The Quarles brothers, Shawn and Joey, started their softball journeys 10 years ago without much experience or any idea of what lied ahead. Like most veteran softball parents will admit, the initial jump to travel ball was quite a shock compared to the small and modest rec league in their community that they were used to.

In 2007, because of the need for better instruction and a higher level of competition for their athletic daughters, the brothers took on the task of starting a brand new organization and named it Cerritos Franchise. The organization was small and experienced it’s share of bumps and bruises early on. But the one consistent thing about the Cerritos Franchise was the quality of play from their athletes on the field, who competed with the best in their division from the very beginning. With 3 teams, and in two and a half years, the Quarles teams had won a Triple Crown World Series Championship, a 3rd place ASA Nationals in addition to several non-national tournament first place wins throughout each year.

As the landscape of So Cal softball became more familiar, it was clear to the brothers that the more popular club teams were attracting athletes from small clubs like Cerritos Franchise. So in order to protect their future scouting and recruiting efforts, the brothers consolidated and joined the Firecrackers organization in late 2010. Shawn’s 10U team won an ASA National Championship while Joey's 14U team made top 3 at PGF Nationals and soon the two became key figures in the scouting, marketing and eventual emergence of the expanding Firecrackers organization at that time. Needing a change of pace from the rapid growth of Firecrackers the brothers joined the So Cal A’s organization in 2012 and continued their successes at the top of their divisions compiling more National Championships, numerous Top 3 and Top 10 National finishes and dozens of tournament first place finishes along the way.

Grateful to those who have supported them along the way, including two of the best softball clubs historically in the Firecrackers and the So Cal Athletics, Shawn and Joey have finally taken the next step - sharing their new vision of what an elite youth sports program should be for Southern California athletes and their families.

Ohana Tigers is a program not only built on the mastering of softball fundamentals, but a place where the Ohana athlete has star-like access to professional, state-of-the-art prehab and rehabilitation, treatment and training services so that she will not be overworked and always get 100% from her body. And if an injury occurs, the family will know with certainty that their athlete is getting the absolute best care available to get her back on the field.

The Quarles brothers also envision a group of well softball-educated families who are guided through the recruiting process by mentors who are passionate about helping each family realize a dream of a daughter, sister or niece playing softball in college. Not only that, but it is an important goal to help families make smart financial decisions based on their athlete’s personal interests, GPA, family preferences and life after college that are often never discussed due to pressure to commit.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

“Ohana” means “family” in the Hawaiian language which naturally coincides with the heritage of the brothers and their descendants on their mother’s side of the family going back three generations to a sugar cane plantation in Koloa, Kauai. “Family” is the foundation. It always is. The tiger is the largest of all cats. But even though it is an awesome animal and one of the fiercest predators on the planet, people often refer to them in the female tense because of their beautiful markings and outward appearance. Symbolically, the tiger represents strength, courage, patience, loyalty, as well as being the ultimate protector. Of the 9 known species of tigers, 3 of them are extinct, and the remaining species are extremely endangered. For all of those reasons, the Tiger was the most deserving of all mascots to represent the Quarles brothers vision.

Together, “Ohana Tigers” sounds timeless, like a small town minor league baseball team that has been around for generations. But behind this facade of nostalgia it is brand new, and represents a fresh take on an slowly evolving and sometimes misguided softball world. By adding value to the hard earned dollars of all Ohana families and introducing them to a new way of thinking, the Ohana Tigers perspective will help to make this softball journey a smoother, more enjoyable ride.