 There’s a fresh twist on Triple Crown’s Colorado 4th of July fastpitch tournament that might be a world of difference for some athletes.
The International Challenge (which was set to go in 2020 before the pandemic) will take place June 25-27 at the Christopher Complex in Westminster, CO., with 23 teams from 18 countries represented. All the action will be scored and streamed by AthletesGoLive; teams get a minimum of four games, with pool play leading to a single-elim championship bracket. Rosters for the teams were released last week; it’s a chance for softball athletes to honor their family’s heritage and nationality in a fresh arena of competition. College coaches who are in town early for the Colorado 4th of July tournament (June 27-July 4) will be able to recruit at the event, while directors at multiple international softball organizations will do some scouting and may run a national-team tryout camp on Monday, June 28. Plans are also coming together for an all-World Game involving International Challenge players; it would take place on one of the Festival Nights (June 30 or July 1). Four countries will have two teams at the event – Canada, Israel, Mexico and the United States. “One of the biggest reasons I took this idea to Triple Crown was that it would allow some quality players to play for their country, but who never could otherwise because of political issues,” said International Challenge director Manny Travieso. “And on the other side, you can get players seen by certain countries who actually could play for those national teams. We have nine players with Israel who will play on their 19u team that’s headed to Prague (Czech Republic). The names are out there, and national teams noticed. “Countries that don’t have the resources to run a (national team) tryout have a chance to see one here in the USA, and this is just a little bit more than a travel team experience, which is very powerful.” To see the rosters for teams in the event, click here: International Challenge - Triple Crown Fastpitch  by Kyle Koso
After many months of staying cooped up and coping with the feeling that life had grown too quiet, the time is proving ripe for softball teams to get busy again. The Kupa’a 14u girls team, based on the island of Maui in Hawaii, will be turning the routine upside-down in every way this June when they make the big trip – 3,762 miles – to the USA mainland to play in the 15th annual TC OKC tournament, one of the core fastpitch events on the calendar for Triple Crown Sports. The event features a five-game guarantee and welcomes teams from ages 10u through 18u from more than 20 states. Kupa’a is the Hawaiian word for loyalty, and the roster for the 14u team certainly has been devoted to the idea of playing in Oklahoma City, hustling at every turn despite COVID shutdowns to fundraise for the trip and work on their softball skills typically all on their own time. The squad will include nine players who are age 14 and two more who are 12; seven of the older girls have played on the same team since age 10. “Our 14u girls are really excited to have this opportunity to attend a tournament in the Mainland. This is the first time almost all these girls will be going to the Mainland, ever,” said Sherylden Gaspar, 14u team mom and wife of head coach Simon Gaspar. “Our girls had not lost any interest in softball during the pandemic, and there’s lot of the excitement knowing that they’re attending a well-known tournament.” Typically, the TC OKC tournament (June 4-7) is scheduled so teams can make their way to the Women’s College World Series, which runs concurrently with the event. The NCAA has yet to make a final determination if fans will be allowed in the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, but the Kupa’a program feels like the value of the trip is worth it either way. “We had heard about Triple Crown OKC from our coach, Timmy Tanno. Coach Timmy had mentioned this tournament not only because of the exposure, but because of the experience of playing against other teams outside the state of Hawaii and of course, the WCWS,” Gaspar said. “It will be a great opportunity and have a ‘WOW’ factor to have our girls sit and watch the World Series in hopes that one day it will be their turn to step foot on that field … if it will be available for us to attend.” The Kupa’a program dates back to 1998, when Maui High School head coach Bobby Medeiros started an alumni fastpitch league featuring prep graduates from Maui County. This evolved into Medeiros wanting to get younger players trained up and more prepared for their own time in high school, with ages 6-16 ultimately being served by the league. Hundreds of athletes have taken part in the spring/summer program, but no teams ever left Hawaii for a tournament. The current 14u squad and their families had to be patient in working on their games as well as putting together the trip. Hawaii had multiple lockdowns and episodes of re-opening as the COVID-19 case counts varied; the Maui Girls Softball Association ran a private league that offered a short-season schedule so the current crop of freshmen could get precious playing time in preparation for the 2021 club and summer tournament season. “Last November, Coach Simon, myself, and our assistant coaches had a meeting with our parents about TC OKC … how this opportunity would benefit our girls and how it is their time to see what’s out there,” said Gaspar. “We were honest about the case counts on how it fluctuates and the risks we would be taking in traveling. During our discussion, I specifically mentioned that even though the girls want to attend TC OKC, the final decision will be up to their parents due to health concerns and as always, finances. “If and when parents said yes, I made the girls promise me that they will be working hard in raising funds to pay for their trip as we are not allowed to do any team fundraising because of the gathering rules Hawaii is enforcing. I gave our families a week to think about it and within three days, 11 out of 14 girls’ parents had responded back saying, ‘YES.’” Once the trip gets closer, the Kupa’a team will investigate other activities, maybe getting in more games or doing some sightseeing, given how far they’ve traveled. “We are really, really excited,” said 14u player Kelela Gaspar. “We finally get to play in a different place where we never played before, and we get to experience new opportunities to boost our self-esteem as a softball student-athlete.”  To help its customers benefit from powerful advances in video and scoring technology, Triple Crown Sports has partnered with AthletesGoLive to become the Official Live Scoring and Live Streaming Platform for TCS youth baseball and youth fastpitch.
