Springfield, Missouri to host 2020 Women’s National Team during “Stand Beside Her” tour
|
Kirk Walker Named Head Coach of New NPF California Commotion Team
|
Athletx Sports Group Inks Exclusive Partnership with Elizabethtown Sports
Athletx Sports Group Inks Exclusive Partnership with Elizabethtown Sports Park & Sports Facilities Management in Kentucky
Posted at 13:00h in Partners, Press by athletxsports
November 5, 2019
Athletx Sports Group, home of multiple nationally recognized sports event brands, and Elizabethtown Sports Park, one of the nation’s premier venues for baseball and softball events, have agreed to a multi-year partnership making Athletx the exclusive host of all diamond sports events at Elizabethtown Sports Park.
Athletx Sports Group and Elizabethtown Sports Park have worked together since 2012 to establish a significant diamond sports footprint from the Great Lakes to the Southeast, hosting over 50 events for youth athletes from all over the country. In 2019, the two organizations partnered on four week-long tournaments, three individual player events and three weekend team-based tournaments, hosting over 5,000 athletes and their families. The new partnership paves the way for massive growth in event opportunities for baseball and softball players ages 7 to 18 as Athletx Sports Group plans a full slate of exciting new events for spring, summer and fall of 2020.
As a state-of-the-art facility with 12 fully lit fields, spacious practice areas and a large pavilion that is perfect for ceremony space, Elizabethtown Sports Park is amply equipped to accommodate Athletx Sports Group’s growing need for increased tournament dates. Additionally, the park recently accepted a $2.6M bid from Georgia-based AstroTurf to convert all 12 infields to synthetic turf, further enhancing the park’s attractiveness to youth baseball and softball players and their families across the state, region, and country.
“At Athletx, we are all about making big, bold moves and this new and innovative partnership with Elizabethtown Sports Park is another example of that. Following two of our core values to ‘create unforgettable memories’ and ‘swing for the fences,’ I can assure you that Athletx will be fully vested in making sure we deliver amazing event experiences with both the existing and new events we are working hard to create,” said Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer Aaron Flaker. “With the addition of turf to all 12 of the diamonds’ infields coupled with our ability to market and execute events on a high level, this partnership is sure to be a home run in 2020 and beyond.”
“Congratulations to the team at the Elizabethtown Sports Park and the Athletx Sports Group,” said Janna Clark, Executive Director of the Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau.” “This partnership elevates our area to a whole new level of youth travel sports. The combined experience and industry respect of these two groups is truly unprecedented. Athletx is a familiar client at the park, having put on some of the most successful events since the park opened in 2012. The team at Athletx knows our community and is committed to bringing visitors to town to play sports and enjoy all there is to do in Elizabethtown.”
“We are excited about this new partnership and the opportunities it will bring the sports park, our community, the teams and their families,” said Sports Facilities Management LLC’s Todd Yancey, General Manager of Elizabethtown Sports Park. “This will allow us to continue to support our local businesses while developing our co-owned tournaments. Athletx shares the same vision as we do — delivering an experience for all involved that will last a lifetime. We look forward to building this unparalleled experience together.”
While 2020 events for Youth Baseball Nationals, Game Day USA and Youth Softball Nationals have been publicly announced and are currently accepting registrations, Athletx Sports Group plans to announce its full spring and summer lineup in the very near future.
ABOUT ATHLETX SPORTS GROUP:
Athletx Sports Group brings together multiple nationally-recognized brands under one family, including Youth Baseball Nationals, Pastime Tournaments, Game Day USA, Baseball Youth, Mid-America Baseball, Youth Softball Nationals, Softball Youth and Drive & Company. Athletx Sports Group has over 50 years of combined tournament experience. Collectively, in 2019, Athletx Sports Group brands will represent over 600 team-based and individual player events across the nation, featuring over 12,500 teams, 165,000 players, 35,000 coaches and 367,000 spectators. In addition to producing first-class events, Athletx boasts a strong media presence with over 590,000 social media followers across its brands’ various Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms. Athletx maintains offices in Louisville, KY (headquarters), Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN. For more information, visit www.athletx.com.
