COEUR d'ALENE - They started 20 years ago with one team and a dream - starting something never before seen in the Coeur d'Alene area.

These days, you can't mention summer softball in North Idaho without the Coeur d'Alene Crush.

The program started in 1993 with an under-12 team that finished second in the state tournament that year and over the years has won 24 state championships, four regional championships and won a Western "B" National Championship.

"It's never really been an issue," Coeur d'Alene Crush president Brian Stranger said of getting players out during the summer. "Our main issue has always been finding coaches to coach at the caliber that the kids want to play at."

Five years after its inception, Garry Stark and his wife, Julie, joined with the Strangers on the Crush board of directors.

The Crush ranges from four to seven teams - with ages ranging from 10-and under to 18-and-under.

"We try to cover all the different age groups," Stranger said.

This year, because of lack of numbers, the Crush isn't fielding a 16U or 18U team. But the Crush has two 14U teams.

"It really comes down to the coaches and number of kids that we're getting," Stranger said.

"There's times when there's other programs in town and others where the kids are spread just too thin to play, Stranger added."

Julie Stark, who was an assistant at Coeur d'Alene High, coaches the 14U (Crush '97) team.

"I just enjoy seeing the kids grow," Julie said. "As an organization, it's more than softball. We've met so many people through Crush. It's so great to see all the players develop as people - that's the best part about it."

When the Crush started its program, it was the first of its kind in the state, but has changed with the game at the high school level.

"We were the first ones in town," Stranger said. "We played slowpitch our first two years, but once high school switched to fastpitch, so did we."

Coeur d'Alene fields four teams and runs a Crush Academy year-round at an indoor facility for players ages 7 to 9 twice a week during the winter and once a week during the summer.

"We're not in this to get bigger and bigger," Stranger said. "We've had something like 322 kids come through the program. To see the success of those kids is what we gage ourselves on. We don't have the desire to have 10-15 teams. We don't want to base what we do on the number of teams. We want to focus on the quality of the program."

The program held its 16th annual Crush softball tournament over the weekend in Coeur d'Alene. This year's tourney attracted 82 teams.

"We had as few as 12 teams early on," Stranger said. "We've gone through a progression over the years where we had 34 teams in 2009 and 82 this year. It's getting a lot more popular."

Coeur d'Alene High Booster Club president Chris Costa has been director of the tournament since 2007.

"I think it's kind of a cool event," Costa said. "If you put on a good tournament, people come back and word spreads. You know you're doing a good job when it grows every year. My main job is to get people to come. The Crush really runs the tournament and gets the fields ready."

After 20 years, Stranger and his wife, Kathy, still enjoy being around the club - even though their kids have been out of the program for 10 years. Brian Stranger coaches one of the 14U teams.

"I think it's seeing the kids succeed," Stranger said. "It's something Kathy and I have done since the beginning. We've coached together and coached two different teams. We started it for our kids (Patti and Amy), but that ended 10 years ago - but we've enjoyed coaching other people's kids for the last 10 years and enjoy the families and watching the kids grow and succeed."

Stranger also attributes the success of the program to the Kootenai Girls Softball Association, where local girls get their first taste of softball.

"I think it says something about our program, but also the KGSA," Stranger said. "All of our kids play KGSA - they're required to. Without them, none of our summer programs would be what they are without them. That's what gets them interested at the T-ball level and interested in the sport. Without that - we can't get them in the game."

Stark has coached her current team for the past four years.

"You're going to lose players now and then, but we've had nine core players since starting at U10 and we're still with those kids. They're not new kids every year and we picked them because of the whole package - being a good person, good family and positive attitude - and teach them fundamentals from the ground up. That's why the organization is still around."

A few Crush players have returned to the program as assistant coaches, but none have become a head coach - yet.

"We've had a bunch that are looking at second-generation (players) and some that have been assistants, but no head coaches," Stranger said. "We had one lined up and she called me and said she was pregnant. But they'll all be paying it back sooner or later."

Jenna DeLong, Amy Paulson and Blake Hoorelbeke are just a few of those Crush players that have moved on to play Division I softball.

