By the middle of the month, the BVI Softball Association usually starts its Youth Leagues for boys and girls. However, regardless of what plans they have in place three ex-members of youth teams will be hard at training for the 2012 NCAA Division II season with Bluefield State College in the West Virginia Athletic Conference in the United States.

It was back in May 2010 that Terry Chinnery, a driving force behind youth sport, took the boy’s Jamaal Allen, Natishon Thomas, Al Leonard and Rico Garcia to a few days of assessment in the U.S.

Subsequently, the four along with Sheldon John, another young baseball prodigy were offered places in the college system.

Allen, Thomas, and Garcia all accepted offers from Bluefield State and despite collectively struggling to make huge impressions in their first season, are all looking forward to their second seasons high on confidence and ambition.

Garcia had more success than the others initially being rated as one of the team’s best players.

Allen has made such progress that he is expected to be one of the top pitchers in the rotation for the upcoming season and Thomas, who started his season late due to ineligibility issues, put up some good numbers and will get more opportunities in the 2012 season.

Overall, the Bluefield State Blues recorded 9 wins and suffered 29 losses, but the VI threesome put in some good performances.

Thomas finished the season leading the batting averages with .346 from 25 games, 78 at bats, scoring 13 runs and achieving 27 hits. His slugging average was . 423, which put him top of the school charts and had 9 RBI, 16 stolen bases. He was struck out 16 times.

Allen played only 10 games had 3 at bats and scored 1 run. He made just 6 appearances on the mound giving up 14 hits, 11 runs with an ERA of 13.56. He recorded 5 strike outs.

Garcia ended the 2011 season with a batting average of .306 from 37 games played. He had 121 at bats scored 26 runs with 37 hits and a .372 slugging percentage. He recorded 10 RBI, stole 20 bases suffered 32 strike outs, but led the team in Triples with 2. .

His stolen base total made him top of the WVIAC Rankings and 38th in the National DIV. II Rankings. He was a 2011 season Honourable Mention at second base.