 FORT COLLINS, CO – Triple Crown Sports has announced a partnership with FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, to provide live and on-demand coverage of multiple TCS events in youth fastpitch and college softball on FloSoftball.com, as well as men’s and women’s college basketball on FloHoops.com.
Beginning in 2019, FloSoftball will live stream all 34 softball games at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge set for two sessions on Feb. 7-10 and Feb. 14-17, featuring college powerhouses such as Baylor, BYU, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Washington. On July 1-7, FloSoftball will cover the action on 12 fields at the Colorado Sparkler and Fireworks, Triple Crown’s massive youth fastpitch event that draws more than 900 teams annually. FloSoftball will also live stream four games -- 14u, 16u, 18u Power Pool and All-American -- that highlight Festival Nights in Westminster and Aurora, Colo. Later in the month, FloSoftball will air eight fields during the TC/USA Nationals, Triple Crown’s own highly regarded youth fastpitch national championship in North Atlanta on July 15-18. The slate of events ends for the year at the men’s and women’s Cancun Challenge. FloHoops will live stream all of the women’s games on Nov. 28-30, as well as the Mayan Division of the men’s event on Nov. 26-27. This event has more than a 10-year history of drawing some of the strongest and most exciting D-I college basketball programs from around the country. “Teaming up with Triple Crown Sports to cover multiple youth and college events is a great opportunity to showcase some of today’s top up-and-coming players and collegiate student-athletes,” said Adam Fenn, FloSports SVP of Global Rights Acquisitions and Strategy. “TCS consistently organizes some of the biggest events and continues to build premium events that amplify the fan experience every year.” “We are thrilled to partner with FloSports as our official streaming partner at our top club softball and college events,” said Andy Hansen, VP of Media and Branding. “We consider them the leader in live sport event streaming, and their presence will add tremendous value both from a streaming and content standpoint.” Streaming more than 10,000 live competitions per year, FloSports continues to emerge as the global leader in live, in-depth, and on-demand digital coverage for passionate sports fans. To access live and on-demand coverage of all softball and basketball games, visit FloSoftball.com or FloHoops.com to become a monthly or annual PRO subscriber. Either subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku, or Apple TV 4. About FloSports: FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, partners with event rights holders, governing bodies, and other media companies to unlock a world of sports coverage that true fans have been waiting for. Through live streaming of premier events, original video programming, and weekly studio shows, FloSports is growing the sports, the events, the athletes, and the fans. Current verticals under the FloSports header include Softball, Basketball, MMA, Football, Wrestling, Track, Gymnastics, Hockey, and more. About Triple Crown Sports Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing college and youth events for more than 35 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s 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. TCS youth fastpitch tournaments (including the 900-team Sparkler/Fireworks event) draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes.  On a softball field, there’s a lot that can happen – accurate pitches, solid hits, speeding fielders all playing out backed by a soundtrack of claps and hoots, with the loudest of cheers and the quietest of strategy-centric whispers filling the gaps.
That’s key, really, the space a softball field makes available for anyone who wants to cross the lines. And not only can young women simply take pleasure in playing a game, but they can find encouragement to seize an opening in their own lives. When it’s really clicking for the Oregon Blaze fastpitch program, based near Portland, the sport of softball is more than an arena for breaking a sweat. From its start in Beaverton nearly 30 years ago, when Jim Marron and Lynn Buerer held a tryout and got blitzed by nearly three dozen 8-year-olds showing up, to today’s high-achieving crew of about 12-15 squads depending on the season, the Blaze wanted to solve problems and be a force for physical and personal development. “In 1989 my daughter was born; she played T-Ball at age 6, and at age 7, Lynn Buerer and I decided it was time to even the playing field with softball. We called ourselves the Angels the first year; 35 kids showed for the first tryout,” Marron said. “We thought, we can’t leave all these kids out here and we wanted to give them an opportunity to play this great game. Next year, we formed the Beaverton Blaze, two teams, 10A and 10B. Most players were age 8 and 9; we wanted to maybe play a couple years and then be ready to function as a more competitive organization. “The following year, 1998, we had three teams, 12A, 10A and 10B. The 10A team went 94-7 and played in the ASA National tourney in Broken Arrow, OK. We thought, if you’re playing on Saturday you did well, and we felt we did pretty well. Testing the waters like that at 10u was probably over-ambitious. Half the team was 9, a couple 8-year-olds … we had set a goal to qualify for Nationals, hell or high water. We said the more games we played, the better our situation would be. We started in late March and played into August. We were the team, people hated to see show up – it was always going to be tough to get through us.” Mic Bowman, coach of the 18 Gold and 16 Gold feeder squad, got involved in 2000 when the softball world he saw