The NSA Fast Pitch World Series begins with a skills competition and a heavy hitters camp with the College World Series Champions Oklahoma State

Countless athletes and coaches, as well as a crowd of parents, gathered at the Crown Point Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon to participate in Kick-Off Day of the 2024 National Softball Association (NSA) Fastpitch World Series.

The World Series is organized by the NSA in conjunction with the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority (CVA). Nearly 200 teams from across the country compete in 13 divisions ranging from 8U to 23U/Women. Activities and games continue through Sunday and typically begin with the annual Skills Competition, where teams compete in a series of challenges that test their baserunning and fielding skills. This year, however, the NSA added a special event to the calendar – the Heavy Hitters Camp, where multiple College World Series champions Kierston Deal and Kinzie Hansen of Oklahoma State worked directly with the young athletes in attendance.

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“It was a great show. A lot of people signed up for it even though they weren’t actually competing in the tournament,” said Bill Horton, president of the NSA. “It was good for the NSA, good for Crown Point and the South Shore.”

Among those attending both the Heavy Hitters Camp and the Skills Competition was the Crown Point-based Nightmares 13U team. Nightmares coach Brandon Norris emphasized what a special opportunity it was for the girls to see stars like Deal and Hansen in person.

“I think something like this does a lot for girls’ sports. We could talk endlessly about what someone like Caitlin Clark, for example, has done for women’s basketball,” Norris said. “When the girls see these Oklahoma athletes here today, it gives them a sense of motivation and drive to keep going and keep playing.”

Heather Becerra, South Shore CVA’s chief marketing officer, noted that this year’s World Series is the first in a new five-year contract for the event in the region, meaning the festivities will be held annually through at least 2028.

“It’s become a tradition for a lot of teams from the area and the Midwest,” Becerra said. “It’s cool to see the crowd every year. I have a daughter who is also in the softball community and her team was there last year. A lot of these girls have been playing since they were little kids, they started in the 8U division and are now in high school after coming back and coming back throughout their careers.”

There are a number of traditions that are central to the culture of the NSA Fastpitch World Series, and the skills competition provides girls with the opportunity to participate in one of the biggest themes – team pin trading. Each team designs a unique pin with their logo, brings a pile of them to the competition and trades them with other teams – with the goal of collecting them all.

“I’ve been leading the girls’ program for over 30 years now, and these traditions have always been a part of it,” Horton said. “They all love the camaraderie and spirit of the program and have built their own traditions – different from the boys’.”

Norris was thrilled that his team was maintaining this tradition and expressed his gratitude that an event of this caliber was held so close to his hometown.

“It’s amazing to have this right on our doorstep. We’ve gone to other events before,” he said. “It’s exciting for the girls to be able to say they’re playing on their home courts. Crown Point and South Shore have done everything right by hosting this. It’s just great.”

For more information about the South Shore CVA, visit southshorecva.com. For more information about the National Softball Association, visit playnsa.com.