Raw Energy Majors has won the B-Division of the women's summer softball league of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association ( CMSA ) for the past two years—and the core of that team is now ready to shine under the national spotlight.
Raw Energy—a mix of 19 players, plus some spouses, cheerleaders and family members of players—is heading to Las Vegas for the 2014 ASANA World Series, an all-female tournament run by the Amateur Sports Alliance of North America.
The event is Oct. 13-18 and Raw Energy will be joined by The Nubians as Chicago's two teams battling for national bragging rights ( in different divisions ) at the Diamonds In The Desert, the slogan for this year's extravaganza that attracts 100-plus teams from across the U.S. and Canada.
Katie Rutter, 31, the manager/organizer for Raw Energy, and also a utility player who mainly plays shortstop and left center field, said the crew is "coming together as a team and not just a group of players."
Raw Energy and The Nubians are both fielding teams in the CMSA women's fall softball league, with games played on Saturdays, to further prepare for the World Series.
"This is our teams second time playing in the ASANA World Series in Las Vegas ( last was 2010 ). We're excited to travel west for the week [and] have been planning the trip for months," Rutter said. "Our positive attitudes and team spirit [is the team's strength]; we are more than a team, more than friends … we are a family of choice."
Rutter said the team's goal for the Series is "to play good, competitive softball and have fun both on and off the field."
"We have a roster full of life-long softball players; our mentality and passion for the game keeps us focused on the goal of winning," she said. "We have strong players in each position, with back-up [players] to keep us fresh and at top performance to endure [consecutive] days of games."
Rutter, who lives near Midway Airport, is an operations manager at Jenner & Block LLP. She is responsible for the team's roster, registration, fees, and more. The team coach is Courtney Roberts.
A Raw Energy team has participated the last six years in the ASANA World Series, and this is Rutter's fourth.
The Raw Energy pitchers are Maryann Baran and Sarah Kranz-Owens.
The team's top offensive players are Kranz-Owens, Maryann Baran and Rutter.
The top defensive standouts on Raw Energy are Meagan Koehler ( first base and shortstop ), Jen Trompower ( third base ) and Heidi Owens ( left field ).
"Overall, we are excited to get to Vegas and eager to take the field as a team. I'm anxious to see us perform, because I know we have one of the best rosters yet," Rutter said.
Rutter said one of her personal highlights from a past World Series came in 2011 in Philadelphia—with a trick play. She was playing shortstop and faked a throw to first, just to turn and tag out an opponent leaving second base.