ABOUT SPORTS FACILITIES MANAGEMENT:
Sports Facilities Advisory, LLC (SFA) and Sports Facilities Management, LLC (SFM) are both headquartered in Clearwater, FL. Founded in 2003, SFA has served more than 2,000 communities, produced more than $10 billion in institutional-grade financial forecasts, and provided funding strategies and solutions for more than 120 youth and amateur sports and recreation complexes worldwide. SFM provides industry-leading, results-driven management solutions for sports, fitness, recreation, and event venues nationwide. Since 2014, SFM-associated venues have hosted more than 100 million guests and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact. For more information, visit: www.sportadvisory.com.
ABOUT ELIZABETHTOWN SPORTS PARK:
Elizabethtown Sports Park is a true destination for events of all sizes and caliber with three quads for baseball and softball, two championship-style turf fields, three large pavilions for events, and one accessible field with spectator seating. We believe in creating experiences for people who yearn to be in the big leagues. This is the perfect place to play. A place for athletes to play like the pros. A place where everyone becomes a champion. For more information, visit www.etownsports.com. 1401 West Park Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Board of Governors starts process to enhance name, image and likeness opportunities
Board of Governors starts process to enhance name, image and likeness opportunities
Each NCAA division directed to immediately consider modernization of bylaws and policies
In the Association’s continuing efforts to support college athletes, the NCAA’s top governing board voted unanimously to permit students participating in athletics the opportunity to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness in a manner consistent with the collegiate model.
The Board of Governors’ action directs each of the NCAA’s three divisions to immediately consider updates to relevant bylaws and policies for the 21st century, said Michael V. Drake, chair of the board and president of The Ohio State University.
“We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes,” Drake said. “Additional flexibility in this area can and must continue to support college sports as a part of higher education. This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student-athletes, including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships.”
Specifically, the board said modernization should occur within the following principles and guidelines:
- Assure student-athletes are treated similarly to non-athlete students unless a compelling reason exists to differentiate.
- Maintain the priorities of education and the collegiate experience to provide opportunities for student-athlete success.
- Ensure rules are transparent, focused and enforceable and facilitate fair and balanced competition.
- Make clear the distinction between collegiate and professional opportunities.
- Make clear that compensation for athletics performance or participation is impermissible.
- Reaffirm that student-athletes are students first and not employees of the university.
- Enhance principles of diversity, inclusion and gender equity.
- Protect the recruiting environment and prohibit inducements to select, remain at, or transfer to a specific institution.
The board’s action was based on comprehensive recommendations from the NCAA Board of Governors Federal and State Legislation Working Group, which includes presidents, commissioners, athletics directors, administrators and student-athletes. The group gathered input over the past several months from numerous stakeholders, including current and former student-athletes, coaches, presidents, faculty and commissioners across all three divisions. The board also directed continued and productive engagement with legislators.
The working group will continue to gather feedback through April on how best to respond to the state and federal legislative environment and to refine its recommendations on the principles and regulatory framework. The board asked each division to create any new rules beginning immediately, but no later than January 2021.
“As a national governing body, the NCAA is uniquely positioned to modify its rules to ensure fairness and a level playing field for student-athletes,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “The board’s action today creates a path to enhance opportunities for student-athletes while ensuring they compete against students and not professionals.”
NCAA Press Release: https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/board-governors-starts-process-enhance-name-image-and-likeness-opportunities
NFCA announces Geri Ann Glasco Memorial Scholarship to Encourage and Inspire Young Female Coaches
NFCA announces Geri Ann Glasco Memorial Scholarship to Encourage and Inspire Young Female Coaches
February 26, 2019
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association has announced the addition of the Geri Ann Glasco Memorial Scholarship in partnership with the Natasha Watley Foundation (NWF) and the Glasco Family.
The scholarship is dedicated in the memory of Geri Ann Glasco, an aspiring coach and elite former student-athlete.
Glasco, a 24-year old University of Louisiana volunteer assistant softball coach, was tragically killed in a multi-vehicle accident on January 24. The scholarship has been created to honor her memory and encourage and inspire young softball coaches and their pursuit of education.
The scholarship will be awarded to one female assistant coach in the first five years of her career at the collegiate level.
Each year the scholarship will cover costs associated with attendance to the NFCA National Convention in December. The memorial scholarship includes registration fees, travel, and rooming costs related to the trip.
NFCA member coaches who are interested in applying or nominating a fellow coach may access the scholarship in their NFCA Coach’s Box. The application deadline will close on Sept. 1 of each year.
