November 14, 2024
For Las Vegas to outshine other destinations hardly comes as a surprise, just as no one would be shocked that Triple Crown Fastpitch found a way to help big dreams take root in the desert.
The City of Lights Showcase tournaments produced by Triple Crown have attracted club fastpitch programs and college softball coaching staffs to Las Vegas for more than 15 years, based on the desire to connect student-athletes to the sprawling web of recruiting options that exist outside of NCAA Division I territory. From Nov. 8-10, the City of Lights Team Showcase commanded the Majestic Park complex, flexing a five-game round-robin game format where 57 college coaches from NCAA DII-DIII, NAIA and Junior Colleges throughout the country tracked the action.
But Triple Crown Fastpitch does more than just chalk some fields and unlock the front gate. A popular feature of City of Lights is the Coaches Breakfast, where valuable conversations between players and coaches unfold and accelerate the process of making real connections that lead to scholarship offers.
“It is really impactful on our recruiting that Triple Crown does this, because I think it's really cool that we get to work one-on-one with a couple teams and really build relationships, build contacts and also just to help the girls figure it out where they want to go,” said Shianne Smith assistant coach at D-III Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. “I think the breakfast moment is huge, specifically at this event. I get to talk with the girls, they get to know me a little bit, know my style, know a little bit more about my college, and I can be personal with them. I really enjoy that about Triple Crown.”
“The event is a new format for me and I’m enjoying it. I really like the open house and just being able to get to know the players a little bit,” said Melissa Gentile, assistant coach at D-III Washington University in St. Louis, one of the most academically demanding schools in the nation. “(The College Coach breakfast) shows us more than just what you can see on the softball field, so I have enjoyed that part.
“We have always had a lot of success recruiting in the fall for whatever reason and I like events like this because it gives us a chance to not only evaluate talent but evaluate people as well due to the format. It is certainly an important event for us. I can learn a lot more about the kids than I can just by watching a game at another tournament.”
Another indicator of how the City of Lights gets carved into the travel schedule of college programs is the geographical mix of coaches in attendance. Maddisen Bieber (D-III Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania) and Brandon Roberts (D-II Livingstone College in North Carolina) were on hand representing the East Coast and spoke to the assembled talent and the competitive nature of the games.
For Triple Crown Fastpitch, it's about being persistent in creating opportunities that can change the lives of student-athletes who not only are ready to make an impact today but might be ready to burst on the big stage with a little seasoning.
“For me being with a JUCO, attending this specific camp here is nice because I feel they are geared more towards JUCO this time of year,” said Eric Buss of Olympic College in Washington. “I don't have enough talent in my local area to be competitive, so tournaments like this that Triple Crown runs, also in Hawaii and Alaska, are important. For me in the Northwest, being a small school, it is very beneficial to get out and make connections.
“And that way I'll also make connections with all the four-year schools out here so I can send my kids off to them after they come to me. You develop a pretty good group of friends and a good network of coaches, one I've been able to connect with over the years, and it's been very beneficial to my girls.”
“The City of Lights events are our most successful when it comes to players being actively recruited and having amazing on-field interactions with college coaches,” said TCS event director Alyson Carter. “There are teams that have been attending this event that have had over 60 players sign throughout the years.”