lacked stability and focus. Sensing a huge opportunity was being frittered away for his daughters, Bowman immersed himself in the sport and relied on his enthusiasm for the game to provide what he couldn’t pull off because of experience. “Around 2000, our Little League (softball) was having political issues, and I decided I didn’t want to be the parent who just complains, so I did something about it. I spent six months, literally, watching videos,” Bowman said. “I taught myself how to pitch, I went to pitching clinics, and I got familiar with travel ball coaches in the area … call it a six-month crash course on all things softball. When my oldest daughter was 9 or 10, I started coaching. “The thing that has kept me going is seeing how much social pressure is being applied to young women to fit in some mold of acceptable behavior. That’s kind of pissed me off at the time. I wanted to do my best to prepare young women, not for any particular future but for the ability to choose their own future. To be a stay-at-home mom, or a corporate career person, all independent of the shape society wanted to put them in. This game gives a way to learn so many life lessons – dealing with failure, persistence, the value of hard work, teamwork, so many things – it seemed like a great opportunity. And even when my kids were done playing, it felt like the right way to give back.” Oregon may sound like an athletic outpost, but the quality of softball players from the area continues to impress. For the Blaze, it begins with patience and a welcoming vibe in the early ages and is fortified with a desire to keep parents, players and coaches mindful of the long-term goal. That goal might include a college scholarship, but the Blaze wouldn’t want to focus exclusively on that result. “I started with younger teams, 10u and the like, and we didn’t travel, we stayed in the region. Fastpitch is a very big sport here,” said Blaze director James Lambert. “We host the Little League Softball World Series. We get a berth for hosting, and it’s a starting point for younger girls and helping us with numbers, and that’s big because there is pressure coming from soccer and lacrosse. The families that like it and want more tend to come over to the Blaze.” “At the time, the softball wasn’t that great as a whole. We did identify that there were good players (in multiple leagues),” Marron said. “We wanted a structure so those players could get together and play in an advanced environment, and so we had to travel and find good teams to play. It got to a point where we could see other good softball teams in the area, as they had seen it could work. We were all about skill development and playing the game well – what teamwork means, and how to be strong in the mental part of the game. I spent 11 years going to an Arizona camp for skills and training insight. We valued forming good teams that got along, minimizing the drama.” With that foundation, the Blaze moved ahead and started to address the gap that existed in terms of experience and game savvy with competitors from softball hotbeds like California, Texas and the Southeast. Some of those matchups didn’t end up well in the younger age groups (that’s not a shock, given the state might get four months of solid sunshine a year), but as players got older, the differences at 16u and 18u began to shrink. In fact, that’s one reason why the Blaze is enthused about recent changes in college recruiting, because an Oregon player may look a bit green and unrefined at age 12 or 14. Another dose of competition and seasoning is exactly what the talent in Oregon thrive upon. And in that thriving, the deeper usefulness of the sport can emerge. “With competitiveness and things like that … it’s not the goal, but a means to achieve the goal. The ability to have enough confidence in yourself that no matter how many times somebody has told you what you have to do, you can figure out the right thing and then do it,” Bowman said. “The willingness to put in the work, to sacrifice, to see that if I spend three nights a week in the gym during January, it pays off in April and May … doing the grunt work to be ready for the glory. It’s a lesson that applies for everyone. “To understand what it takes to be a softball coach, there’s no other sport remotely close, other than baseball, that has this visibility and focus on failure. You miss a shot in basketball, you try to get a rebound, but you’re part of 10 people continuously moving. In the batter’s box, everyone is looking at you, and success and failure is singular to you as an individual. If you let it beat you, if you let the fear of failure beat you, then you’re in trouble. I see a direct tie in how much you are willing to believe and commit to your instincts and the success you have, and it’s very immediate. There’s clarity not about your ability, but your ability to fight back.” The modern age of softball is not short on challenges to the aspirations of the Blaze – some years, that aforementioned hunger for scholarships can wobble a team’s focus, and there are parents who lack that certain “off” switch when it comes to behavior in the stands. But the positive results and meaningful changes within the players are much more plentiful and memorable. “Every collection of players is different. We’ve had times with a group of players that was so focused on the recruiting side of things that is was very difficult to get any cohesion … those are years where we might win a lot of games, but it’s still very frustrating,” Bowman added. “Or we may have a group that plays together wonderfully as a team, and they don’t win as much because they are not as talented. It’s true – my motivation is to teach the kids, to allow them to express their passion for the game at the highest level they possibly can. “We do our absolute best to aid the kids. Our approach to recruiting is a little different – we don’t come in and say we’ll get you a scholarship. We say, you’ll get the scholarship, and we are here to help and train. We communicate with college coaches, and I get behind the backstop and talk to college coaches, but it’s on behalf of the kids. The responsibility for recruiting is on the players, while the coaching staff facilitates and helps with connections.” Up in the corner of the country, the Oregon Blaze knows the right angle to take.  from left, Charlie Pikas, Jaime Jimenez and TC event director Krista Crawford