Glasco, a four-time NFCA All-Region honoree who played at Georgia in 2013-14 and Oregon in 2015-16, had a passion for the game of softball and a love for the softball community. Glasco was just weeks away from beginning her coaching career alongside her father, Louisiana head coach Gerry Glasco, in the dugout this season.
“The NFCA is honored to partner with the Natasha Watley Foundation to create the Geri Ann Glasco Memorial Scholarship,” said NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman. “The NFCA Convention will open many doors to the scholarship recipient as attending the Convention is a top-notch educational experience and quite frankly, can be life-changing. The recipient will learn from the best speakers/clinicians in the nation as well as many high-level professionals in our mentoring/networking sessions. The NFCA will honor Geri Ann’s legacy for many years to come.”
For information on the Natasha Watley Foundation-Glasco Family Fund and to make a donation, please visit https://natashawatleyfoundation.org/.
About Natasha Watley Foundation
The Natasha Watley Foundation (NWF) was founded by two-time Olympic medalist Natasha Watley to create opportunities for girls in under-served communities to learn and play the game of softball. NWF uses the medium of sport to inspire young women to reach their full potential while fostering character development and awareness of social issues that affect women.
CHICAGO BANDITS TO HOST USA SOFTBALL
CHICAGO BANDITS TO HOST USA SOFTBALL TRAINING STOP IN JUNE 2019
ROSEMONT, IL (November 30, 2018)– The Chicago Bandits, in coordination with USA Softball, announced Wednesday afternoon an agreement to host the Women’s National Team for a one-week training stop from June 10-17, 2019, at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.
The Bandits, members of National Pro Fastpitch, will provide USA Softball with full access and use of the facilities at Parkway Bank Sports Complex, including all amenities at its ballpark and dome.
“We are thrilled to welcome USA Softball to our facilities in Rosemont,” Bandits general manager Toni Calmeyn said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to host the Women’s National Team and look forward to learning from USA Softball’s hard-working collection of athletes and staff.”
In addition to its most recent first-place finish at the 2018 Japan Cup, USA Softball’s Women’s National Team also claimed the top spots at the USA Softball International Cup and Women’s Softball World Championship and qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The Bandits were represented on a large scale for Team USA at the Japan Cup. The Women’s National Team roster for the event featured a number of connections to the Bandits 2018 roster, including pitcher/infielder Ally Carda, infielder Courtney Gano, pitcher Danielle O’Toole and infielder Delaney Spaulding.
Chicago Bandits team personnel will assist USA Softball in performing functions throughout the training stop and will help facilitate requests made by the Women’s National Team.
“The Village of Rosemont has provided a great facility and environment for members of our Women’s National Team to train,” USA Softball executive director Craig Cress said. “The amenities and facilities that Parkway Bank Sports Complex offers for our athletes, coaches and staff will greatly assist our program as they train for the 2019 international season. In addition to the training opportunities, we look forward to exhibition games against teams within the NPF that will help prepare our team for an intense international schedule.”
The Women’s National Team will be provided a designated area where USA Softball may sell merchandise during the duration of the training stop.
USA Softball is expected to provide the Bandits organization in the coming weeks with the identity of the NPF league teams it would like to play exhibition games against during the training stop, as well as a proposed schedule of game dates and times. Broadcast rights belong in full to USA Softball.
Additional details, including ticket information, will be released at a later date.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Aussie Spirit, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets, and USSSA Florida Pride. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada and China among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.
Softball Canada Joins National Pro Fastpitch
Softball Canada Joins National Pro Fastpitch
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 30, 2018)–National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), in conjunction with Softball Canada, Rent One Park, and presenting sponsor, visitSI, announced the addition of the Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois to the league today.
The Wild becomes the sixth affiliate NPF team set to compete in the 2019 season.
“Obviously, this is a tremendous addition to the league for a number of reasons,” commented NPF Commissioner, Cheri Kempf. “To add an international team of the quality of Canada, currently ranked third in the world, and to add the operational excellence of the administration at Rent One Park, is a home run for all of us.”
Softball Canada CEO, Hugh Mitchener remarked, “We are delighted to be announcing our entry into the NPF in 2019. Commissioner Kempf has been incredibly helpful in setting up our partnership with the Miners organization and we can’t wait to get going next year.”
