Anyone familiar with area softball knows the name Amanda Jensen. A Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School graduate and Olivet Nazarene University alum, Jensen continues her softball career on a national level. The 2003 Most Valuable Player in softball for ONU and first team all-American National Fast-pitch Coaches Association member, Jensen signed with the nationally renowned Stratford Brakettes and will play with some of the best women athletes in the world.

Jensen was drafted fourth in the second round and 12th overall in the collegiate draft by the Arizona Heat. She was then acquired by the Texas Armadillos who traded their top pick for the shortstop before the team folded two months later. Jensen's playing rights were returned to the Heat who invited her to their pre-season training camp May 15-25. Being one of the last three players released from the camp, Jensen was referred to John Stratton, the 27-year manager of the Brakettes. A call to Jensen resulted in an invitation to join the 25-time National Amateur Softball Association champions.

The team boasts past players and Olympic team members Lisa Fernandez, Dot Richardson, Sheila Douty, Lori Harrigan and Danielle Henderson. Named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2003, Jensen is currently an assistant coach in Stratton's summer clinic, which is regarded as one of the top pitching clinics in the nation. Jensen is also spending her summer traveling with the team and living in Connecticut. The starting second baseman is the only non-Division I player on the Brakettes. Scoring a run in the 2-1 win over the Seahawks June 6, Jensen also scored a run in the 2-0 win during the night cap.

Hitting .320, Jensen is currently leading the team in runs scored and has helped the squad to a 10-0 start. The team's schedule includes double headers against Canada's national team and the Olympic teams from Greece and the United States. After the summer season, Jensen will return home where she has accepted a position of graduate assistant and will be coach Richie Richardson's assistant coach at ONU while completing her master's degree in education.

American Pastime of Kankakee took fourth place in the 16 and under division and fifth place in the 12 and under division at the 2004 NSA Illinois State Class B Girl's Fast-Pitch Championship held June 18-20 in Kankakee.

American Pastime 16u, coached by Kristin Vanderlaan, lost their first game of the tournament and rumbled back to win six games in a row, beating Chicago Outburst 8-0, Huskies 3-2 , Blast 1-0, Mt Prospect Power 8-5, Lansing Heat 5-1 and Extreme 8-0 before losing to eventual state runner-up Homewood Heat 8-5 to be eliminated from the tournament. Homewood had also beat American Pastime 3-0 for their first loss.

American Pastime 12u, coached by Tom Adame, after beating Central Illinois Diamonds 9-6 were knocked into the losers bracket by eventual state champion Naperville Diamonds JJ 6-0, beat Frankfort Flames 7-4 and then lost to the Lockport Pythons 8-0.

Other top local teams included River Valley Rage 10u that lost to the Tinley Park Rockers 10-9 Sunday morning to finish 7th; Limestone Twister Softball 12u who lost to EG Heat Red 3-2 Sunday morning to finish 7th and River Valley Rage 12u who lost to Limestone Twister Softball 10-8 to finish 9th.

River Valley Rage 14u was eliminated early Saturday 5-4 by Evergreen Xplosion and American Pastime 14u lost to New Lennox Power Blue 10-5 late Saturday night.

The 2004 NSA Illinois State Class B Girl's Fast-Pitch State Champions were: 10u, Central Illinois Diamonds; 12u, Naperville Diamonds JJ; 14u, Wolverines; 16u, Lady Streakers; and 18u, East Peoria Express Blue. The top teams in each age division will advance to the NSA Class B World Series that will be held July 24-Aug. 1 in East Peoria.