If you’re a fastpitch softball fan… and the fact you’re reading this means you are!—then this weekend is like a kid in a candy store for those looking for the best our sport has to offer.

That’s because the Clearwater Fall Classic takes place from tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 13^th through Sunday, Nov. 15^th, and features 98 of the most elite travel ball teams in the nation in the age divisions of 18U, 16U and 14U.

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Team Matchups Not Normally Seen

This is the eighth year of the event which features the premier teams from the summer’s nationals at PGF and Alliance.

“Teams asking to play each other who normally don’t get to compete, not just because of playing in the different nationals but also because their schedules haven’t allowed it,” explains Event Director Jim Barsalona of Team NJ Softball, the company running the show in the Sunshine State this weekend.

Last year, the Clearwater Classic featured 68 combined 18U and 16U squads plus a dozen 14U’s teams to total 80 of the best from across the country.

This year, the fall tourney features 98 teams—including 31 at 18U and 44 competing at 16U—thanks to the use of three complexes:

• the Sprowls Horizon Sports Park—a new addition this year—which has six turf fields with lights where the 18U and 16U teams will compete,
• the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complete which has nine fields also for 18U and 16U action, 
• the Sid Lickton Sports Complete which has five fields for 14U play.

Another addition this year will be a testing analytic measurements done by the same organization that works at Alliance Nationals; and these will be provided for teams at no cost for the three days of the tournament.

“This is the type of analytics colleges pay for,” Barsalona adds, “and it’s a lot more college level.”

The event director also notes that the Clearwater Classic has doubled up on the number of 16U teams to bolster recruiting for the college coaches who will get to see top players facing each other.

“The 16’s this year are really strong with top 2028’s,” Barsalona says, “and the 2029 class is also impressive—especially with the pitchers who are throwing at unbelievable numbers. I don’t know what they’re eating, but something is making a difference!”

Even the 2030 class is impressive, the Clearwater Classic head man explains.

“The college coaches are saying that even the 2030 age group is insane with talent.” 

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Elite Teams Coast to Coast

Another impressive aspect to the Clearwater Fall Classic is the representation of quality teams from every region of the country.

Take Texas, for example: in the 16U age division alone you have seven elite teams competing with the Hotshots, two from Impact Gold, Texas Blaze, Texas Bombers, Texas Glory and Texas Rising,

The Southeast, not surprisingly, is well represented with marquee orgs such as the Birmingham Thunderbolts from Ala., Santa Fe Inferno and Tampa Mustangs from Florida and Athletics Gold, Atlanta Vipers, Armour Elite, Georgia Impact, USA Prime and Wow Factor from Georgia… just to name a few.

There are programs from Arizona (Arizona Rising), from Cali—both North and South (Athletics Mercado, Corona Angels, Explosion, Firecrackers and OC Batbusters, to name just a few in SoCal, and LTG, NorCal Batbusters and Warrior Academy from the North.

There are even teams as far away as Washington (the ai Bandits and Washington Ladyhawks) and Rhode Island (the Rhode Island Thunder) with many in-between.

All told, the 98 teams come from 25 different states, an impressively diverse list of a cross-section from across the country.

“I do it love the level of the play in how the teams are professional-looking even though they’re high school-aged and they look and play like they’re in college or even pros,” Barsalona adds.

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The Best of the Best—On & Off the Field

“And it’s not just the players,” the event lead continues, “the coaching is wonderful in how they work with the kids in sharing their coaching expertise and enthusiasm for the game.”

One example, the event director gives, is legendary pitcher Cat Ostermann, one of the all-time greats in the game, who works with Scott Smith’s Texas Bombers as Pitching Performance Coordinator.

“The kids follow her and it’s like magic,” Barsalona continues, “but it’s not just Cat—it’s all the high-level club coaches who prepare their players for college.”

“It’s like an exciting movie premier, the mood and excitement that’s there because of the high caliber of play in front of the audience of parents, college coaches and even umpires. In all the years doing this, I’ve never seen a parent complain—the quality of play is that good.”

That “audience” also includes a huge number of college coaches—350 in total last year—plus the best umpires you’ll see at a pre-college event.

“The umpires are all Division I,” Barsalona says proudly, “and the majority in Clearwater will be ones who worked the Regional College World Series. They come from all over—the Midwest, Texas, South, West—and they’re three-man crews like in college.”

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An Atmosphere & Ambience Like No Other

The college comparison is an apt one because the ambience that will be in Clearwater Thursday through Sunday is like watching a thrilling college game, say, a match-up featuring the Tennessee Vols against the Texas Longhorns.

“Even the parents are in a zone,” the Classic director continues. “They’re just watching and enjoying what’s going on, and everybody’s mouth is always open as they’re constantly saying: ‘Did you see that play? Did you see that home run?’”

The older two age divisions will be showcase only—no elimination games—while the 14’s will have bracket games leading to a championship game Sunday afternoon at approximately 1 pm EST. The winning team will pocket $7,500 while the runner-up squad will take home a nice consolation prize of $2,500.

“Every field has amazing games,” the event director says with building excitement, “and even with the no elimination showcase games, they’re exciting because the games are so intense!”