Club organizations and individual teams will be able to utilize AGL at no charge, allowing those groups to access live scoring and livestream game action either with their own camera or an AGL setup available for purchase. Clubs and teams will also get access to live boxscores and team stats, all included. A variety of subscription packages will be offered to fans/parents, allowing them to have access to statistics as well as dedicated video clips of their son or daughter. A Premier subscription will let individual account holders pull clips from games and allow for sharing via email or social media, and also alert parents when a college coach has viewed their athlete’s games and video library. Nearly 2,500 college coaches have established their own free accounts with AGL. Statistics will be compiled by AGL technology; this also allows for the creation of leaderboards and the selection of all-tournament teams at certain events. For the older age groups, it is an impressive tool that will even help college coaches and scouts schedule their on-site visits at tournaments, so they can see the players who interest them the most. “AthletesGoLive is putting together a leaderboard that Triple Crown has wanted for years, and we are thrilled to have them serve our teams,” said Keri King, CEO of Triple Crown Sports. “AGL’s scoring and streaming solution is exactly what the marketplace needs right now.” A percentage of subscription fees will then be returned back to organizations as a fundraiser. “We are excited to be partnering with Triple Crown Sports. They have not only been an industry leader but the standard for premier events for close to 40 years,” said Andrew Biele, CEO of AthletesGoLive. “We feel our two companies working together will help create an even greater experience for the athletes and fans.” About AthletesGoLive AthletesGoLive is a live scoring and live streaming service for amateur sports and athletic events. With an app that focuses on highlighting the athlete and providing them with an aid to compete at the collegiate level, AGL is truly innovating streaming, scoring and stats for fans and athletes. Providing a useful platform to high-school aged competitors is the core foundation of AGL’s mission. With a rapidly growing customer-base, AthletesGoLive is forging the future of aspiring collegiate athletes. www.athletesgolive.com About Triple Crown Sports Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing events in youth athletics and the college ranks for more than 35 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events, powers the “WNIT” model of the NIVC (volleyball) postseason event and produces the men’s and women’s Cancun Challenge tournaments in November, which have been recognized by Sports Illustrated as a top-5 destination tournament for D-I basketball programs. TCS youth events in baseball include the Omaha SlumpBuster (which runs concurrently with the College World Series); the fastpitch division produces the 900-team Colorado 4th of July event, which draws the nation’s finest club programs. TCS youth sports also welcome hundreds of college coaches, from JUCO to NCAA D-I, who attend for recruiting purposes. www.triplecrownsports.com  As part of the 2021 Alliance Softball regional series, Premier Heartland Softball and Triple Crown Sports have announced they will work in association for two autumn gems on the travel schedule, the Stars of Tomorrow Invitational and the Triumph Challenge, both in the Quad Cities.
