Several National and Regional ASA Events Awarded for Upcoming Years

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. –  The Amateur Softball Association selected Bowling Green to host the Girls’ 14 and Under Class A Fast Pitch Northern Nationals in late July of 2011, bringing about 80 teams to town for four days of tournament play.  The decision was made yesterday at the ASA National Council Meeting in Reno, Nev.

This particular tournament was in St. Joseph, Mo. this year, will be in Mankato, Minn. in 2010 and previously has not been held in Kentucky.  Amy Cardwell, Sports Marketing Director for the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Bowling Green’s central location and the ease of accessibility were deciding factors.

The city’s success in hosting the 2008 and 2009 ASA Girls’ 12-U B Fast Pitch Northern Nationals was another major component in yesterday’s decision. Bowling Green and Warren County Parks & Recreation received a 100% rating for the 2009 tournament, garnering the ASA James Farrell Award of Excellence.  The attending ASA National Representative, Umpire In Chief and Coaches each separately grade tournaments in several categories including hotels, opening ceremonies and field condition before the average score is calculated.  The Bowling Green tournament received 100% in all three categories with scores of 98% and above considered exemplary.

“We just have such a great network in place to be able to continue building these events.  Of the reporting hotels, we received nearly 800 room nights from the Class B tournament this summer that had about 30 teams participating.  This Class A, 14-U tournament in 2011 will be more than twice that impact,” Cardwell said.  She estimates about 50 umpires and other ASA staff will take the total economic impact over $1 million during the four days.

Other significant ASA tournaments slated for Bowling Green in both 2010 and 2011 are the Girls’ 6 and Under and 8 and Under State Fast Pitch and National Fast Pitch Tournaments, and the Girls’ Fast Pitch State Tournament for all age divisions.  Also in 2010 will be the 12 and Under National Qualifier, the 14 and Under National Qualifier, and the 18 and Under Midwest Regional Qualifier Tournaments, all drawing teams from multiple states. 

The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 77 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com.

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