 First team from West Virginia making the trip for June 3-6 event
By Kyle Koso As the 2022 fastpitch calendar starts to unfold, youth teams are emerging from the winter quiet and putting in early work to make the most of the road ahead. And if they’re lucky, there’s a big road trip ready to tackle as well. The Black Diamond Express 14u squad out of Morgantown, WV. is totally in step with that idea, with 12 players and their coaches dialing into the trek to Oklahoma City for the TC OKC event, set for June 3-6 and produced by Triple Crown Sports. Dozens of states will be sending teams to the tourney, with 167 total teams suiting up. For the Black Diamond Express, crossing half the country to play softball required some foresight in the shape of multiple years of fundraising, but it didn’t take very much convincing. The chance to play a unique mix of competition certainly appealed, as did the chance to attend games at the Women’s College World Series, scheduled for the same stretch of June. “The girls are very excited about watching the WCWS games and the possibility of meeting some of the players and coaches, but we are also coming out to compete against teams from all over the country,” said Express 14’s head coach Travis Masoner. “The team really wants to show everyone that we can play quality softball and compete against anyone, being we are the first team to participate from the state of West Virginia.” Black Diamond Express was founded in 2011 by Eddie Campbell and currently fields 11 teams ranging from 8u-18u. Masoner joined the organization in 2018 as a 10u coach; his current 14u team mostly hails from Morgantown with a few players making the hour-drive for practices. He’s coached eight of the 12 players for more than six years and in that time has seen fastpitch begin to escalate as a sport of interest, with tournaments sprouting up from various providers in support of the tri-state region of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. “I started coaching youth softball at the 6u ranks and helped develop the program for the local recreation league. I first started coaching travel ball in 2015 as an 8U coach and have been doing it ever since,” Masoner said. “Eddie Campbell and I had been coaching for a different organization that was affiliated with the local rec league and decided to make the jump to Black Diamond Express organization. The jump allowed me to take a group of girls looking to take the next step in their softball lives and start to play more elite competition along with traveling to some great places and tournaments.” A few years ago, Masoner was watching WCWS coverage and caught images of youngsters sitting in the stands and enjoying the action, then realizing those kids were in game uniforms of their own. “I saw some young ladies in the stands with their uniforms and signs, and that made me think what an awesome thing it would be to watch the best of the best play while also playing in a tournament,” he said. “As anyone would do these days, I searched the internet for youth tournaments and the first name that came up was Triple Crown and the OKC event.” “Sometimes we talk about the teams we might face in the tournament, and what teams we hope we will get to watch in the WCWS. For the most part we talk about how excited we are to be able to spend a week together while playing softball,” said Express player Maddie Wisman. “I like being able to play softball at a high level and getting better through playing high-level competition. While I am very excited about playing softball in the tournament, I am even more excited about being able to watch the college teams play. Since we are coming from a town that doesn't have a college softball team, this is a big deal for most of us.” Black Diamond Express will face teams from Tennessee, Texas and Washington in pool play at the TC OKC tourney on June 4-5 as part of the 14u B division. “I am very lucky to have a great coach in Nikki Nuzum, who brings numerous years of playing, instruction, and coaching skills to the team, which the girls thrive off of and really develop not only as softball players, but as young ladies,” Masoner added. “I am also fortunate to have such great families associated with our team who are supportive in every step we take as a team. A great example is the group fundraising effort it took for us to get to OKC that was done over three years.”  FORT COLLINS, CO – United in their collective concern for the shortage of sports officials and the mission to improve how officials are treated, Triple Crown Sports and Officially Human have announced a partnership through the TCS event seasons of 2022 and 2023 to better highlight how players, parents and coaches can assist in fortifying this essential aspect of competitive sport.