Both events feature a five-game guarantee for aged 12u-18u and will be played on top-notch facilities in and around Bettendorf and Eldridge, Iowa, including the TBK Bank Sports Complex, featuring 10 lighted turf fields. The Stars of Tomorrow tournament runs Aug. 27-29, and the Triumph Challenge is slated for Oct. 1-3. “Heartland Fastpitch is excited about this new association with Triple Crown Sports for 2021,” said Greg Dickel, event director with Heartland Fastpitch. ”This relationship was fueled by the creation of Alliance Fastpitch; Heartland is associated with the Alliance program and the Heart of America Fastpitch League. “These connections have allowed us to collaborate and create events in the Midwest, something we are all striving for. These events will bring out the best of what both Triple Crown has to offer and what Heartland Fastpitch brings to the table.” Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for nearly 40 years and has a coast-to-coast presence in youth softball. TCS runs the Colorado 4th of July event, which draws close to 900 teams in a typical year, as well at the TC Nationals, a highly competitive national championship tournament slated for July 2021 in southern California. Triple Crown has multiple events in the Midwest as well, including the Super 72 NIT, set for Sept. 10-12, 2021, in the Chicago suburbs of Orland Park and Midlothian. “This is another positive step for 2021, working closely with others like Premier Heartland and Alliance to provide a meaningful tournament experience and grow the game of youth fastpitch,” said Sean Hardy, chief operating officer for Triple Crown. “Both of these fall events will be an exciting setting for teams that desire a competitive challenge.” Visit the links below for more information: STARS OF TOMORROW | TRIUMPH CHALLENGE PREMIER HEARTLAND FASTPITCH  Two longtime influencers in the national profile of youth softball, the Batbusters (CA) club program and Triple Crown Sports, announced they will operate in association for three events on the 2021 schedule for Stockton Softball Fastpitch.
Leading off the agreement is the Battle of the Best event, set for April 24-25; also included is the Memorial Day Shootout (May 22-23) and the Batbusters Fall Classic (Sept. 9-11). All events are for age groups 10u through 18u and will be played in Stockton, CA. The Batbusters were founded in 1979 in southern California and have grown to field teams in 13 states. The Stockton Softball Fastpitch event schedule stretches from January through December. “The collaboration and the fact that SSF Tournaments are managed by staff who coach for one of the oldest and unquestionably the most successful organizations in girls fastpitch softball (Batbusters), combined with many years of listening to coaches talk about the ideal tournament, is sure to place these events on everyone’s annual tournament schedule,” said SSF president Dennis Gomes. Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for nearly 40 years and has a coast-to-coast presence in youth softball. TCS runs the Colorado 4th of July event, which draws close to 900 teams in a typical year, as well at the TC Nationals, a highly competitive national championship tournament slated for July 2021 in southern California. “The depth and reach of the Batbusters organization is something we at Triple Crown have always respected, and we are pleased to be working closely as softball comes back to life in 2021,” said Sean Hardy, chief operating officer for TCS. “Both organizations want to grow the game and provide value to coaches, players and parents.” SSF Tournaments Batbusters  The Mountain West girls fastpitch club, based just north of Salt Lake City, has announced it will run five 2021 tournaments in association with Triple Crown Sports. Mountain West was founded in the fall of 2019 and fielded two teams in the challenging atmosphere of COVID in 2020, expanding to seven teams in 2021. All five of the events mentioned are four-game guarantees:
“Mountain West is excited to be hosting tournaments in association with Triple Crown. We have loved playing in Triple Crown tournaments and can't wait to work alongside of them to bring more tournaments to Utah,” said Tiffani Jackson, co-owner of Mountain West and co-head coach of the 14u team. “Softball is growing in this area, and we believe Triple Crown can help us keep that momentum even in these challenging times.”
“We are thrilled to have this agreement in place with Mountain West, which is proving to be a leader in the region’s softball scene,” said Katrina Magaro, event director at Triple Crown Sports. “These five events will be attractive to local teams as well as ones looking for a great road trip and the chance to play against a competitive field.” Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for nearly 40 years and has a coast-to-coast presence in youth softball. TCS runs the Colorado 4th of July event, which draws close to 900 teams in a typical year, as well at the TC Nationals, a highly competitive national championship tournament slated for July 2021 in southern California.  Did you commit or sign to play college softball by playing in a Triple Crown Fastpitch event? We want to hear about it! Click the button below and fill out the form; we’ll have @recruit_tc and our other social channels give you some recognition!  Haven't signed or committed to play? We will be offering many opportunities this year to get athletes in front of College Coaches. View the link below as dates and details on some events are already open for registration. Each year hundreds of players sign to play in college by playing in a Triple Crown event.
