Hartford Softball Tournament “Strike Out Bullying” Partners With GAB

June 30-July 1, 2018 was a sweltering Wisconsin weekend-a perfect time to play fast pitch softball. And, 44 teams did just that at the inaugural Hartford Velocity Girls Fast Pitch Softball Tournament to “Strike Out Bullying” in partnership with GAB. Teams from all over S.E. and Southern Wisconsin traveled to Harford, WI representing girls fast pitch teams in age brackets from 10U-18U, competed with each other and 95 F humid weather to be champions.

Team chants and cheers could be heard from all the diamonds the whole weekend.

This was the first year of the tournament and interest was so high that the organization had to turn some teams away as there would not have been enough diamonds. The theme of the tournament is “Strike Out Bullying” and they chose GAB as their non-profit partner because of GAB’s successful, positive, Upstander Program to combat bullying. It’s a wonderful partnership.

Linda Lee, Executive Director, GAB visited young people in the crowd asking them to become a hero and be an upstander. To each, she gave a GAB Upstander bracelet.

During the presentation of the Championship team trophies and metals, James Dean, Executive Assistant, GAB, thanked all the young women for their hard work and dedication to the sport of girls fast pitch softball. He told them of the soft spot in his heart for women’s softball because of his Mom. James’ Mom, was an original member of the Rockford Peaches, which was the team featured in the movie “A League of Their Own. He told them how proud he was to be able to wear his Mom’s Baseball Hall of Fame ring. There certainly was “no crying in baseball” this weekend, just fun, tough, competition and support from great fans.

Special thanks go to Jeremy Stoudt, his wife Chrissy, and all the other dedicated volunteers of the Hartford Velocity Girls Fast Pitch organization for all their hard work to make this a successful tournament and, for partnering with GAB to help create upstanders and stop the epidemic of bullying.

PHOTO GALLERY.

Special thanks to Ponyville for their donation to GAB
that helps support our outreach programs.

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