More Than a Camp, A Weekend Focused on Development and Opportunity
Most Successful Tennessee Mojo Fastpitch Christmas Camp Yet
It was another successful Tennessee Mojo Fastpitch Christmas Camp this weekend in Cookeville, Tennessee. According to Tennessee Mojo Fastpitch President Brooks Cherry, it was the largest camp to date. Over 300 softball players from youth through high school age attended between Friday and Saturday.
For those who may not be familiar, this is an event Tennessee Mojo Fastpitch hosts annually. One of the most common questions surrounding the camp is whether it is only for Mojo players, and the answer is no. Registration is always open to anyone who wants to attend. Players from Pennsylvania, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and one player, Tempy Lovejoy even came from as far as Maine to attend.
As Tennessee Mojo Fastpitch Director of Operations Lex Hull-Muncher expressed, the focus is simply on serving the game and everyone involved in it. Even as the organization continues to grow, the mission remains the same.
“It’s really hard just trying to tell people that no, we’re really here for the right reason. I think from the outside looking in, there’s a lot of assumptions. I think there’s a lot of people that want to speak about people within the organization they’ve never had a conversation with,” said Hull-Muncher.
“I think any time you get into an organization that is the size that we are, there’s always going to come with negative comments, but if you experience it, you talk to the people within, you utilize the name and the people as well, you’re going to see that we’re so much more. We are a family, we are a community, and our girls are our number one priority,” she said.
“Even if you’re not wearing a Mojo uniform, as you can see with this camp, we want to serve, and we want to serve something bigger than just the Mojo name. We want to serve all the girls within the state of Tennessee and the surrounding area.”
The camp featured a wide variety of stations, including hitting, fielding, pitching, base running, and more. Along with on field instruction, campers also received education on how to make themselves recruitable and how to navigate the path to the college level.
Christina Wiley, founder of Her Dream Exposure and Recruiting and Transfer U, spoke with campers as part of one of the sessions offered. She poured into the athletes with advice on taking steps toward the next level, addressing topics such as running a clean social media account, understanding the recruiting process, and the realities of the sport itself.
2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Bri Ellis was also in attendance and spent the day answering questions from campers. Younger athletes were curious about her favorite foods, favorite candy, and whether she knew any famous people, while older players focused on her success and the steps she took to get there.
It is always valuable for athletes to hear directly from someone living out the same dreams they are chasing. Ellis, a former Arkansas Razorbacks standout, is currently a Talon in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, where her team won the inaugural championship this summer.
“The craziest question was what my favorite candy was. They’re very interested in what I like to eat,” Ellis said. “A lot of people were asking about routine, workouts, when I started lifting, and a lot about confidence and the mental side, and what to do when you’re not the most confident in that moment.”
One thing that stood out to Ellis was how much knowledge the athletes already had about the game.
“What I do know is that these girls know a lot more about softball than I thought, and they’re very passionate about it. You can tell which ones are very serious about it and really want to take it to the next level.”
The full interview with Ellis can be found on the Mays Sports Media YouTube channel and on social media.
Several other notable instructors were also in attendance, including Camwood Bats CEO and 12 year MLB veteran Wes Helms, UNC Charlotte’s Jenna Lord, former Mississippi State standout Riley Hull, and current Florida State two way player Ashtyn Danley, among others.
It is always a great time when people come together and kids receive quality on field instruction and education all in one place. If you missed it this year, make sure to catch it next December. Visit tnmojo.com for all Tennessee Mojo Fastpitch information.