 Making our way through 2021 means Triple Crown Fastpitch looks forward to new opportunities, including one that should precisely fit the concerns of East Coast teams, parents and players.
The inaugural Myrtle Beach Fall Showcase will be held Nov. 12-14 at two superior field facilities, the Grand Park and Ned Donkle complexes. It’s a perfect time window to draw college coaches, and we will deliver with camps and clinics throughout Nov. 12 and then showcase games over the weekend. One thing you can count on is a variety of college programs that will be coming to town. From NAIA and JUCO all the way up through NCAA D-I, coaches will be looking for those ideal roster additions. Triple Crown has a long history of producing high-impact showcase events from coast to coast; we’re also in town for the East Coast Summer Nationals in July, so we’re more than ready to serve the needs of East Coast clubs looking to get players in front of colleges. “Triple Crown Fastpitch is the ideal solution for recruiting and showcase needs in the fall along the East Coast. The city of Myrtle Beach has been a great partner, and we look forward to executing another top event in the region,” said TCS event director Carrie Rivera. “College coaches are hoping 2021 is less difficult and disrupted than 2020, and Triple Crown is excited to be a part of the solution.”  by Kyle Koso
When pondering how to help people in pain and those needing a boost to the spirits, Major League Baseball umpires have been making the right call for longer than you might imagine. In a grass-roots effort initiated by MLB umpires themselves, UMPS CARE charities has a 15-year history of using its connections in the sport to support various causes. That includes the Protect The Game (Veterans in Sport Officiating) initiative, where military veterans are trained and equipped to become officials, primarily in youth sports. UMPS CARE and Protect The Game are hosting a benefit event with two MLB umpires who served in the Marines, Laz Diaz and Mark Carlson — the talk will come via ZOOM call on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. ET, and will be hosted by Jerry Schemmel, former radio voice of the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rockies and host of the Amazing American radio broadcast. Ticketholders can submit questions to the umpires in advance of the ZOOM event. Tickets are $25 and available at this link: Connections to the military run deeply for both umpires. Diaz’s father and son both served in the US Army, and his son-in-law is currency in the Marines. Carlson’s wife served four years in the Army, and his grandfather fought in World War II in the Army. Both umpires worked in the 2020 World Series. The UMPS CARE charity was founded in 2006 and evolved to create opportunities for primarily youth-based organizations to ease the burden on those in need. While the COVID pandemic has altered normal plans, UMPS CARE has in the past brought people to MLB ballparks for an intimate look at the big-league experience; umpires have also delivered modified Build-A-Bear Workshop experiences to the bedside of children undergoing significant medical procedures in hospitals. Those hospital visits happen in 15-18 MLB markets annually (pre-COVID), with more than 18,000 Build-A-Bear kits distributed so far. Groups like the USO, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and foster-care alliances are also served by UMPS CARE, as umpires invite such organizations to meet um[ires at Major Leahie and minor league games. In addition, UMPS CARE also has a scholarship trigram that sends children adopted later in life (age 13 and older) to college. Another useful result stemming from UMPS CARE activities is the humanizing of the umpires, who like a lot of sports officials have come to expect a range of behavior from coaches, players and fans as they execute their job. Rather than just be known as targets of abuse (just YouTube some videos featuring Earl Weaver or Billy Martin to get a taste of what MLB umpires might experience), those behind UMPS CARE want a fuller picture to develop. “We have tried to bridge that a little bit. That’s one reason why, when we bring groups to the ballparks, we want people to see the umpires working in a professional environment and what it takes to be an umpire, how they handle themselves,” said Amy Rosewater, marketing manager at UMPS CARE. “Beginning this year, we are starting a program where we look to have umpires at the Major League level mentor high school kids who might not have even thought that umpiring could be an occupation and a career. “There’s so much in line with the military, the values of leadership, professionalism, dedication, sacrifice … all of that is very similar. Major League umpires spend anything from eight to 15 years (in the minors), so they understand commitment. They have to show up on time, in uniform, follow the rules. Everyone here is excited to have two umpires who understand both officiating and the military to connect with veterans via Protect The Game and encourage them to think about this profession.” Protect The Game took shape in 2019 and has seen 26 former veterans complete the training, which had to be shut down during the pandemic. Dozens more are in line for training in 2021, tentatively set for locations in Colorado, North Carolina, Nebraska and a military base in California, among others. “In the beginning days of Protect The Game, we had an intuition that veterans of military service would profile as positive forces in the world of sports officials, and the example of Laz Diaz and Mark Carlson makes that point even more forcefully,” said Jordan Cohen, executive director of Protect The Game. “We appreciate the support of UMPS CARE to our mission, which is to grow the roster of sports officials and help veterans succeed as they pivot into a civilian role in their life.”  