Officially Human will be provided multiple platforms at TCS events to share the message about the crisis already affecting youth and college sports in terms of fielding enough officials to play the games. Triple Crown will soon be formalizing its own “no tolerance” policy regarding treatment of officials at TCS events, and Officially Human will assist in spreading the word about what is ideally a new era in appropriate behavior in the stands, on the sidelines and in the field of play. Triple Crown will welcome Officially Human to its top events, including the Colorado 4th of July softball event in Colorado that will feature nearly 1,100 teams in 2022. Other events include the Omaha SlumpBuster baseball tournament (650 teams) and the 2023 TC Volleyball NIT, arguably the nation’s most competitive club tournament that will have about 550 teams in action at the Kansas City Convention Center. Points of emphasis for the partnership include, but are not limited to, encouraging all involved to remember that officials are invested in what they do. Many officials have regular, full-time jobs, and they are sacrificing time away from their families. Empathy is critical -- how long would you continue to go to your job knowing that at any time you could be subject to verbal abuse or threatening behavior? Better treatment of sports officials is the best way to ensure these key members of our sports ecosystem work in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe. Officially Human was founded by Brenda Hilton, a current employee in Division I college athletics who has spent most of her over 20 years working in low/mid/high major collegiate officiating, collaborating most closely with the assignors and the officials at the highest level of Division I men’s basketball. ”We are pleased to join Triple Crown Sports in addressing the officiating crisis affecting TCS, and frankly, all of youth sports,” said Brenda Hilton, Founder and CEO of Officially Human. “The entire TCS organization is first class, and their willingness to address these issues head on shows TCS continued leadership in youth sports. OH appreciates the ability to spread our message far and wide as part of the large and growing TCS event platform.” “No one wants to imagine a situation where sports teams are sent home and seasons are cancelled because there are no officials to work the games, but it’s hardly impossible with the shrinking pool of willing officials around the country,” said Keri King, CEO of Triple Crown Sports. “We are steadfast in confronting the problem of how officials are treated, and Officially Human is the ideal messenger for this moment. It’s time to demand an end to the terrible behavior we sometimes see in competition – we cannot in good conscience sit back and assume the trends of disrespect and abuse are just going to stop on their own.” About Officially Human Based in Lombard, IL., Officially Human was founded to restore respect to, and positive treatment of, sport officials through increased education and communication to all stakeholders (administrators, coaches, athletes, and fans.) Founded in 2019, OH is the leader in addressing the growing crisis in officiating that touches every sport, official, and level of competition. OH offers tailored solutions to athletic host organizations of all sizes that improve the stakeholder experience at each of their sporting competitions. The comprehensive OH solutions package includes digital education, awareness building, event host communication strategies, and organizational support in addressing poor fan behavior. About Triple Crown Sports Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown is also powering “WNIT” concept events in D-I softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features 8-10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. TC fastpitch tournaments (including the 1,000-team Sparkler/Fireworks event) draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces one of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 650-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 550 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.  A brand-new event is coming to the softball scene this summer, as Triple Crown Sports, College Sports Evaluation and Extra Inning Softball are partnering for a first-of-its-kind Transfer Portal Showcase.
The Transfer Portal Showcase event will be held in Westminster, Colorado at the Christopher Field complex on June 28th, 2022, during Triple Crown’s much-heralded 1,000-team Colorado 4th of July softball tournament that takes place in and around metropolitan Denver. Since the dawn of the NCAA’s transfer portal, there has been no one-stop-shop event that provides transferring college players an opportunity to showcase their skills specifically for the edification of potential new coaches, as well as providing those coaches with measurable data on a comparison scale. The College Transfer Portal Showcase will be engineered in multiple parts, including a full measurable combine in the afternoon followed by evening games. College Sports Evaluation will conduct sensor measurement on all athletes: Rapsodo for pitchers, Zybek for Speed, TAP Test for Mental Competency, Blast for Hitting, Radar for arm speed and exit velo, and numerous skill and athleticism measures. A full-game format will be held for the players immediately following with live measurables. The 4th of July tournament in Colorado is heavily attended by college coaches; more than 800 have committed to attend in 2022. The Transfer Portal Showcase Event also gives coaches an opportunity to run the full gamut of recruiting, gathering information on players in the transfer portal as well as those moving through the recruiting-age ranks. Players interested in participating in the Transfer Portal Showcase should contact College Sports Evaluation by registering at www.cseval.com or by contacting Mjames@cseval.com or dking@cseval.com. Special lodging has been blocked for the players for June 27-28. 
