If you know your baseball and player development, you’re probably familiar with the success of the Northwoods League Baseball.

Started over 30 years ago with only five teams, the league has grown to field 26 teams across seven states and another one competing in Canada and is considered today as the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players.  

Last summer, Northwoods League (NWL) Baseball attracted over 1.3 million fans to games and continues as the largest organized baseball league in the world.

Impressively, more than 340 NWL alumni have moved on to play at the Major League Baseball level including:

• three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson,
• three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer,
• two-time World Series champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford,
• World Series Champion Chris Sale,
• 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso,
• 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien.

Since this is a softball site, you probably know where this is headed: if only there were something like on the college fastpitch side.

We’re happy to report there will be… starting this summer!

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MEET THE PRESIDENT & COMMISH

Kathryn Reynolds is the President & Commissioner of the soon-to-be launched Northwoods League Softball (NWLS) which kicks off in mid-June with four teams:

• La Crosse, Wisc. (Steam)
• Mankato, Minn. (Habaneros)
• Madison, Wisc. (Night Mares)
• Minot, North Dakota (Honeybees)

Like the others heading the events company (more on them shortly), Reynolds has an impressive background academically and, in the sports world, including playing basketball at the University of Iowa where she received a Law Degree and then serving as an assistant on the Women’s Basketball team for six years.

That, however, wasn’t the only sport she and her family was tied into.

“I grew up in ballparks big and small attending baseball and softball games with my family,” Reynolds begins.

“My father has worked in professional baseball his entire career, first in a variety of roles within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and since 2004 for the Cincinnati Reds. My brother is a professional baseball scout and he himself played for NWL Baseball during his time as a student-athlete before his eventual Minor League Baseball career.”

The former Hawkeye hoop player and coach—yes, she knows the program and world-renowned basketball star Caitlin Clark well—looks to have similar great success in the softball arena.

“The creation of Northwoods League Softball felt like a perfect confluence where I could be a part of growing opportunities for others through athletics – this includes the athletes on the field, front office staff, interns, coaches, athletic trainers, community members in attendance, and beyond,” the NWLS Commissioner continues.

“Although I worked in a different specific sport, the key overarching themes are the same and a lifetime surrounded by sports has shown me the power of sports to teach lessons that can’t be found all in one place anywhere else: teamwork, communication, dedication, passion, discipline, hard work, joy, lessons in victory as well as defeat, and carrying yourself with grace and humility in all of those arenas.” 

The Reynolds also feels like the stage is set for immediate success as well as long-term expansion.

“There’s a strong desire for women’s sports and we believe fans will come out to the ballpark in NWLS communities just like they do for NWL Baseball.”

“All four of these new softball venues are dual NWL Baseball/Softball locations operated by outstanding owners and front office staff. They all have the enthusiasm, infrastructure, and knowledge to expand into softball and we are very fortunate to have such amazing people on the forefront of our endeavor into softball.”

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THE COUPLE LEADING THE WAY

Dick and Kathy Radatz are the Co-Founders of the Northwoods League and live in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. although the league headquarters is in Rochester, Minn. That doesn’t mean they are hands off owners.

“We do spend much of the year up north,” explains Kathy Radatz, who says the idea for a softball league started with a recommendation from Dan Kapanke, the owner of the La Crosse (Wisc.) Steam program.

“Dan brought the idea to us and we ran with it,” Radatz continues. “The timing is right with the popularity of softball, the level of competition, and the lack of summer opportunities.” 

“We wondered why this had not been done and we came the conclusion it was a lack of facilities, and the best ones were on college campuses.  This is unlike baseball where were numerous former minor league parks.”

The management of the NWLS felt softball was primed for a way that softball athletes could continue their development during the Summer against great competition, with large crowds and a schedule of 42 games.

“Our research showed that there are not many options available to female softball players today, so we are addressing a real need,” the co-owner continues. “NWLS will be the first for-profit summer collegiate softball league just like NWL baseball was 31 years ago.”

Those three decades of baseball experience will expedite the softball launch, President and Commission Kathryn Reynolds believes.

“We will leverage the NWL baseball experience including host families, webcasting all games and leveraging technology, such as our scoring system, customer relationship management, our ticketing system and websites,” she says.

In 2024, the new softball league will see two teams in Wisconsin with one each in Minnesota and North Dakota, but the owners expect that number to increase significantly for the 2025 season.

So why those states in the Midwest initially?

“We thought initially it made sense to use existing Northwoods League facilities because we knew the owners who excelled in marketing baseball and we were comfortable with them extending the experience to softball,” Reynolds explains.

“Teams had to have at least turf infields so that limited the footprint.  However, there are more NWL teams interested in softball in 2025 and beyond so we will grow quickly.  We also have a number of municipalities and universities interested in our product.”

She continues with the vision of how the league can grow the sport and give current and former players the opportunity to work on the business side of growing a softball franchise.

“From a business standpoint, we expect to grow the league rapidly with at least eight teams in 2025,” Reynolds predicts.

“In addition, we want to give softball players involved in the business side through internships and hopefully front office jobs once they graduate including general management and ownership opportunities in the long run.  We also hope to inspire more professional opportunities.” 

Coming out of the gate, the NWLS strives to succeed via its three-pronged approach:

• Create the premiere environment for the continued overall development of collegiate softball players.
• Elevate the sport of softball through exposure and expanded opportunity for players, coaches, and umpires.
• Provide a unique and engaging experience in its member communities.

The stage is set for an exciting new future for the league, which Reynolds feels is ready to grow quickly across the U.S.

“We absolutely plan to expand and have a variety of communities in mind where high levels of support have been expressed,” she explains.

“It’s vital that we grow the league at a healthy pace while being cognizant of adding geographically strategic locations. Based on the trajectory NWL Baseball followed and the interest in collegiate softball, we have every reason to believe NWLS will grow rapidly.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at the new league through the eyes of one of its board members, Jolene Henderson, the former Cal four-time All-Pac-12 player and All-American, pitcher for the USSSA Pride and a member of the Women’s National Softball Team 10 years ago (2014).