the West Tennessee Stars and their championship finish.
[click here for larger team pic]

We appreciate the friendships that were made and the opportunity to help where needed during our 2009 Mission Trip!


SPORTS REACH FASTPITCH

2009 Runner-Up
ASA 18U Hall Of Fame Tournament
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2009 18U ASA Hall Of Fame Tournament Runner-Up
Back Row L/R: Coach Lori Janes, Coach T.C. Johnson, Heather Oldham, Kylee Johnson, Larkyn Wood, Brooke Leanhart, Bailey Dilender, Kayla Bobby, Jordan Cornette, Kristen Perry, Coach Kevin Johnson
Front Row L/R: Kaylie Boehm, Stephanie Hargrove, Kacie Vincent, Shelby Janes, Heather Oakley

June 26-28; 2009- Sports Reach Fastpitch competed in ASA's Hall Of Fame Tournament June 25th-28th and finished as the runner-up to the champion Oklahoma Dynamite Badside and finished with an overall record of 6 wins and 2 losses, including a 3-1 record on the Stadium field. Both losses (1-2 and 1-3) were at the hands of the talented Dynamite team. The two teams prevailed in a field of 19 teams from 11 states including Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, South Dakota, Virginia and Washington. Click here for ASA coverage.

The Sports Reach mission was able to reach out to the players and fans throughout the tournament in many ways. The Sports Reach logo was displayed during each at-bat during the 4 games in the Stadium Complex and the teams joined in prayer following each game. Many questions were fielded as others asked more about our outreach mission. Our hope is that we made a difference in some way in someone's life. Praise the Lord.


SPORTS REACH FASTPITCH

2009 Champions
NSA 18U Kentucky State Tournament
Sports Reach Fastpitch KY NSA 18U State Champs 2009
Back Row L/R: Coach Kevin Johnson, Shelby Janes, Heather Oakley, Kayla Bobby, Bailey Dillender, Brooke Leanhart, Jordan Cornette, Kylie Johnson, Coach Lori Janes (Not Pictured: Larkyn Wood, Kristen Perry)
Front Row L/R: Stephanie Hargrove, Kacie Vincent, Kaylie Boehm, Heather Oldham, Asst. Jenna Johnson

July 3-4; 2009- Sports Reach Fastpitch finished the July 4th weekend with an overall record of 4 wins and with 1 loss. The lone loss forced the team to fight back from the losers bracket to capture the NSA State crown. The win solidified their position in the upcoming NSA World Series in East Peoria Illinois.  Praise the Lord.

2009 "Slide Into Summer" (Lexington, KY; June 13th-14th)
Champions (NSA World Qualified)
Sports Reach 12 Kentucky Hits and Sticks 2
Sports Reach 7 Bluegrass Elite 6
Sports Reach 5 Man O War Bulldogs 1
Sports Reach 6 Kentucky Hits and Sticks 1
Sports Reach 5 Man O War Bulldogs 2
2009 "ASA Northern Regional Qualifier" (Louisville, KY; June 19,20,21)
Runner-Up (ASA Northern Regional Qualified)
Sports Reach 4 Team Indiana 0
Sports Reach 6 Fern creek Elite 0
Sports Reach 5 Mizuno Stunners 1
Sports Reach 1 Team Indiana 4
Sports Reach 3 Stunners Black 4
2009 "ASA Hall Of Fame Classic" (Oklahoma City, OK; June 25th - 28th)
Runner-Up (ASA Nationals Qualified)
Sports Reach 4 Kansas City Freeze 1
Sports Reach 1 Oklahoma Dynamite Badside 2
Sports Reach 1 Tucson Scramblers 0
Sports Reach 11 Collins Hill Georgia Eagles 0
Sports Reach 4 Oklahoma Energizers 2
Sports Reach 10 Richmond Virginia. Ruckus 0
Sports Reach 4 New Mexico Sundancers 1
Sports Reach 1 Oklahoma Dynamite Badside 3
2009 "NSA KY State" (Lexington, KY; July 3rd - 5th)
Champions (NSA World Qualified)
Sports Reach 7 Kentucky Sidewinders 2
Sports Reach 7 Man O War Bulldogs 8
Sports Reach 5 Mizuno Stunners 0
Sports Reach 3 Man O War Bulldogs 1
Sports Reach 3 Man O War Bulldogs 2
"SportsReach Mission Trip" (Knoxville/Nashville, TN; July 5th - 12th)
 
