MSP Stars Travel Softball

“This is our first season with MSP teams, but we’ve seen Coach Katie for pitching for years. She has spent so much time working with our daughter, and has developed a love of softball and pitching we’d never get anywhere else. She is always flexible and open to squeeze in pitching lessons around our schedule and gives specific feedback related to a missed play or mistake that the girls can process/digest right away. We love that she puts responsibility on the girls to initiate warm ups, have conversations about team issues, and be present with the team. She cares about the girls, without a doubt, and also invests in the importance of bonding within the team. She is knowledgeable and honest about what her teams can reasonably do at tournaments and that is something we didn’t have with our last organization. She boosts the girls up! High school coaching beat up a bunch of the girls’ confidence and since being back with their MSP team, there is a noticeable difference and improvement in our daughter’s hitting, confidence, and leadership- along with her teammates. Since she played softball in college herself, Katie knows the ins and outs of the mental game, and we love having our daughter in her care. In regards to other reviews that speak negatively of MSP, we can’t support those statements of money grabbing, and creating too many teams. Those statements seem to come from parents who must not understand the difference between travel softball and rec league, or have an issue to air publicly without actually talking to their coaches/management. MSP is a positive place for girls to learn and grow through softball, and we don’t have a bigger cheerleader for our player, outside of our family, than Coach Katie! ”

“I have 2 daughters on MSP and have been part of the organization for several years. Coach Katie goes above and beyond for these girls and is the first coach that my husband agrees with on all aspects of the game. She knows what she's talking about and has always treated mine and others kids fairly. She holds them accountable. She is loud, opinionated and direct (as am I so my kids are use to it). Some kids whom are coddled too much at home are the kids who can't take the pressure of travel sports. Katie uses subs from within our own organization. If it's on weekday game, subs would be used to replace someone injured or out of town, etc. If we have subs for tournaments, it's for the same reason OR because of the weather. If it's 90 degrees and we have 3-4 games....the girls need a break once in a while which I appreciate. They are the last to bat and aren't given special playing time over others on the team. My youngest daughter adores Katie and refuses to leave because of her. My husband and I respect her on every level and know our kids are developing at a level they would not get elsewhere. ”

“My daughter started with MSP in 8th after playing with rec ball teams that weren’t teaching catching skills. She started lessons with Katie, the owner, and joined the 14u team. She is now 16u. Her learning curve has been exponential. Katie has developed my daughter’s skills, breaking down every fundamental and every part of the game to turn my child into a starting catcher and leader on her teams, including her high school team. Katie and her coaches devote heart and soul to the girls, and the players get as much out of the program as they are willing to put in. The teams conduct themselves with good sportsmanship and are held to a high standard when representing MSP. Unlike many teams that compete for already skilled players and ride their talents to wins without teaching them anything or developing them as players, MSP looks for coachable players and develops them at multiple positions, including focused sessions in winter training for skilled positions (pitcher and catcher) and both hitting and fielding practices with coaches who know how to make corrections and conduct effective drills to improve the girls’ technique. If you want your child to develop as a player, this is the place to be. If you want a dad-coached team where the coaches’ kids have first pick of positions and kids don’t get opportunities as they develop, by all means, go elsewhere ”

“My daughter has been on the MSP Stars for 4 seasons and has not only loved it but grown in ability and self confidence. When she wanted to start pitching lessons out of the blue we reached out to Coach Katie. Katie has always believed in my daughter and her coaches have been supportive and pushed her to be best! If you are looking for a softball family MSP is the place to be! ”

“Facilities are not up to par. Bathroom only works half the time, roof leaks when it rains, no/limited heat in the winter, no warm water in the bathroom. Communication and transparency are not top priorities. Expected to fundraise multiple times throughout the year yet your team doesn’t benefit from the funds and no one knows where the money goes. The experience really depends on the team you are on. While I don’t know of any paid coaches, the parent volunteer coaches we have come across do care about the girls they coach. If you choose the MSP stars, I would ask about cost and fundraise transparency up front so you know what you are signing up for. Good luck to everyone trying out, wherever you land, I hope your daughter continues to make positive memories as this is what the game is all about. ”