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Softball events planned in Spartanburg

Staff Report //June 20, 2019//

Softball events planned in Spartanburg

Staff Report //June 20, 2019//

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Spartanburg County will host 94 softball teams from around the country at Tyger River Park for the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Training Camp July 18-22, and the USA Softball Junior Olympic Cup July 21-27, according to a news release.

The Junior Olympic Cup is an opportunity for USA Softball coaching staff and the Women’s National Team Selection Committee to scout and evaluate talent for the U.S. Olympic Team. Junior National Team Training Camp gives the U.S. Women’s team the chance to prep for upcoming national and international competition, the release said.

“Tyger River Park is tailor-made for this kind of event. With 13 softball and baseball fields, we know Tyger River Park is an attractive option for top-level competitions like the USA Softball Junior Olympic Cup,” Kristen Guilfoos, marketing manager with the Spartanburg County Parks Department, said in the release. “Last year, Tyger River Park hosted the 2018 USA Softball Girls Class A 12-Under National Championship, and the facility was previously a USA Softball Complex of the Year. This summer’s events continue to strengthen the already-strong bond between USA Softball and Spartanburg County.”

Previously held in cities like St. Louis and Chino Hills, Calif., the Junior Olympic Cup features teams in three age divisions: under 18, under 16, and under 14. The tournament includes a five-game guarantee for each team, with three games in pool play before a double-elimination bracket leading to a single championship game, according to the release.

Organizers expect the Junior Olympic Cup will bring more than 3,600 people, including players and their families, to Spartanburg County, the release said.

“We expect our hotels to see increased traffic from USA Softball’s presence,” Kristyn Hawkins, Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau sports tourism sales director, said in the release. “Coaches, players and their families will stay at local hotels, eat at local restaurants and visit local attractions, furthering the growing economic impact of sports tourism in Spartanburg County.”

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