The All-American Sports Academy sprang to life through the vision of fastpitch coaching icon Debbie Nelson, who founded the Northern California enterprise 21 years ago. The past 14 years have seen the AASA start and sustain travel teams in softball, showing plenty of muscle in tournament settings and deepening the pool of talented players filling college rosters – the 18 Gold squad is typically one of the strongest rosters in the country (and will play in our Sparkler/Fireworks tournament in 2019). AASA was the fastpitch home of Washington All-American and Team USA member Ali Aguilar. AASA officials/coaches Jaime Jimenez and Charlie Pikas made the trip to Triple Crown’s offices in mid-September and stopped to share some thoughts and perspectives on their club and the shape of the sport. What do you want to make sure parents and players understand about AASA before they suit up for you? JJ: In the very beginning, our priorities were to put kids in college, to give them an opportunity to further their education and play. That was always a starting point that led us to where we are now. We’ve got quite a few college players in our alumni list now, which is pretty cool. CP: We ask parents to support their athletes. It’s not easy playing at the level we try to have our teams play at, so there’s a lot of support needed, most obviously the financial (aspect) and the time. But it’s the mental support, and the physical support of a hug after the tournament. We want them to compete at a high level, and the parents need to get that going in. It’s going to take time away from family vacations in the summer, but your window to be on the journey with these kids is not very long. In the moment, it might seem like you’re giving up a lot, but then you look back and it’s done. The game has evolved so much in the 14 years you all have played travel ball; what jumps out the most about the players in that time? JJ: You’re seeing kids who are in way better shape; they seek out personal trainers, hitting coaches and pitching coaches, more than they did back then. The level of play is so much better with kids starting younger, and we also like the fact they play other sports to be well-rounded. You are a better softball player when you play basketball or field hockey or whatever. But really, the training out there has been a big difference maker in our sport. There aren’t any barriers. CP: It’s what they are capable of … when I started coaching 20 years ago, it felt like fine china, and you didn’t want to break the kids. “Let the girls play, and it’s so cute to watch them…” now, it’s more exciting for me to watch a softball game than a baseball game. What these kids are able to do by allowing them to go out and push themselves and play at that level, it’s exciting. The game is taking off at a great rate, and we hope it continues like that. How do you approach the question of trying to win, while also making sure you are developing players properly? JJ: A lot of my younger teams will hear me say, I’m not that concerned about you winning games. What I’m concerned about is the development; when the winning time comes, usually around when they are 14s or 16s, winning helps the health of the franchise. But you still want to produce terrific kids. It’s a relief you see on the faces of the coaches for our younger kids when I say I’m not worried about you winning. What I want is for them to grow, so when they go to the next age group they can compete, and they’ll keep competing. Winning will come after all the hard work we all put in. It’s a recipe that will work if you trust it and follow it. CP: “Trust the process” is the big catch-phrase right now, but you really have to get parents to understand what your team is, what level you are at and where you’re trying to go, and that they need to be realistic. You lay out that road map in the beginning, and keep that open line of communication going along the way, they can get through the tough times. It’s those coaches who have sole emphasis on winning and you see them get beat down after two or three tough weekends in a row … it starts to affect the team, and then you get parents who are frustrated. So you help the parents along the way, not just the kids, so they all can weather the storm. If a player has a slump in a tournament, it’s not like we are going to give up on that kid, so if we have a tournament where things don’t go well, it’s the same thing. What are some of the goals for AASA heading into the 2019 campaign? JJ: The first thing that’s got us excited is having a 10u team in Seattle; the second part is, I’m completely bought into our youth teams right now. We have some strong young teams, and that’s the future for us at a high-level way. Our older teams are always competing, but we’ve always struggled in the younger ages and I think we’ve cleared that hurdle and will really surprise some people. CP: There’s some transition at the 18 Gold level where we’re seeing some new faces. There’s stuff to be excited about at every level, with some different expectations and excitement levels.  One reason fastpitch teams came running to the start of the Triple Crown Super 72 NIT hinged on what was waiting at the finish line.