“With the growth and interest in girls’ and women’s softball over the last decade, this is an incredible opportunity for fans to see world-class, best-of-the-best talent right here at Rent One Park,” Miners COO Mike Pinto said. “These women, including former and future Olympians, could be incredible role models for young girls in our area to see what can be achieved with dreams and hard work.”
Softball Canada recently finished third at the 2018 Women’s Softball World Championship in August, and is currently ranked third in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). They will play a 50-game schedule in National Pro Fastpitch overall, facing off with some of the best players in the world, including current and former Olympians.
National Pro Fastpitch will be entering their 16th season in 2019. Teams currently hail from three continents, with players representing the national teams of six different countries. They include the best of the best softball players in the world, including current and former members of Team USA, Olympians, Women’s College World Series Champions and MVP’s, NCAA record holders, various conference players of the year and many All-Americans.
“We are thrilled that Southern Illinois was chosen as the host region for Team Canada,” Shannon Johnson, CEO of visitSI, said. “visitSI is extremely honored to be the presenting sponsor of the Wild. This gives us an opportunity to showcase our region on an international front. We are also excited about the potential economic impact this could have, both during the season and in the future, as members of the various NPF teams experience beautiful Southern Illinois.”
Fans can follow the Wild on Facebook at Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois, as well as on Twitter and Instagram at CanadianWildSI as they prepare for the 2019 season.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Aussie Spirit, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets, and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2018 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada and China among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.
New transfer rule eliminates permission-to-contact process
New Transfer Rule Eliminates Permission-to-contact Process in Division I College Sports
DI Council hopes change brings transparency and opens conversation between students and coaches
June 13, 2018- Beginning in October, Division I student-athletes will have the ability to transfer to a different school and receive a scholarship without asking their current school for permission.
The Division I Council adopted a proposal this week that creates a new “notification-of-transfer” model. This new system allows a student to inform his or her current school of a desire to transfer, then requires that school to enter the student’s name into a national transfer database within two business days. Once the student-athlete’s name is in the database, other coaches are free to contact that individual.
“The membership showed today that it supports this significant change in transfer rules,” said Justin Sell, chair of the Division I Transfer Working Group and athletics director at South Dakota State. “I’m proud of the effort the Transfer Working Group put forth to make this happen for student-athletes, coaches and schools.”
The previous transfer rule, which required student-athletes to get permission from their current school to contact another school before they can receive a scholarship after transfer, was intended to discourage coaches from recruiting student-athletes from other Division I schools. The rule change ends the controversial practice in which some coaches or administrators would prevent students from having contact with specific schools. Conferences, however, still can make rules that are more restrictive than the national rule.
Additionally, the proposal adds tampering with a current student-athlete at another school to the list of potential Level 2 violations, considered a significant breach of conduct.
Nicholas Clark, a recent graduate of and former football player at Coastal Carolina who represents the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on the Council, said the rule change promotes fairness and the well-being of college athletes.
“This creates a safe place for student-athletes to have a conversation with their coaches and makes the whole process more transparent,” Clark said. “This will clean the process up and give more influence and flexibility to the student-athlete.”
The Transfer Working Group first introduced the proposal in fall 2017, aiming to detach a student-athlete’s pursuit of transferring to a different school from the process of receiving a scholarship at the new college or university. The new rule was developed based on a series of principles the Division I Board of Directors developed for the working group, including any rule changes should support the academic success of student-athletes, be based on data and create the least restrictive environment possible for student-athletes.
Another financial aid element, autonomy legislation that governs when a school can reduce or cancel aid, may be adjusted next week by the autonomy conferences. Currently, a student’s notification of intent to transfer at the end of a term is not one of the listed reasons a school can use to cancel aid. The autonomy conferences will consider, by an electronic vote, two different proposals to allow schools to cancel the aid.
The rule change takes effect Oct. 15.
The Transfer Working Group will continue working on other transfer issues, including rules surrounding postgraduate transfers, and still is exploring the possibility of uniform transfer rules.