"Softball in North Idaho is phenomenal," Stranger said. "I think we can go anywhere on the west coast and compete with anyone. We took a team through California and we were competitive with all of the teams we played. Ten years ago, we couldn't have competed if we'd left the area - but now, I think we can compete with any team in the nation."

At first, Coeur d'Alene traveled to Seattle for tournaments and to Boise once they got their programs started.

"Boise is a long way away," Stranger said. "They've got some good programs. We had to do a lot of traveling and went to Seattle a lot. It doesn't do any good to play teams you know you're going to beat. You're better off playing those teams that beat you so you can eventually get better."

They've since heard a lot of positive feedback about the program.

"Some have said they model their programs after ours," Stranger said. "Our program is pretty consistent. We wear the same uniforms and helmets at all age groups, so that when they see a Crush team - they know it's a Crush team. And I think people are impressed by that."

While success might be important, Stranger also wants to make sure that players are also good students.

"We've put a lot of weight on being quality people instead of great softball players," Stranger said. "I'd rather have 12 great people than 12 great softball players. We often talk about grades and how you'll be better off getting an academic scholarship than an athletic one. It is really a lot easier to get an academic scholarship than one for softball."

At least 40 players from the Crush have continued their career at the college level, according to Stranger. Katie Bologna, a 2008 graduate of Coeur d'Alene High, recently won a Division III national title with Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash.

Only Nikki Ragsdale of Coeur d'Alene High will continue her career in the fall from last year's U18 Regional "A" championship team. She is headed to North Idaho College.

"Most of them love the game enough to go on and play in college," Stranger said. "That group that won regionals last year, they're done and not playing this year. They've been going at it for nine years in the summer. They're all good students and will go onto college and proceed in other directions - and that's OK to do."

DeLong and the Starks' daughter, Lindsey, played on the Western "B" national championship team.

"I think it was a stepping stone for our program," Garry said. "A lot of those kids weren't going to play in college and decided it was their last hurrah. We only had one 18-year old on the team and weren't having a good season."

The team entered nationals 6-9.

"Going into the last tournament, I just told them to relax and have fun," Garry said. "We went through and won every game in extra innings, or just by a run. It wasn't because I was a super coach. I was just a dad teaching my kid and her friends how to play softball. So many times I felt I had to get out because I couldn't get them to that next level - but winning was a great experience."

Garry resigned from coaching in 2010, but remains involved in the club as vice president.

"It was a tough decision," said Garry of resigning. "We started out with the U10 team and eventually brought in a coach to show him how Brian and I do things. I just was at a level where he could keep doing it and my wife wanted to stick with it and I wanted to get better at golf. I still go and watch the games, but kind of have to separate myself or I'll get back to doing it again."

Stranger also knows that with the long list of former and current players, any of them is just a phone call away.

"Kory Kritz helps us all the time," Stranger said of the recent Lake City High graduate. "She's constantly helping out with the younger kids. They all do a little bit and come back. We'll call them if we need an extra outfielder to work with our outfielders. If we call all those girls for a T-ball camp, we could call all those kids that just graduated and they'd show up."

Knowing that they're a phone call away makes Stranger feel like his system has worked.

"That's what it's all about," Stranger said. "From the time they're little, we talk about giving back. There's a lot of hours given to coaching them and teaching them the game. The thing about the Crush is there is no paid coaches - it's 100 percent volunteers and the girls know it. Parents go into it knowing that they'll spend $1,000 to $2,000 to play a season depending on where they're going."

Even without paying coaches, the Crush maintains its commitment to fielding a strong program.

"We're not looking to change anything," Stranger said. "Our focus has been that softball is a tool we use to develop young ladies. When we go on a road trip, if we go to a hotel - we expect to be asked back. If we go into a restaurant, the girls sit together. They travel together and sleep in the same rooms and travel as a unit."

"The biggest thing, I admire Brian and Kathy for not only starting the program - but keeping the KGSA going," Julie said. "We've always held steady on our principles on playing at a certain standard - and that's why we're so successful."