This past weekend’s event in Chicago offered a paid berth to the winners of each age group into TCS’ 2019 Fourth of July championships in Colorado – the 14u champ getting a ticket punched for Sparkler Juniors, while the 16u and 18u champions were added to the Fireworks roster. Not for the first time in a tough Triple Crown event, the Iowa Premier had an outstanding run in the brackets, claiming the 14u and 16u titles. And in the 18u division, the Chicago Cheetahs were the last team standing. 14u – The Iowa Premier were overpowering on offense, posting wins of 13-5 and 10-6 to reach the semifinals in Sunday’s bracket action. The Premier then eased past the Indiana Gators, 8-0, before prevailing in the final with a 11-7 win over the Beverly Bandits Premier Futures. That Futures team had defeated Iowa Premier earlier in Saturday’s box bracket play, 3-0. 16u – This Iowa Premier team made its way through the opposition more on defense and the ability to stay cool when things got tight on the scoreboard. On Sunday, a 4-3 victory over Batbusters KB was followed with a 4-3 win versus the Lemont Rockers, setting up a championship showdown with the New Lenox Lightning. The Premier had the answer, with another 4-3 victory. 18u – The Chicago Cheetahs scored 17 runs and gave up one in two wins in the box bracket; they followed up with 9-0 and 11-0 victories to reach the semifinals in the championship bracket. Sunday saw the Cheetahs top Iowa Premier, 8-4, and then in the final the Cheetahs cranked up the offense again, topping the New Lenox Lightning, 10-7.  US Club Rankings, widely appreciated as the most valid and inclusive rankings platform in the sport, is assembled by using tournament finishes from all governing bodies, polls of coaches and college placement information. Here's a look at the 18u Top 10; you can see the entire breakdown HERE:
1) East Cobb Bullets – Schnute – Coach Greg Schnute Congratulations to the EC Bullets and Greg Schnute for grabbing the US Club Rankings No. 1 spot for the 2018 FINAL National Rankings at 18 & Under! This legacy program has been a force for 22 years, steadily climbing the rankings and have reached the pinnacle from their efforts this season. The EC Bullets have been making themselves known nationally since we began the US Club Rankings in 2012. They were often seen in the Top 10 during the Colorado 4th of July IDT event as well as PGF, the JO Cup and TC/USA Nationals. In 2016 they boasted their first “National Title” at the JO Cup in Southern California, then again hoisted a championship trophy at the 2018 TC/USA Nationals – that all led to a first place National Points System ranking, which is based upon on-field performance. With a reputation for excellence on the field in the Southeast, the EC Bullets class of 2018 will be making an impact populating teams in the SEC and ACC conferences on rosters such as Florida, University of South Carolina and Duke. The 2019 class that will anchor the team will follow in the same fashion with commits to Mississippi State, Alabama, Tennessee, Notre Dame and national champion Florida State. This team will be casting a shadow in championship brackets for years to come. 2) Orange County Batbusters – Coach Mike Stith The Orange County Batbusters have been around for over 30 years and is a recognized name across the nation. Gary Haning, founder of the organization, made a great choice in asking Mike Stith to carry on the legacy of the organization’s flagship team. The Batbusters are no strangers to the top of the podium and took home the IDT Championship in 2018 and 2nd place at the PGF National Tournament. Former OC Batbusters can be seen throughout the country on college rosters such as Oklahoma, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and all the way to the East Coast at Florida. There is no shortage in talent in years to come as the 2020 and 2021 class is just as strong as the seniors leading the team next season. With a tradition so rich the OC Batbusters name will stay recognizable and even feared in 2019 and beyond. 3) So Cal Athletics – Coach Bruce Richardson The So Cal Athletics – Richardson is rarely found outside the Top 5 in any national tournament; that has been reflected in the US Club Rankings as they were the No. 1 team in 2017 before dropping slightly in 2018. Since 2010 the So Cal Athletics have taken home the national title for PGF a record five times and continue to be a force when it counts. You can see 2018 grads on rosters nationwide (Florida Gulf Coast, North Dakota State, Bryant University, Bucknell, West Point and UCLA), proving that teams can assemble great talent with chemistry and still get it done on the field even though they are not all power conference players. The class on deck in 2019 will lead their last summer before heading to Cal, LSU, Arizona State, Oregon State, Stanford and Notre Dame to continue their careers. There is no doubt the legacy as a formidable opponent will continue wherever they go. 4) Corona Angels – Coach Marty Tyson Ever present in the Top 10 are the Corona Angels – Tyson. Being considered the youngster organization compared to other So Cal staples, they have stayed in the hunt after being named the Top Team in 2015 and are still a force nationally. A 9th place finish at the IDT and 3rd at the PGF National tournament keeps them towards the top of the competitive field of teams. Check out the big conferences all over the country to see Angels on the field, particularly at Louisville, Nebraska, Duke, Ohio State, Stanford, Wisconsin, Washington and UCLA. With the feeder teams, Marty