July 31, 2024
PHOTO: USA National Team head coach Heather Tarr (L) and catcher Izzy Cacatian at the TCIC World Game, July 2024
Triple Crown Sports claims almost all the oxygen along Colorado’s Front Range during its 4th of July fastpitch event, which populates the region with about 1,200 teams eager for the annual test of skill (and chance to appeal to college recruiters) that can define a season and their future.
But there’s enough air to repeatedly fill the lungs of all the enthusiastic supporters that flock to the Triple Crown International Challenge, held the weekend before the main tournament since 2021 where teams represent countries tied to their individual nationalities. So, the colors and characters and charm of nations around the globe go to work in the 16u and 18u divisions, with chants and songs and country flags providing the soundtrack and visual charge that’s made it an essential part of the event calendar.
Behind the fun, accompanying the electricity, is a unique utility of the event in how it might help grow programs around the world, many under the direction of the World Baseball Softball Confederation. Not only do players show their mettle during TCIC games, there is a dedicated workout scheduled on the following Monday that is growing its reputation as a goldmine for identifying talent that can be pulled into the international arena.
“The US has the biggest pool of potential players in the world in women’s softball. Other countries have a role, but the mass is always here,” said Ami Baran, secretary-general of WBSC Europe. “This event involves heritage – it brings your community together within America, keeping the cultures going. For Europe, and I’d suggest for other countries as well, potential players for national teams are here. It’s not what we want for only American players to be on these national teams, but for some countries to get money to develop, you need success. To get that, you have to have players. You hope players from here make teams better, and more money from the government is available for development.”
Softball’s popularity in the USA continues to arc forward, with increasing viewership numbers during the NCAA Tournament and Women’s College World Series; professional settings like Athletes Unlimited and Women’s Professional Fastpitch also expand the horizons of the sport. For other countries trying to dig roots in the game, the International Challenge is a useful tool for identifying and securing talent for rosters.
“It helps us to have the right contact people to guide us and give us the important information for the possible players we are looking to recruit,” said Pedro Luis Franco, head coach of the Dominican Republic National Team. “This helps us tremendously financially, because it is in one place. All the talent in one place, that’s extremely helpful. This is huge and countries like us can take advantage of it to better ourselves.
“This event is fundamentally important for the sport worldwide. We and other countries can see high-level players and have them join us. In our country, if it wasn’t for this event we would not have access to be able to evaluate players here in the US.”
The DR has used the International Challenge to roster several players since 2021, including Jayla Santana, who competed for the DR in an 18u tournament in Colombia. Franco added that four players were being actively scouted from the 2024 TCIC to gauge their development.
Those determined to elevate fastpitch around the globe realize some sobering truths – top-notch facilities are hard to find, university and college settings have no history or capacity to serve the sport, and there’s no travel ball culture abroad as well. The TCIC’s games are one route to raising awareness that many countries aspire to excel in fastpitch, as is the tryout session – a limited number of international coaches are available to attend due to scheduling conflicts and financial challenges within their countries affecting support for the sport of softball. Detailed reports on all the players are made available.
“This is an interesting and very amazing event, and the quality of players is very, very good. These are players helping raise the bar for the federation of Colombia,” said Sofanor Villa of the country’s WBSC program. “We are looking for talent, that’s why we are here. We have 12 girls on the team, and eight of them are here. My daughter is here, and playing with this kind of talent is only going to make her better.”
“We had the vision – Triple Crown approved it for 2020, didn’t happen, were able to do it in 2021 and it’s only improved over time,” said event founder and athletic director for ELLA Sports Foundation, Manny Travieso, noting the addition of a dedicated national team (Chinese Taipei) to the International Challenge field. “This is the level of play I wanted to show the world, and how American girls with different heritage can play amazing ball. We have 60-plus girls (from the TCIC) playing internationally – the dream wasn’t just to see that, but to have colleges come to one place and watch. This isn’t pay-to-play; you’ve got to make the team. This is the elite.”
One fact of life no one disputes is how tough it will be to ensure growth and development of softball at large as long as the sport is not included in the Summer Olympic Games. Paris 2024 is another vacant space, but there are Games to come that offer promise, and it’s the hope of everyone in the TCIC circle that Triple Crown’s unique event proves to be an asset when the time is right.
“It's been difficult for all of us. It’s about governmental funding, and once you’re off that Olympic program, you’re funding is almost zero,” Baran said. “We are excited for Los Angles in 2028 and hoping for Brisbane in 2032. You have European and continental championships around the world, World Cups, World Games, and we do what we can to make it sustainable. To be back in the Olympics is the dream.
“This is one of the top international events, in every perspective. The camaraderie, the way it’s affected everyone, is just incredible. I believe this event is one of the biggest things that can happen for the world. Maybe it can expand … we feel it has to continue and grow. My support is there, 24/7.”