(exhibition) Sports Reach

2

Knoxville Thunder Gold

3

 (UT exposure event) Sports Reach

4

Chattanooga Fury Gold

3

Tennessee State 18U USSSA Tournament:
(Rain-shortened Runner-Up Finish)

       
2009 "NSA 18U A World Series" (East Peoria, IL; July 21st - 25th)
 
 

Sports Reach

7

East Peoria Express

0

  Sports Reach 5 Indiana Expressions 2
  Sports Reach 3 Ohio Freeze 1
  Sports Reach 2 Louisville Mizuno Stunners 0
  Sports Reach 1 Indy Diamond Chix 2
  Sports Reach 5 Central Illinois Rebels 6
T5th place overall finish.
2010 Fall Season...
Finishing with a record of 4 wins, 1 tie and 1 loss at the Tennessee Exposure Event in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Sports Reach completed their successful fall exposure campaign with 14 victories on the field. Congratulations!

We also congratulate the 3 teammates from the 2010 class on their collegiate decisions and signings. Taber Lewis and Erin Sireno both chose to continue their education and softball career at Bellarmine University, while Heather Oakley decided to continue hers at Campbellsville University.

October 24-25th
USFA Fall KY State Champs!

With a solid performance, Sports Reach finished undefeated with 5 hard-fought wins in the national qualifier event held in Glasgow, KY.


October 4th
The Fall season record for Sports Reach Fastpitch stands at 5 wins and 2 losses after two October 4th games at Campbellsville University. The team fell one run short against Campbellsville after a 6th inning two-out comeback and followed that effort to close out the day with a win over a talented Kentucky Monarchs travel team.

September 27

Sports Reach faced Indiana University Southeast and Team Akadema (Indianapolis, IN) during the IUS Invitational. Sports Reach rebounded from a 9-3 loss to Team Akadema by coming out on victorious against IUS by a score of 3-2.

Leading up to the two games at IUS, the team was welcomed into the garage facilities of one of the top drivers on the ARCA circuit, Frank Kimmel and his Ansell-Menards Kimmel Racing team.
Sports Reach Team with Frank Kimmel's Car
We appreciate Mr. Kimmel for making himself available to us and sharing his time answering questions, signing autographs and inspiring the girls with his commitment and compassion for his own sport...

9-time ARCA champion
74-wins
272 top-10's
9,958 laps led
41 pole awards

See More At:
FrankKimmel.com

Coach with Frank Kimmel

In prior games during the September 11-12 weekend, the newly formed 2009 fall roster participated in the 3-game round robin exhibition event against NAIA schools at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky to kick off the fall season.

The Sports Reach team continues to appreciate the opportunity to fellowship and to play against college teams this fall, including Asbury College, St. Catherine University, University of the Cumberlands and Indiana University Southeast, Campbellsville University, as well as the top travel teams from our area.

The Sports Reach organization led by Robbie Spears hosted it's Fourth Annual Dinner/Auction on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at Christ Church United Methodist Church in Louisville Kentucky.

The event is held every year and is a great time of fellowship with several personalities form the sports world that contribute their time to help the organization's ministry and to help make the event the success that it is each year.

Coach Johnson and the team was recognized at the event for their success on and off the field during their 2009 season while also getting to meet several of the those in attendance, including UK greats Kyle Macy and Jack Givens.

We appreciate everyone's support!
Finish with a win...
" I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (
2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Sports Reach Fastpitch
A Sports Reach Ministry
PO Box 72791
Louisville, KY 40272