Courtesy of NCAA
Advertisement
Women’s National Team set for training camp at Scrap Yard Sports Complex; Live streaming and ticket information available for weekend exhibition games
Women’s National Team set for training camp at Scrap Yard Sports Complex; Live streaming and ticket information available for weekend exhibition games
OKLAHOMA CITY — Members of the Red, White and Blue have arrived in Houston, Texas as the 2018 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) will hold a training camp at the Scrap Yard Sports Complex from June 11-17, 2018. Both the World Championship roster and the Japan All-Star Series roster will take part in a series of workouts and practice sessions before participating in exhibition games at the Scrap Yard Sports Complex.
Click here to learn more about the USA Softball Women’s National Team Houston Training Camp
“Last year we began our journey through the qualifying process to get to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” said World Championship Head Coach Ken Eriksen. “Today is another destination in this Journey to Japan. We must set our immediate sights on qualifying for the Olympic Games by being very successful at the 2018 (WBSC) World Championship. The training this week and throughout the summer will include competitions against some very worthy opponents. The Scrap Yard Softball Organization has graciously provided an opportunity for us to not only train but to have some competition that will ready the U.S. program for the rest of the summer. I think it’s also important to recognize the willingness of programs, collegiate and professional, that have allowed their star players the opportunity to represent the United States internationally this summer. If we can put in a great next 50 days of hard work and focus, I believe we will defend our 2016 World Championship.”
“It’s exciting to work with this group of athletes,” said Japan All-Star Series Head Coach Laura Berg. “This week will be important for us to get some games under our belt and build team chemistry before we leave for Japan.”
In preparation for international competitions this summer, both USA Softball WNT rosters will play exhibition contests against Scrap Yard Fast Pitch with all games live streamed on the USASoftball.com platform for fans to access and watch for free throughout the June 15-17 weekend. Fans will also have the opportunity to attend exhibition games in person, with general admission tickets available for $5 per day. Military, first responders, youth athletes in their player uniform and children under six years old will receive free admission.
Immediately after training camp, players on the Japan All-Star Series roster will head to Tokyo for a three-game series against the Japan National Team before joining the World Championship roster in Irvine, Calif. to compete against many of the top-ranked teams in the world at the USA Softball International Cup July 9-15.
The Scrap Yard Sports Complex is situated on 82 acres just north of Houston, Texas and includes 10 all-turf fields, 14 indoor batting cages/pitching lanes and a 15,000 square foot indoor training facility.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 69 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 150,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million. USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game. As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
Advertisement
WCWS Most Outstanding Player Signs Contract with the Pride
WCWS Most Outstanding Player Signs Contract with NPF USSSA Pride
VIERA, FL (June 12, 2018) – Jessie Warren has signed a two-year contract with the USSSA Pride for the 2018 season.
Warren, selected as the 7th overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NPF Draft, joins the team after a phenomenal collegiate career at Florida State University.
“We are very fortunate to land one of the best overall players in the game,” remarked the Pride General Manager Don DeDonatis. “Jessie is a pure, natural and dangerous hitter and her defensive skills, as proven in the FSU Women’s College World Series Championship Win, are second to none.”
Warren was a four-year starter for FSU at third base. During her college career, she was named an All-American twice, 2017 and 2018 ACC Player of Year, the 2018 WCWS Most Outstanding Player along with multiple other ACC and regional honors and helped lead her team to the first ever WCWS National Championship in FSU program history.
In her senior season, Warren led the team on and off the field, posting a .404 batting average, with 21 home runs, a .836 slugging percentage, 70 RBIs and 153 total bases. During FSU’s historic postseason run at the WCWS the country was able to see Warren’s fight and love for the game.
General Manager DeDonatis said Jessie Warren is a gamer and that she can do it all. He stated that he can’t wait to watch her continue her softball career in a Pride uniform.
Warren becomes the third player from FSU to become a member of the Pride, joining Jessica Burroughs (2017) and Alex Powers (2017).
Keep up with your favorite NPF team on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and at profastpitch.com!
About USSSA
USSSA is headquartered in Viera, Florida. USSSA is the world’s largest multi-sport athletic organization. Founded in 1968, USSSA has grown to over 4 million participants, competing in 14 nationally sanctioned sports including Baseball, Fastpitch, Slow Pitch, Karate, Basketball, Soccer and more! For more information about USSSA, visit www.usssa.com and follow USSSA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Stay up to date on USSSA Pride and NPF news by following the Pride on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or visiting www.usssapride.com.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004 provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Aussie Spirit, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets and USSSA
Advertisement