Name: Stacy Merritt Job title: Lodging Manager Email: smerritt@triplecrownsports.com Hometown: Norman, OK Family: My husband, Bryan, is an architect for Populous in the Sports, Equine, Arena Division. We have been married for 22 years and have three children; Maxwell (18), Samuel (14) and Analiese (10). Max will be attending CSU in the fall of 2022 and is super excited! College attended/graduated: University of Oklahoma/2001 (Masters) Sports background: I played basketball and soccer in high school. Now, I enjoy watching my kiddos play competitive soccer. Hobbies/interests: Outdoor fun that includes hiking, kayaking, etc. with the family. My husband is a huge DeadHead, so we go see Dead and Company several times a year. I also cherish the time I can spend with my girlfriends. I can have fun in almost any situation! Favorite vacation: It was a trip to Tortola/Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. It was absolutely beautiful to hike the cliffs and relax on the beach, and the painkillers (drinks) weren't bad either! How you became associated with Triple Crown: I was a hotel partner and began chatting with Kriss Simpson about my son's plans to attend CSU in the fall. Kriss and I clicked immediately. What intrigues you about Triple Crown?: Triple Crown Sports has a wonderful camaraderie. I love a company that knows how to work hard and play hard.  Be sure to download the FREE Colorado 4th of July event app! This all-in-one App gives you access to schedules, scores, news, special events, college coaches attending, exclusive offers with our partners and much more! The CO 4th of July App will make it easier for our customers to make sense of everything going on in the tournament, which is important with more than 1,000 teams coming to the area. Where the games are played, special event and festival info, where to grab a bite for yourself or with a team, how to track down the best option for white-water rafting – spending a few minutes with the app will give coaches, players and parents thorough and detailed information. With the app, teams can stay in step with this fast-moving and energy-packed week in the Rockies.
The App was developed by Aloompa, the market leader in mobile app development for live events all around the world. Their industry-leaving technology is built by live event experts and has been used by thousands of events of all types for more than a decade. They offer clients a white-label, custom-branded solution and the ability to quickly and easily manage every aspect of a live event. Everything events need, in one place, from one company. Aloompa provides event attendees the absolute best live event experience possible!
 FORT COLLINS, CO – Triple Crown Sports and DICK’S Sporting Goods have announced the two companies have formed an official partnership, with DICK’S set to have a large profile at many of Triple Crown’s premier events.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with DICK’S Sporting Goods and have such an excellent brand attend many of our high-profile events,” said Chief Marketing Officer Andy Hansen. “Triple Crown shares many of the same values and dedication to youth sports that DICK’S Sporting Goods does making it a perfect opportunity to form a partnership.” DICK’S Sporting Goods will be featured prominently on site at selected 2022 events such as the Colorado 4th of July and the Omaha SlumpBuster. Coaches, players and parents can expect to receive communication on special offers and key product offerings from DICK’S Sporting Goods throughout the year. “At DICK’S Sporting Goods we understand the importance of sports and are proud to partner with Triple Crown to provide support for their youth programs,” said Aimee Watters, Senior Director Sports Matter and Community Marketing, DICK’S Sporting Goods. About Triple Crown Sports Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown is also powering “WNIT” concept events in D-I softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features 8-10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. TC fastpitch tournaments (including the 1,000-team Sparkler/Fireworks event) draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces one of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 600-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 550 teams compete in Kansas City, MO. About DICK'S Sporting Goods DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Field & Stream, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming. Driven by its belief that sports make people better, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  Fort Collins, CO (February 25, 2022) – Triple Crown Sports (TCS) announced today that it has reached an agreement with BASE Sports Group (BASE) for the company to manage its sponsorship rights. BASE will have the exclusive rights to manage and sell sponsorship for the event operator and its portfolio of premier amateur sporting events around the United States.
