USA Softball announces partnership agreement with Pitch In For Baseball & Softball

December 15, 2020

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2020
Web Release: Link

 

OKLAHOMA CITY –– USA Softball is proud to announce a partnership agreement with Pitch In For Baseball & Softball (PIFBS), a not-for-profit organization that contributes to positive youth development by providing new and gently used baseball and softball equipment to children around the world. As the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, USA Softball joins forces with PIFBS to support the mission of developing, administering and promoting the sport of softball while providing opportunities for participation to athletes across the United States.
 
“USA Softball is thrilled to partner with Pitch In For Baseball & Softball in an effort to contribute to youth development in our sport,” said USA Softball Chief Executive Officer, Craig Cress. “This partnership allows us to continue our mission to grow the game and provide opportunities for youth to get involved in our great sport. To see the excitement and joy that picking up a bat and ball brings to young athletes speaks volumes about our game and we are so excited to be working together with Pitch In For Baseball & Softball as we continue to provide those opportunities for kids across the U.S.”
 
This partnership will include USA Softball and PIFBS co-branded campaigns that will aim to collect gently used softball equipment in addition to raising funds to distribute equipment to youth athletes from underserved communities across the U.S.
 
“Pitch In For Baseball & Softball is dedicated to removing equipment as the barrier to participation so that more kids have the opportunity to play ball. We are excited to partner with USA Softball to help increase access to the game by providing girls with the equipment needed to play,” said Pitch In For Baseball & Softball Chief Executive Officer, Meredith Kim. “The economic impact from the pandemic, coupled with increased equipment expenses resulting from the CDC’s requirements for safe return to play, has made an expensive game even more expensive. This partnership with USA Softball will help us to limit lack of equipment and other barriers to the game, so that girls and young women can experience all of the positive benefits that softball provides.”
 
A strong believer that lack of equipment should not be a barrier for any child wishing to participate in sport, PIFBS works to reduce that barrier by providing equipment directly to leagues, schools and organizations around the world. Throughout its 15-year history, PIFBS has expanded its programming and partnerships to help more than 900,000 boys and girls participate in baseball and softball in the U.S. and more than 100 countries internationally. To learn more about PIFBS, visit pifbs.org.
 
About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations.  USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.  USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.  The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.

As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.