We are so fortunate to have our OWN indoor facility at TCOS Training Center!
In 2019, we started and finished construction on half of our current space. Now, we have completed our expansion project and more than doubled our space.
TCOS Training Center features...
11,000 square feet turfed area
2 collapsible batting cages
Pitching machine with the best spin and change up features to challenge our hitters
16 full size pitching lanes
Special areas dedicated to Lexi Kretsch & Jack Thibault
Area & Equipment for Performance and Strength Training
Countless tools, equipment and gadgets to help us improve our game.
Centralized location in Plymouth, MN
We are also able to host in house our annual program events like College Recruitment Information Night, Winter Training 5 days/week, Super Saturday Pitcher & Catcher Day, Positive Self Talk & Nutrition Night and many more to come!
HUGE thanks to the Bartz Family, TCOS & our Vortex/A’s Board, Coaches, Players & Families for making this possible!
We are truly grateful to be one of the few (if not only) club programs in the metro area that has their own indoor facility AND outdoor field complex (Loretto Athletic Complex) all to ourselves.
Celebrating OWN INDOOR FACILITY, TCOS & Successful Winter Traini
by posted 03/11/2022
On Saturday, we celebrated the official opening of our OWN indoor training facility (TCOS) and another successful winter training program! Photos courtesy of Stan Waldhauser.
Our Annual College Recruitment Night was awesome! Full of information, tips, advice, and our signature panel of current A's commits & former College Players. This year our panel consisted of Ruth Freiberg (Crookston commit), Ally Florek (St. Ben's commit), Taylor Smith (Minot State commit), Lauren Oberle (UMD 2016-2021), and Madie Mikolich (St. Ben's 2016-2019).
Our 1st Annual Super Saturday for our Pitchers & Catchers only was a success! 16 pairs of pitchers and catchers enjoyed a morning of instruction from 12 coaches, Italian Lunch, and a Battery talk led by Stan Waldhauser. Super Saturday was held in our recently expanded facility.
Becky Smith, Jason Rudquist & Morgan Garbrecht attend NFCA Conf!
by posted 01/18/2022
16U Coach Becky Smith, 14U Coach Jason Rudquist and 14U Coach Morgan Garbrecht attended the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Minneapolis Coaches Clinic on Friday, January 14th and Saturday, January 15th. The trio sat in on great seminars led by Kenny Gajewski (Head Coach at Oklahoma State), Beverly Smith (Head Coach at South Carolina), Jacquie Joseph (Head Coach at Michigan State), Leslie Huntington (Head Coach at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire), and Cindy Bristow (Assistant Coach at UC Riverside). This included 16 hours of learning and getting better!
Congrats to Molly Gross for committing to futher her academics and softball career at Anoka Ramsey CC! Molly is on our 18U Zwack team and has been a part of our Vortex/A's family for 5 years! Molly is a Pitcher/1st baseman from Columbia Heights. We are so proud of you Molly and all your hard work! We can't wait to see where your future takes you!
Congrats to Madi Urfer for committing to futher her academics and softball career at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa! Madi is a dedicated 2nd baseman and teammate on our 18U Zwack team and Irondale High School. We are so proud of you can't wait to see what your future holds!
Over 70+ Vortex/A's players, families, coaches & board members volunteered their time on December 3rd! We love to participate in this event as a family and give back!
Ruth Freiberg commits to University of Minnesota-Crookston!!
by posted 11/15/2021
Congrats to Ruth Freiberg for committing to University of Minnesota-Crookston!! Ruth is on our 18U Leicht/Florek team this year and has been with the program for 4 years! Ruth is known for going all out in the outfield. We are so excited for you and can't wait to see what your future brings!!
Taylor Smith has committed to Minot State University in North Dakota! Taylor is on our 18U Leicht/Florek team and also plays for New Prague Varsity in the Spring. Her speed, intensity and power are one of a kind. Congrats Taylor!! We are so proud of you and excited to see what your future holds!!
Ellie Peterson, of our 18U Leicht team, has committed to play softball for St. Ben's! Ellie is a pitcher for our program as well as St. Anthony HS. Congrats, Ellie! We are so proud and excited for your future!
Allyson Florek, of our 18U Leicht team, has committed to play softball for the CSB! Ally has a been a dominant 3rd baseman for our program for 4 years as well as for Chaska HS. We are so proud of you and excited for your future!
Minnesota Vortex and Minnesota A's players will again be populating college ball fields all over the place this fall and spring! The Vortex program has consistently produced high level ball players who have gone on to play at dozens of colleges. We are proud of our alumni!
In past years we have had NCAA recognition, MSHSL recognition, Gatoraide Player of the year Recognition and many other high accolades. 2015 was a real highlight as the Big Ten freshman of the year Maddie Houlihan, the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the year, Carlie Brandt and Ms Minnesota Softball Katelyn Kemmetmueller have all worn the Minnesota A's jersey!
Several other Vortex / A's players were also nominated and were finalists in the room for both the Gatorade and Ms Minnesota Awards, this makes the Minnesota A's / Vortex program well represented for the highest honors in the State!