“TCS is excited about the value that BASE Sports Group brings our organization,” said Andy Hansen, Chief Marketing Officer of Triple Crown Sports. “They’re providing a true end-to-end service that will enable us to measure how our sponsors are impacting our bottom line and help us build a better experience for our players, parents and coaches.” BASE provides a 360-degree service negotiating, managing and activating partnership rights for sports facilities and amateur sporting events. BASE carefully considers the activation support necessary to deliver incomparable brand experiences, integrating its staff into support for activation, marketing and any other operational execution. BASE takes an analytical approach to determine the success of each property and partnership, using industry-leading measurement techniques. “Triple Crown Sports has a tradition of building strong and engaged communities around their events,” said BASE Co-Founder, Mark Dvoroznak. “BASE is facilitating access for brands to directly integrate into the strong community that TCS has built. They create unique and valuable experiences for not just the athletes, but parents, coaches, and all attendees.” TCS showcases over 100 annual events in sports such as volleyball, fastpitch softball, baseball, basketball and lacrosse, hosted in major markets from coast to coast. The organization welcomed 550 girls’ volleyball clubs in Kansas City, MO at the 2022 Triple Crown NIT, hosting over 20,000 visitors at the Kansas City Convention Center during President’s Day weekend. Other notable events in TCS’s portfolio include the Colorado 4th of July, a fastpitch showcase that brings in over 1,000 participating teams; the Omaha Slumpbuster, which hosts over 600 club baseball teams; and the Cancun Challenge, an annual men’s and women’s college basketball tournament that takes place Thanksgiving week. About Triple Crown Sports Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown is also powering “WNIT” concept events in D-I softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features 8-10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. TC fastpitch tournaments (including the 1,000-team Sparkler/Fireworks event) draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces one of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 650-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 550 teams compete in Kansas City, MO. Web: https://triplecrownsports.com Instagram: @tcsports Twitter: @triplecrownspts About BASE Sports Group: BASE brings a sophisticated and measured approach to brand engagement in amateur sports. The amateur sports industry has seen intense consolidation in the last two years, making it easier and more impactful for brands to engage this valuable market. BASE’s leadership team touts nearly 50 years of experience in the sports industry. This experience includes sponsorship strategy and sales from amateur, collegiate, and professional sports. Through partnerships with rightsholders of various sizes, scope, and sports, BASE’s portfolio of facilities and events offers brands access to the most diverse and valuable demographic. BASE’s national reach exceeds 12 million unique individuals and offers brands customizable and cutting-edge activations to deliver leading consumer engagement experiences. Additional Information Web: www.basesportsgroup.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/base-sports-group Twitter: @BaseSportsGroup  Name: Ashleigh Sidwell
Job title: Fastpitch Event Director Email: ashleigh@triplecrownsports.com Hometown: Tomball, TX. Family: I'm recently married (May 2021) to my husband, Matt. We have one fur child, an Australian cattle dog named Silo. My parents are Jonathan and Paula, and I have one younger sister named Kannzas. College attended/graduated: Texas Christian University/2013. Sports background: In high school I had the opportunity to play fastpitch in two different countries, Italy and China. Hobbies/interests: I enjoy working out/weightlifting and reading. Favorite trip: I traveled from Munich, Germany to Innsbruck, Austria and finally to Interlaken, Switzerland where I went white water rafting and paragliding. How you became associated with Triple Crown: My dad has worked for Triple Crown since 2011 so I've known about the company for many years. I also worked as a site director for multiple fastpitch events while I was in college. What intrigues you the most about Triple Crown?: The ability to put together great events that create life-long (and maybe once in a lifetime) memories.  Name: Danielle Kouba
Job title: Lodging Coordinator Email: danielle@triplecrownsports.com Hometown: LaGrange Park, IL. Family: All four of my grandparents immigrated to the US from Europe. My mom's parents are from Germany and Croatia, while my dad's side are from what is now Czech Republic and Slovakia. I grew up with my immediate family of five consisting of my parents, my brother, and my sister. I am the oldest child. In current day, my family consists of my fiance Dan and our three furry bundles of joy - two cats named Kira and Luna and our dog-who-thinks-she's-a-cat named Stormy. College attended/graduated: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/2010. Sports Background: As a kid I played in T-ball, soccer, tennis and softball. As an adult I've found myself in many a kickball and volleyball league! I especially love activities where I can be moving around outside while also having a set goal, such as winning a game or learning a new skill. Proudest sports moment: In middle school softball, I was placed in short center-right behind second base. The batter hit a line drive right in my direction. I caught the ball and was able to tag the second-base runner out as they stepped a bit too far off the