Tyson will continue to see success on the field and compete for national titles every year. 5) Texas Bombers Gold – Coach Scott Smith You can always find the Texas Bombers at the ballpark, usually toward the conclusion in the Top 25, and also from their unmistakable uniforms honoring the United States military. The Bombers try to embody a militaristic precision on the field and play the game with talent and respect. Their finishes at the Fireworks Power Pools (fifth) and TC/USA Nationals (second) took them from No. 8 last year to No. 5 in the blink of an eye. The Bombers players have populated college rosters in and outside of Texas including Texas A&M, LSU, University of Houston, Auburn, Harvard, Northwestern and national champion Florida State. The 2019 and beyond grads are hoping to continue the tradition and the pursuit for the top spot in the nation before embarking on a college career. 6) Texas Glory – Coach Kevin Shelton Another organization from the Lone Star State, the Texas Glory has been a fixture in the Top 10 and has for the second year in a row landed at No. 6. Each year, dominant finishes in the Fireworks Power Pool and a 2018 USA Elite Select title have led to their continued success. Texas Glory players are landing on college rosters wherever you look. From Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana Lafayette, LSU, Texas A&M to North Texas, Northwestern State and Harding, Glory players are impacting the rosters while bringing their winning tradition and hard work with them. They will continue to be a contender at a national level down the road. 7) Aces Express – Coach Dave McCorkle With an organizational motto of “Attitude and Effort” it’s no wonder the Aces Express teams have been on the rise. With a club best 3rd place finish in the Fireworks Power Pools and another 3rd place finish in the TC/USA Nationals, Dave McCorkle has a Texas program worth watching. Making the jump from No. 9 to No. 7 embodies the word effort, and the respect for the game shows attitude is in fact controllable. The 2019 roster is hungry to keep improving their standing, and most of them are finding homes in Texas for their college career. Texas A&M, Corpus Christi, Stephen F Austin and UT San Antonio to name a few will be gaining players who know what it is to work hard to help programs grow. “Attitude and Effort” remains not only a team motto but a statement worthy of future champions. 8) Georgia Impact Premier – Coach Patrick Lewis New to the Top 10, the Georgia Impact Premier entered with a BANG, taking 2nd place at the IDT then following it up with a PGF Premier National title after taking 5th in the TC/USA Nationals in 2018. This team has put in the work in the past few years to get where they are today. With a great system of teams in the Georgia Impact organization, they have been able to put their stamp with a national powerhouse. A few of the Patrick Lewis’ players will be gracing the ranks of the SEC including Alabama and LSU; most will stay in the Southeast to contribute to other college’s success like Georgia State, Kennesaw State, East Tennessee and Florida Gulf Coast. The 2019 class will be branching out even further with players headed to Michigan, Utah, Colorado State and some again staying closer to home to play at Georgia, Tennessee, Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern. This may be the first time they broke into the Top 10, but with their winning tradition rolling, it will not be the last. 9) Firecrackers Brashear – Coach Sean Brashear The Firecrackers name is no stranger to the Top 10, but Sean Brashear has blazed a trail to the No. 9 spot in spectacular fashion. Blowing through the competition at the Fireworks Power Pool (walking away with a championship) and making a run finishing 5th at PGF this team was just plain fun to watch. With what seems like a never-ending bench, the pitching staff was able to stay fresh and crisp during long events, and the hitters are relentless from top to bottom giving opponents no time to breathe. That is why the team made a huge jump from No. 23, leaving a lot of teams in the wake of their success. Watch for the 2018 grads from Firecrackers Brashear at Fullerton and Stanford and the 2019 class close behind at Fullerton, Loyola Marymount, Illinois, Tennessee, CSUSN and Purdue. This up-and-coming team will be putting out more talent to college rosters in the future since Sean is grooming 16U, 14U and 12U teams with the same winning attitude. 10) Scrap Yard Internationals – Coaches Todd Leach and Connie May It is not often teams combine to become stronger, but that is exactly what happened when Sudden Impact Gold and the Scrap Yard Dawgs merged to form the Scrap Yard Internationals for the 2018 season. Each team on its own was Top-20 level, but when they combined the talent of the players and coaching, it rattled the rankings. The team made a run at the Fireworks in the Power Pools for a 9th place finish then took home 3rd at the TC/USA Nationals to help grab a spot in our Top 10. Their future is looking just as bright with players in the 2019, 2020 classes heading to Texas A&M, UT – Arlington, Seton Hall, Wisconsin, Texas, Nebraska, Louisiana Lafayette, LSU and Baylor. This Houston-based united front has a lot to look forward to with two organizations to feed the Scrap Yard Internationals team for a great run toward the top in the coming years.  In the heart of the nation, all the ingredients are available to grow remarkable, durable products. You just have to know the environment that provides so much also throws up challenges.