“I said one time to a parent at one of the big-time games: ‘Do you know who’s in the stands (referring to all the college coaches)?’ and she said: ‘Not at all, I can’t look… I’m so into the game!’”

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Future Stars Playing Now!

One of the best parts for Jim Barsalona is getting to see the players of today growing up to be outstanding players in future years.

“I see them now and can’t wait to see what they are going to be like in three and four years down the road. The athleticism blows me away—how the pitchers are throwing so hard, the catchers are so big and strong, and the fielders are so athletic.”

And don’t be surprised to see many of this weekend’s competitors playing in college… and after, be it internationally or in the pros.

“It’s always a thrill for me to watch the Women’s College World Series every year,” Barsalona concludes, “and to be able to say: “Wow, look at that player… I saw her in Clearwater!”

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Media

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Participating Teams

Here are the lists of teams competed by age division (listed by ST and Team Name)…

18U

• AL Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier
• AZ Arizona Rising Appel-Kobasew
• CA OC Batbusters Legacy Stith
• CA Athletics Mercado-Smith
• CA Warrior Academy McDonald-Mullins
• CA Corona Angels Tyson
• CA FC Select Rico-Brashear
• CA LTG Henderson-Buck
• CO Colorado Batbusters Premier Smith
• FL Santa Fe Inferno Nowling
• FL Tampa Mustangs Rene
• GA Wow Factor Premier Martin-Taylor  *(GA Impact Premier Taylor)
• GA Athletics Gold Tamborra
• GA Armor Elite Premier O’Neal
• GA Impact Premier Vallery
• IN Indiana Magic Gold Green
• KS Aces Fastpitch Taylor
• KS Select Fastpitch Jones-Byrn
• MO Top Gun National Turner
• NC Lady Dukes Lamar
• NJ Pride National Stern
• OH Ohio Outlaws National Acord
• RI Rhode Island Thunder Lotti
• TN Tennessee Mojo Ramsey
• TN Wow Factor Gold Robinson
• TX Texas Bombers Gold Smith
• TX Texas Hotshots Nelson
• TX Texas Glory Shelton
• TX Texas Impact Gold Jackson  
• TX Texas Blaze United Robertson
• VA Virginia Unity Johnson-VB
• WA Washington ai Bandits Breer

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16U

• AL Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier Parker
• AL Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier Whitaker
• AZ Arizona Rising Appel-Kobasew
• CA Warrior Academy McDonald-Mullins
• CA Firecrackers Select Brashear
• CA LTG Henderson-Buck
• CA Explosion National Kim-Saunders
• CA Corona Angels Slye
• CA NorCal Batbusters Legacy Gann-King
• FL Tampa Mustangs Rene-Daddis
• GA Athletics Gold Olson
• GA Athletics Gold Tamborra-Martin
• GA USA Prime National Halstead
• GA Armor Elite Premier Lynch
• GA Georgia Impact Premier Heath
• IA Iowa Premier National Dickel-Shannon
• IL Beverly Bandits Premier Conroy
• IL Beverly Bandits Chow-Glass
• KS Aces Fastpitch Taylor
• KS Select Fastpitch Jones-Reliford
• LA D1Vision National Vermeulen
• LA United Fastpitch Albert
• MI Turnin2 Pezz
• MN Midwest Speed Nat’l
• MO Top Gun National Sciara
• MO St. Louis Chaos Nat’l Gill
• NJ Unity Torres
• NY Empire State Huskies Porcelli-Roberts
• NY Team Long Island Angel
• PA Team Pennsylvania Hall
• RI Rhode Island Thunder National Lotti
• SC Carolina Elite Fusetti
• TN Tennessee Mojo Ramsey
• TX Texas Bombers Gold Serie
• TX Texas Hotshots Galloway
• TX Texas Glory Shelton
• TX Texas Impact Gold Jazz
• TX Texas Impact Gold Vaughn-Jazz
• TX Texas Blaze United Robertson
• TX Texas Rising 2029 Christie-Zito
• VA Virginia Unity Amsler-Johnson
• VA Virginia Unity Attard-Johnson
• WA Washington ai Bandits Breer
• WA Washington Ladyhawks Fairbairn

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14U

• AL Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier Wilkerson
• AZ Arizona Rising Mabrey
• CA Warrior Academy McDonald-Nicholas
• CA Explosion Kim
• FL Tampa Mustangs Rene-Pontbriant
• GA Atlanta Vipers Patterson
• GA Athletics Gold Tamborra-King
• IA Iowa Premier National Dickel-Carter
• IL Beverly Bandits Moran
• IL Beverly Bandits Hutch-Carmichael
• IN Indiana Magic Gold Rodgers-Fritsche
• KS Select Fastpitch Jones-Reliford
• MO Top Gun National-Kim
• OH Ohio Outlaws Nat’l Medley
• PA Team PA Hall-Larcinese
• RI Rhode Island Thunder Lotti
• TN Tennessee Mojo Ramsey
• TX Glory Gold Shelton
• TX Texas Blaze United JB
• TX Texas Hotshots Seneca 2030
• VA Virginia Unity Sifrit-VB
• WA Washington Ladyhawks Miller