Ada — It’s been a good summer for the Carson family so far.

You might recall that the late, lovable, Ted Carson Sr. is among those chosen to be inducted into the Oklahoma Officials Hall of Fame next month.

Around the same time, his son — Ted Carson Jr. — was selected as one of the officials to work the 2010 All-State football game.

Not to be outdone, Angie (Carson) Brown now has some good news to share. Her daughter, Taylor Dewberry, just returned from a trip to California where she was one of just 42 players across the nation (and the only one from Oklahoma) to try out for the 2010-11 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team. The tryout was held at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

Unfortunately for the Ada High Softball program, Angie took Taylor to McAlester over a decade ago — long before the junior pitching whiz was throwing nearly unhittable fastballs and piling up career strikeouts by the dozens.

Taylor Dewberry was one of the young players invited to the prestigious tryout where she was competing against a number of Division I college softball signees that are headed to some of the top programs in the nation. Taylor will be a junior at McAlester this fall.

“I’m biased, but that probably has a lot to do with her not getting picked,’’ said Taylor’s father — Victor Dewberry — who accompanied her to the west coast trip. “She held her own against those girls.”

In fact, during the tryout, she was one of the few pitchers who didn’t allow a home run.

And even though she didn’t make the final cut to 17, it was a valuable learning experience for the McAlester ace.

“She had a great time. She got to room with those other girls and pitch before some of the top coaches in the nation, including Oklahoma’s Patty Gasso. It was a who’s who of coaches,” Victor said. “And there’s nothing like watching your daughter walk out of the stadium with all those girls wearing a USA uniform.”

Taylor has already been invited and plans to attend a similar tryout two years from now.

Karen Johns, head coach of the 2010-11 USA Softball Women’s National Team, was impressed by the Oklahoma youngster.

“Taylor Dewberry’s performance at the Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp in Chula Vista showed that she is an emerging player capable of competing at the highest level of our sport. Taylor was trying out with 41 of the most talented 18-and-Under players I have ever seen, and unfortunately, only 17 could make the team,” Johns said. “Although she was not selected for the final roster, she has a lot to be proud of, and I hope she left Chula Vista feeling very positive about herself, her game and her experience. This is just the beginning of her involvement with the USA Softball program.”

Angie is probably Taylor’s toughest critic and her biggest supporter. And while it’s obvious Taylor is very comfortable while in the pitching circle, Angie said it’s her work ethic that has take her to another level.

“She works hard to get where she's at. Part of it is natural ability, but she works her rear off,” Angie said.

I was along for the ride the first time Taylor showed Ada softball fans what might have been if fate had kept Angie and her family in Ada. In October of 2008, Dewberry — only a freshman at the time — helped the Lady Buffs of McAlester knock off the Lady Cougars 6-0 at the Ada High softball facility. Dewberry struck out 17 and allowed just two hits in the impressive, complete-game outing.

Heck, she was already Cat Osterman-like back then.

And while Angie is a full-fledged McAlester sports fan, she still bleeds Cougar red after graduating from Ada High in 1984. From time to time, she catches herself thinking ‘what if.’

“I do regret sometimes that my kids don’t go to Ada, because all of my family went there,” said Angie, who has another daughter, Meghan Dewberry, who will be a sophomore at Savanna High School this fall. Meghan also plays softball but is better know for her skills at second base and right field.

“Even though we’ve lived here (McAlester) for so long, I keep up with Ada sports,” she admitted. Angie recalled being out of town the last time the Ada football team traveled to McAlester for a game and had to hurry back to watch the game.

Angie said there was no bigger fan of Taylor’s than her father, Ted Sr.. who would take turns watching each of his grandkids play ball.

“It won’t be the same without Dad and mom at the games. He would always cheer the loudest,” Angie said. “And he would get a little bit irritated at the umpires sometimes.”

Ted Jr. also has a dandy pitching daughter named Taylor — Roff ace Taylor Canida — who helped the Lady Tigers advance to the state tournament last fall as a freshman.

There’s already talk about the schools getting each other on the schedule. Should that happen, it would be more big news for the Carson family.

“I hope they do play each other,” Angie said. “Taylor and Taylor are pretty close. It would be fun.”

And how would Angie handle it with her daughter and niece battling it out on the field?

“I’d just say ‘Go Taylor.’”