Turns out the proper care and feeding of softball players also produces spectacular results in the Midwest, and there’s no better example than the one found with the Iowa Premier program, based in Des Moines but capable of providing bracket-busting ripple effects from coast to coast. Founded by Greg Dickel in early 2014, Iowa Premier now consists of nine teams (12u-18u) and is a flat-out talent pipeline to college fastpitch programs. Dickel’s daytime task for 27 years has been as a full-time police officer in Des Moines; he played baseball in high school and junior college and took interest in fastpitch when his daughter Paige took up the sport as a 7-year-old. Eventually, Dickel became co-director of another Iowa academy and after a few years decided to put his own vision on the field. Presented with that opportunity, he’s been determined to give Iowa’s best their own chances to break new ground. “It’s been a definite mission to build an organization that gave best players in Iowa a national stage, together on the same teams, which would create opportunities to be seen by college coaches for potential scholarships,” said Dickel, whose teams have a long list of victories in ASA, PGF and Triple Crown championship events. “Our mission has always been to take the very talented Iowa-based player and help showcase their skills and play with the other top players. We now have 20 kids from Illinois who play with this club, five from South Dakota who have traveled in, two from Minnesota and Missouri, and all four corners of Iowa. “That part of the mission is geared around the high-level player, building and continuing to stress it, and get them on great teams with great coaches on a national stage. Midwestern values – those things that everyone talks about – well, more than 50 percent of the players at Iowa Premier are from rural Iowa and farm towns. It gives us a good base of high-character athletes with high work ethic upbringing, and that can many times translate to the softball field. We know the high level of athletes from this area, and we can give them the mechanism and machine to showcase their skills like other teams get to from other places like California and Texas and Florida.” With that underlying priority, it’s clear Iowa Premier wants to groom standout student-athletes, but it’s another thing to actually do it. The proof resides in the laundry list of college signings and the presence of terrific talents, including pitcher Kaitlyn Menz (a sophomore in Wisconsin who was an all-Big Ten second team selection) and Kendyl Lindaman, who you can expect to see on Team USA rosters one day after her freshman season at Minnesota – she was the Big Ten freshman and player of the year and named a first-team choice for the NFCA All-American team. “Greg was tough on me as a coach, especially as an 11-year-old, but that’s what needed. I needed someone to push me to be the best player I could be,” Lindaman said. “He saw a lot in me that other people didn’t, and I respect him so much for doing that for me. It was getting that push; that’s what he gave me. “For us, it was fun. Teams would overlook us, and we could even hear teams saying, ‘Why is there an Iowa team here? They’re not good. They should just go home.’ It was fun going out there and playing our game. We were showing that good players come out of Iowa. We had nothing to lose, they had everything to lose, and that was a great rush to go out and even win a tournament.” The Iowa Premier has had to tackle stellar competition while facing one very unique uphill obstacle, with the state’s high school season running from early May through July and thus playing out in direct conflict with the typical club softball slate of events. It’s a monster topic on its own, but coping with the scheduling challenges just makes success on a national stage all the sweeter for the Premier. “It’s very rewarding; the biggest reward for the organization and the people involved is we had to go out and earn our stake. Not a whole lot of people gave us respect early on,” Dickel said. “My reputation as a coach allowed us to get some invitations to see what this Iowa Premier thing was all about, as the IClub teams (Dickel’s previous organization) had some success. I had developed some relationships; you need to know some people to get started, and we did well. Things started to build ... the PGF was a big hurdle, and our 2015 18 platinum team lost in the final. “In 2016, the big goal was to get out there and make something happen. We felt we belonged there, gave up just one run entire tournament, and won the 18’s title game – there were 17 D-I commits in that game. Our other age divisions were doing well – in 2016 we took third in the PGF 16u Platinum Nationals. In 2017, we earned bids in 14, 16 and 18 PGF Premier Nationals -- that’s a mark of where we are at as a program.” Mark Mulvaney, owner at president of Scout Softball (a scouting agency that collects film and data, and is designed to easily connect college coaches and athletes) has long been impressed with the brand of athlete Dickel uncovers in the nation’s breadbasket. “We ran a showcase in St. Louis that drew six or seven kids from IClub, who turned out to be a bunch of future college players. Greg saw the need for an established organization dedicated to travel ball, and might have gone against the grain with how summer ball works in Iowa,” Mulvaney said. “He saw the need for it full time. Got his team with Iowa Premier, and soon he had all D-I kids, not just four or five. We made effort to go to the Midwest, and we saw great kids who knew they were being ignored. These are 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-11 girls hitting it out of the park. The opportunity began to present itself, and they took advantage. “Every year we went, the kids got better thanks to the full-time approach of guys like Greg and Bill Conroy (of the Beverly Bandits). They also had indoor facilities and could play more than they used to. One thing that jumped out was, it seemed like kids would develop new pitches in a year’s time, and you can only do that when you are working on your craft. These were all people invested in softball.” There’s a dollar investment in that conversation, but it’s probably more relevant how Iowa Premier coaches apply the resources of time and attention. Coach Kevin Stephens joined the staff after long conversations with Dickel about how a program can best serve the player and creates a roster of competitive but conscientious teammates. “You can talk about talent and drive, but you got to have someone who is accountable … you start with that and the rest comes more easily,” said Stephens, the 16u Gold coach for Iowa Premier. “And it goes both ways – if a kid makes a great effort and still makes a mistake, don’t be afraid as a coach to take a little of that blame. You won’t be able to teach (real) accountability if it’s always their fault and never yours. I am not afraid to walk over to that huddle and say, ‘I blew that one. Pick me up here.’ “You take a kid who’s been maybe pushed away, and you give them an opportunity, you create something golden. There’s a bond, and a relationship and you open that door – here’s your shot, and what will you do with it? I’ve worked with a lot of people whose softball personality is one way and their (other) personality are like two different people. Greg is the same guy; like me he can be brutally honest, but that also eliminates all the speculation about things … I know he’s put his whole heart and mindset into this, and how he balances that (with being a policeman), I have no idea. He’s created an environment where kids not only get better at athletics, but get a better life.” Dickel certainly wishes the whole high-school/club season conflict could be worked out, but after multiple petitions and conversations, he’s not getting his hopes up. It’s not unusual for Iowa Premier players to be facing off against each other in a state final, only to be shoulder to shoulder in California for a big club tournament. “All summer, I was never with anyone from my travel team, and I’m normally playing against them in high school,” Lindaman said. “So that’s tough, never practicing together. Teams across the country have that advantage over us. We’d go to the PGF event in Huntington Beach and sometimes never have a practice, because we were all at different points during the high school season. Somehow it worked out.” “Iowa kids are playing in a different competitive arena, because it’s the only state playing high school softball in the summer. My 18u team, I have kids playing a high school championship game on a Friday, then get on a plane at 6-7 the following morning to Huntington Beach, and then play at 7 p.m.,” Dickel added. “They will not have practiced together since early spring – it’s a testament to the talent level of the kids, that they can come together like that without much practice and perform on a national stage.”  We are one week away from the highly competitive TC/USA Nationals. Triple Crown Fastpitch has taken this tournament all over the United States from New York City to Reno to Austin and back again. 2018 is the seventh year of the event and Alpharetta, Cumming and surrounding towns in suburban Atlanta will play host on July 9-12.
