Yuma’s E1 Prospects 12U lacing up for national competition

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A talented group of young athletes from Yuma is preparing to test its skills against some of the best competition in the country.

Led by head coach Eddie Leal, the E-1 Prospects 12U softball team is traveling to St. George, Utah, this week to compete at the American Fastpitch Association National Tournament featuring 60 teams from across the nation.

For Leal, the event represents an opportunity to see how his team measures up against elite competition.

"This is where we're gonna see where our growth stack amongst the best of the best and, we're from a small town, so we're gonna give it our best shot up there," Leal said.

The E-1 Prospects roster is made up of players from across Yuma County who have spent more than two years playing together. During that time, the team has developed strong bonds both on and off the field.

"I think it's been a blessing to play with these girls, and it's definitely felt like sisterhood to be able to play with them for so long," player Mila Cisneros said.

Vanessa Leal echoed that sentiment, praising her teammates for their work ethic and support.

"It's been really fun," she said. "All of them are hard-working. They're really talented. It's been really fun. They've been there to push me through everything, and it's just been a blast overall."

The coaches have also taken pride in watching the players mature and improve throughout the years.

"We had this conversation the other day with some of our coaches and it almost brought some tears to our eyes to see how much they've developed, because I've had some of these girls for four years already, and we've been together," Leal said. "We've been blessed with great parents...good support from the community, and I hope we stick together all the way through 18 and watch these girls go play college ball."

The team enters the tournament with confidence following several impressive performances against both 12U and 14U competition over the past few months. The players are eager to showcase the work they have put in throughout the season.

"I'm feeling really excited for this opportunity. I'm just really glad that we get to show all the hard work that we put in this year, and I'm super excited," Avery Butcher said.

Kyleigh Rico said the team's goal is simple.

"Just to hopefully place a really good spot, and that we do our absolute best," Rico said.

For Sofia Gomez, the experience of competing alongside her teammates is just as important as the results.

"Well, I'm really excited to just be with my teammates, and we're just gonna have fun. Hopefully, we crush it, but I'm just excited to be with them," Gomez said.

Regardless of the outcome, Leal said the program's philosophy remains focused on growth rather than trophies.

"So, basically, our mantra is 'Blessed to play,' right? We give it our best. We don't measure our progress on tournaments. We measure our progress on little victories in amongst tournaments and our practices," Leal said. "So how well we do at this tournament is not gonna dictate how my girls do. It's basically what we see and how their development is going from here on out."

Competition at the national tournament is divided into pools of five teams. The E-1 Prospects begin play Wednesday and will look to earn a spot in the gold bracket as they pursue a run at the national championship.