Jan 4 2018

2017 USSSA Recap

USSSA

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Viera, Florida- January 3rd, 2018: As we enter 2018, let’s look back on USSSA’s eventful 2017.  The year 2017 was full of new adventures and landmarks for USSSA. The association moved the national headquarters from Kissimmee, Florida to Viera, Florida and celebrated its 50th year as an association at the annual National Convention in Daytona Beach, Florida in November. The organization continues to grow, increasing the overall amount of members to 4.5 million throughout 2017, marking another year that USSSA is the largest multi-sports association in the world.
   In conjunction with Brevard County, USSSA bought, rebuilt and opened a brand new, state-of-the-art, 15 field baseball and softball complex in Viera during 2017. The USSSA Space Coast Complex is complete with 1.3 million square feet of AstroTurf, on-site covered batting cages, FlightScope tracking radar, a full TV quality production room, LED Musco lighting and three video boards. The complex represents the first time USSSA has had a permanent place to call home as the multiple USSSA National tournaments and World Series will move from Disney’s ESPN World Wide of Sports to the USSSA Space Coast Complex. The complex will host its inaugural event on January 14th, 2018 when Top Gun Events hosts the USA Elite Select Top Gun Challenger and welcomes over 40 elite fastpitch teams to Viera.
   During 2017, the association officially became an associate member of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). USSSA’s membership was announced in October at the WBSC Congress hosted in Gaborne, Botswana. As an associate member, USSSA and the USSSA Space Coast Complex was awarded the hosting rights for the 2018 Women’s Baseball World Cup tournament in August 2018. This will mark the first time the Women’s Baseball World Cup is held in the United States.
   USSSA baseball, the largest sport in USSSA, continues to pave the way by routinely expanding and developing its programs. In 2017, USSSA Baseball began a new collaboration with the Major League Baseball Player’s Association (MLBPA) where former major leaguers attended the Select 30 Championships and assisted in the development of young athletes.
   Continuing its expansion, USSSA added lacrosse to our list of sanctioned sports increasing the total to 14 sports. Craig Scriven, who also oversees USSSA Soccer, will lead USSSA Lacrosse national programming. USSSA Lacrosse teamed up with Legacy Global Sports for a strategic partnership to help grow the sport throughout the nation. 
   The USSSA Pride completed its ninth season in the National Professional Fastpitch (NPF) League and earned its fourth consecutive regular season championship and sixth championship overall. Chelsea Goodacre, starting catcher for the USSSA Pride, brought home the 2017 Rawlings Gold Glove Award after completing the entire season with out a single error. Chelsea is the second woman ever to win the prestigious award. Veteran Kelly Kretschman took home her third consecutive Most Outstanding Player award, the most in NPF history.
2017 was truly a notable year for USSSA and 2018 stands to be equally exciting with a new home, new partnerships, and a continual commitment to serving our members.

About United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA)
USSSA is headquartered in Viera, Florida. USSSA is the world’s largest multi-sport athletic association. Founded in 1968, USSSA has grown to over 4 million participants, competing in 14 nationally sanctioned sports including Baseball, Fastpitch, Slow Pitch, Karate, Basketball, Soccer and more! For more information on USSSA and to register your team visit USSSA.com.