The TC/USA Nationals is a six-game guarantee that is well known for featuring the nation’s top 14u, 16u and 18u fastpitch teams, based on U.S. Club Rankings. All box brackets will be pre-seeded based on ranking, geography and strength of roster. Box bracket outcomes will determine team seeding into double elimination brackets. The top two teams from each double elimination bracket will feed into a single elimination bracket for the championship. Triple Crown is excited for another year of partnering with ESPN3 to produce a live broadcast of the top championship games in the 18u and 16u divisions. Nobody will want to miss watching the best competition in the country go head to head; especially college coaches! TC/USA Nationals has quickly become a hotspot for college coaches to scout the current and upcoming talent. This year more than 40 colleges have pre-registered to make an appearance at the tournament. There are 64 teams set to play in the 18u Gold division including the No. 1 ranked team in the nation and 2017 TCS National Champions, the So Cal Athletics – Richardson. The East Cobb Bullets – Schnute, Birmingham Thunderbolts, Texas Bombers Gold – Smith and Aces Express – McCorkle are all ranked within the nation’s top 10 and will take the diamond in Georgia to rival the Athletics. The 16u Open division will showcase 48 elite teams with No. 6 ranked Vision Gold – Poole and No. 9 ranked Texas Glory Adkins Gold in attendance. Glory Adkins was the runner-up of this event last year and will be fighting to end up on top next week. In 2017, Firecrackers TJ was our TCS National Champion in 14u and have since moved up to play in the 16u division. The 14u Open lineup welcomes 32 teams, many of which are also nationally ranked powerhouses. The entertainment is not limited to the ballfield; Triple Crown has partnered with some of Atlanta’s finest restaurants, theme parks and shopping destinations to provide players, coaches and families with special discount codes and great group deals. Visit www.tcusanationals.com to check out the event partners, schedule/results, U.S. club rankings, college coach list and more. TC Fastpitch is fired up and ready to rock the Georgia heat – see you all next week!  It’s our favorite time of the fastpitch season here at TC headquarters in Fort Collins, CO. We are just days away from 900-plus teams and 16,000 players invading Colorado for the 49th annual Fireworks and the 16th annual Triple Crown Sparkler and Sparkler Juniors tournaments. Our Colorado 4th of July premier events offer a platform for the best athletes around the country to go head to head with other elite clubs and showcase their skills in the presence of more than 600 college coaches.
