Baseball/Softball Media Center

USSSA Today Article on National Pro Fastpitch League

The Spring issue of USSSA Today has a multi-page cover story on the National Pro Fastpitch League (NPF), a four-team professional league for fastpitch athletes. Several Mizuno Brand Ambassadors play in the NPF, including Jennie Finch, Natasha Watley, Eileen Canney, and Kristina Thorson. The feature article talks about the growth and success of the league, with participation from these prominent stars from Team USA and the NCAA.

With the removal of softball as an Olympic sport, the NPF is one of the sports entities that is continuing the growth of the fastpitch game in the United States, along with the NCAA. Currently, the four teams are located in Chicago (Bandits), Tennessee (Diamonds), Akron (Racers), and Florida (USSSA Pride). The article discusses the desire for expansion of the league, possibly building up to 24 teams in the future, with 12 teams coming as soon as 2012.

There are several great mentions of Mizuno throughout the piece, as USSSA Today talks about the important role that equipment manufacturers play in the growth of the sport. Also included are quotes from Brand Ambassador Jennie Finch, along with action shots of both Finch and Natasha Watley.

The NPF regular season started yesterday (June 9th), and each team will play a 50-game regular season. The regular season end August 22nd, with the championships held August 26th-29th.

Attached is a .pdf file of the entire article from USSSA Today.

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