In an exciting evolution for the world of youth softball, The Alliance Fastpitch’s slate of national championship events in 2021 will include a 10u/12u event scheduled for late July to be produced by Triple Crown Sports, a longtime leader and visionary in the fastpitch arena. The Alliance Fastpitch, formed in summer 2020, has established six regional leagues, where member teams accrue points toward qualifying for a championship run in age groups 10u through 18u in two tiers that are determined by competitive level. Triple Crown will execute multiple regional league events as well as the 10u/12u Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series, July 26-31, 2021, in the southern California area including Riverside, Chino Hills and West Covina. Here is an in-progress list of tournaments Triple Crown will produce where teams can earn Alliance points (more events could be added in 2021): Spring Stampede, May 8-9 (Northern Colorado, RMFL) Memorial Day Weekend, May 29-31 (Northern Colorado, RMFL) Zoom Into June, June 10-13 (Southern California, PCFL) Mountain Magic, June 10-13 (Steamboat Springs, CO, RMFL) Texas State Championships, June 11-13 (Dallas, TX, TFL) Valley Invite, June 18-20 (Portland, OR, PCFL) Additionally, Triple Crown will provide event and marketing support for the RMFL Super Regionals where top finishers in all ages will earn a berth to the AFCS.
The Alliance Fastpitch was established in the wake of 2020’s disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with an eye to bringing together competitive teams in a regional setting, cutting down on travel while still providing growth opportunities for players and coaches. Two other national fastpitch event providers, USA Softball and USSSA, will produce certain regional league tournaments as well as national championship events in the other age groups. The Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series will rotate between the three event providers, with Triple Crown hosting the 14u finals in 2022 and the 16u/18u event in 2023, then back to 10u/12u in 2024, all on the West Coast. “The Alliance Fastpitch was built upon the core values of purposeful play and collaboration in the industry,” said Alliance Fastpitch Executive Director Jami Lobpries. “We are honored and excited about this partnership with Triple Crown Sports as they bring a wealth of experience and professionalism in hosting great events throughout the country. This partnership exemplifies the desire to work together and leverage our best resources to provide a better experience for our athletes. We look forward to a long partnership at the league and national level.” Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for nearly 40 years and has a coast-to-coast presence in youth softball. TCS runs the Colorado 4th of July event, which draws close to 900 teams in a typical year, as well as the TC Nationals, a highly competitive national championship tournament slated for July 2021 in southern California. “This is the right time for fresh thinking about youth softball, and Triple Crown Sports is pleased to join Alliance Fastpitch in this effort to grow the sport and add value to each tournament,” said Triple Crown CEO Keri King. “With nearly 40 years of experience, we know our dedicated and talented staff will deliver for Alliance Fastpitch teams in both the regional and national arenas.” About Triple Crown Sports Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for more than 38 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 more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. TC 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. TCS produces one of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 750-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 650 teams compete in Kansas City, MO. Follow Triple Crown Sports on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube and visit our website www.triplecrownsports.com. About Alliance Fastpitch Founded in 2020, the Alliance Fastpitch is a cohesive network of regional softball leagues, teams, coaches, athletes and parents. The six Member Leagues within the Alliance Fastpitch include the Pacific Coast Fastpitch League, Heart of America Fastpitch League, Northeast Fastpitch League, Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League, Southeastern Fastpitch League and Texas Fastpitch League. These Leagues provide a purpose of play to existing events with a point structure and ranking system that seed teams into regional League Championships and creates a defined post-season pathway to the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series. Membership in the Alliance Fastpitch benefits athletes and coaches on and off the field with a goal of creating a community and delivering resources to enhance athlete and coach development on and off the field. Follow The Alliance Fastpitch on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and visit our website www.thealliancefastpitch.com. |
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