base, resulting in a double play and huge confidence booster for me! Most humbling defeat: On my high school soccer team, a game ended in a tie and I ended up missing the goal in a penalty-kick shootout (this occurred more than once). The pressure in that situation was always too much for me! Hobbies/interests: My favorite hobbies include hiking and climbing mountains! I am currently on a quest to bag all of the state's 14ers - so far I've reached the summit of 10 of the 58 peaks on my list. When the weather is warm I also enjoy backpacking, kayaking, playing tennis, and trying to learn mountain biking. When the weather is cold I like to stay indoors and play video games, do puzzles and read new books. Favorite trip: Most of my family vacations were weekend trips to Wisconsin, so when my parents took us on a road trip from Illinois to California it was incredible! I was in elementary school, but I still remember driving through South Dakota and encountering snow on the ground in June and driving over the Rockies, which was my first experience ever with mountains. California was a great destination on its own - we chased lizards, saw seals at La Jolla and played with turtles in my great grandmother's backyard. How you became associated with Triple Crown: I was perusing Indeed.com and came across the Lodging Coordinator position with Triple Crown. While reading the job description I felt an immediate connection - my prior experience instructing youth sports classes combined with my employment booking travel accommodations for foreign travelers to the US seemed like the perfect recipe for what the position entails. What intrigues you the most about Triple Crown?: I am really excited to work in a super-friendly environment with high energy! Every time I've come into the building I can just sense the enthusiasm from everyone. I am looking forward to working in the sports industry again in this new, welcoming atmosphere.  Name: Olivia Damge
Job title: Fastpitch Event Director Email: olivia@triplecrownsports.com Hometown: Fort Collins, CO. Family: I was raised by my parents, Walker and Sally Damge. I have one sibling, an older sister, Emerald Damge. I have no human children, but I do have a fur child - my dog, Eris, who is an almost 3-year-old Siberian Husky mix. Yes, she's a handful. College attended/graduation: Valley City State University (ND)/2017. Sports background: Growing up, I played a variety of sports starting with basketball. Within a few years, I was playing basketball, softball, and volleyball. Softball ultimately stole my heart and ended up being the sport I would carry on with in college. Over summer breaks through college, I started my own coaching career as an assistant to my dad, Walker Damge. After college, I joined Dave Philop and his coaching staff at Fossil Ridge High School where you will still find me coaching every fall. Proudest sports moment: Funny enough, my proudest moment and most humbling defeat in my sports history haven’t come from my own playing days. In fact, both have come from coaching at Fossil Ridge. My proudest moment came in the state quarterfinals against Smoky Hill in 2020 – the season Fossil would take home its first state title. The moment came in the top of the 8th when our defense doubled off a runner on third, who could have been their winning run – there is video footage of me bouncing out of the dugout (literally bouncing) and then doubling over in…well...relief... pain...or maybe I just realized I hadn't taken a breath in a few too many minutes. I will always be proud of that team, their resilience, and their determination to win so clearly demonstrated in that game. Most humbling defeat: Losing to Columbine for the state title in 2019. I’ve lost my fair share of games, and I can honestly say no loss compares. Humility is built in that moment. It's not so much the loss, rather reflecting on the road to get to that game, knowing how hard it is and to almost have it...that was the hardest part for me. On the positive side, that humbling defeat was what brought the fire to both the coaching staff and the team to win it all the next year. Hobbies/Interests: I am a Colorado native, so put me outside and I am a happy camper. I particularly like to hike, year-round of course. I am overall a fan of physical activity, which does include lots of workouts. I am currently rebuilding my great-grandfather’s 1938 sedan with my dad. I have always enjoyed spending time in the garage. I practice Tarot (yes I have been known to do readings). I also practice calligraphy, and I love to read. Favorite Trip: In July of 2016, I went to Australia where I played my last official softball games representing the U.S. with a team of fellow college players from across the country. The experience was incredible; not only did we get to play softball against teams from around the world, but we also learned how to surf, explored Gold Coast and Sydney, fed kangaroos, held koalas, saw the Sydney Opera House, etc. How you became associated with Triple Crown: I have been around Triple Crown since I played, becoming more involved with Triple Crown events in my 2012 Travel Ball season. While I did not play for Triple Crown, the team I did play for was regularly part of Triple Crown events and often met them on the field as well. Fun fact, I was recruited for college out of the Mountain Magic Steamboat camp/tournament. What intrigues you about Triple Crown?: have always been intrigued by the attention given to each Triple Crown event as not just a tournament or camp, but rather as a full experience for athletes and coaches alike. The quality of Triple Crown events, teams, coaches, staff and so on is well known and I am very grateful to be a part of it now. |
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