Before the competition begins, there are numerous opportunities for players to display their talents in front of college coaches, starting with the highly anticipated TC College Camp Sunday on June 24th. This year’s slate features 15 separate camps, including 38 different schools from top-level Division I programs through multiple Division III institutions. A day later, event directors have provided a separate workout tailored to unsigned seniors and players interested in the Junior College level. For the younger athletes, the 14u Elite Camp will take place on Monday, July 25th at The Ballpark at Erie. This sold-out event features eight highly notable Division I universities. The early part of the week will also include Organization Workouts, On Deck Camp, All-Star Games, All-Academic Games, Unsigned Senior Combine and the National Speed Combine. The goal is for players is to refine skills and develop a deeper understanding of the game, while having the opportunity to work with coaches from a particular school or group of schools. The All-Star Games are invite-only and feature some of the best athletes in the country. They begin on Monday, June 25th and run through Wednesday at Christopher Sports Complex. The All-Academic games feature girls who meet an incredible standard in the classroom and are equally impressive on the diamond. Schools looking to fill roster spots with those who check both boxes will keep a keen eye on these games. What’s 4th of July week without a big celebration? The Sparkler Juniors opening ceremony will take place on Monday in Loveland and Sparkler/Fireworks will each host a Festival Night (the first on June 27th at Christopher Complex in Westminster, the next June 28th at Aurora Sports Park). One can expect a slew of vendors, pin trading, Pro/Olympic player signings, 4 the Heroes Flag Ceremony and the highly anticipated TC Idol Singing Competition where we’ll witness the intriguing entertainment talents of several softball players. Teams will hit the diamond on Monday for two match-up games that are essentially warm-up games and don’t count toward bracket record. Later, teams will face off in two box bracket games that will seed them into elimination brackets. These four total games will be played throughout Monday-Thursday with one of those days as an "off" day so that travel teams can rest and explore Colorado. Double elimination starts Friday, and teams will battle it out over the weekend determined to reach Championship Sunday. Throughout the week, Triple Crown Sports and ESPN3 have partnered to broadcast four games during the exciting week of fastpitch. Wednesday, June 27 at Christopher Fields during the Sparkler Festival Night, ESPN3 will bring audiences across the nation a showdown between two powerhouse 18u programs. Directly after, the “Best of the Best” game featuring the tournament All-Americans also receives ESPN3 treatment at 9:30 p.m. ET. When the Fireworks Festival Night kicks off on Thursday, June 28th at the Aurora Sports Park, both the 14u and 16u Power Pool championship games will go live on ESPN3. The 14u Championship is slated for 7 p.m. ET, while the 16u Championship is set to go at 9:30 p.m. ET. Below is the official TV schedule of the ESPN3 games: Power Pool Championship (18u) Westminster, CO | June 27 | 6:30 p.m. ET Best of the Best All-American Game Westminster, CO | June 27 | 9:30 p.m. ET Futures Championship (14u) Aurora, CO | June 28 | 7:00 p.m. ET Power Pool Championship (16u) Aurora, CO | June 28 | 9:30 p.m. ET The countdown is on and the TCS fastpitch staff cannot wait to see you all in Colorado for the most spectacular week of the summer!  Support Your Officials CampaignStarting Memorial weekend, Triple Crown Sports® (TCS) will have stricter enforcement towards respecting officials and allowing players a better event experience. Officials and TCS staff will have an expanded commitment to enforce good behavior through:
Why is TCS doing this? Two main reasons:
Can I still debate a call with the official? Are you a head coach? Then yes, go for it. Do it in a positive manner and not to ridicule or belittle the official. If you’re a parent then please enjoy the game and don’t confront the official. What is considered bad behavior?
We know that you don’t always agree with the official and we acknowledge that they make mistakes. That said, sports officials rarely, if ever, determine the outcome of a game. Players and coaches cause the true outcome of a game. Triple Crown’s purpose is to “bring athletes and families together in competition and create experiences that embed lasting lifetime valued memories”. Our “Respect of All” value says that there’s “no grunts, no servants and we’re all equal, real people”. These two guiding principles lead us to the decision to crack down on poor treatment of officials and we’re excited to improve the youth experience. Thank you and enjoy the game,  Keri King- CEO
Triple Crown Sports, Inc. Triple Crown Fastpitch is less than one month away from the annual Valley Invite in the beautiful state of Oregon. The excitement begins on Friday, June 15 with College Camp Friday and continues on to a Saturday and Sunday double elimination tournament.
College Camp Friday will take place at Hillsboro Stadium and it presents a “can’t miss” opportunity for athletes to learn from numerous Division I, Division II and community college schools such as Washington, Portland State and Blue Mountain CC. There are 12 3-hour camps, in addition to a High Academic Camp and an Unsigned Senior Camp. The camps provide an invaluable experience and recruiting opportunity for 14u, 16u and 18u athletes. There are already more than 40 college coaches pre-registered to attend the event. “Year after year the Valley Invite keeps drawing the top regional teams to compete against each other. Oregon is the perfect location for athletes interested in visiting Northwest colleges or teams just wanting to play some quality ball and get college camp exposure,” said event director Rachel Cavallaro. In 2018, 192 teams will travel from to Oregon for the five-game guarantee tournament. The event will feature a 14u Open and 14u Division I, II and III so there is an opportunity for any skill level in the 14u age group to play. There is also 16u and 18u Open divisions. The Maui Titans DeMarini fastpitch organization has found that the Valley Invite is well worth the 5 ½ hour flight from Hawaii to Oregon every summer. 2018 marks the third year in a row that they will attend. “The kids really like the region, and the tournament is a great venue for them to see a lot of coaches in a short amount of time. It’s away from home, but not too far I guess,” said Titans 16u head coach Dennis Harmon. “It’s more of a business trip. We do a lot of camps and visits; there’s a lot of schools in that region right there close by. So we’ll go visit NW Christian, University of Oregon, Pacific University and just make the rounds all week long.” The Valley Invite as a whole has a lot to offer; Cavallaro and the rest of the Triple Crown Fastpitch staff is happy to see it blossom. “We’ve known Rachel for a long time from doing Colorado events and we’re happy she’s involved with this event because she’s someone we know and trust,” added Harmon. By Bradey King |
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