OKLAHOMA CITY – The Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball will hold an open tryout on December 30, 2016 for players hoping to make the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team (JWNT) roster. Held at Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, Fla., eligible athletes have from now through December 1 to sign up through USASoftball.com for the open tryout, which will involve a series of softball related skill drills for each position, hitting and bunting. The top athletes from the open tryout will be selected to participate at the USA Softball JWNT Selection Camp December 31-January 1, where they will compete for a spot on the 17-athlete roster along with the list of invited athletes to be released at a later date. Those athletes selected to the 2017 JWNT will compete at the World Cup of Softball XII in Oklahoma City, Okla. and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Junior Women’s World Championship in Clearwater, Fla. July 24-30.
“We are excited to provide an open tryout opportunity for athletes wishing to make the 2017 USA Softball JWNT roster,” said ASA/USA Softball Director of National Teams Ronnie Isham. “As we head towards our preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, we want to provide as many opportunities for athletes to be seen by members of our USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC) and coaching pool. With the success of the open tryout in 2015, in which four athletes from the open tryout made the 2015 USA Softball JWNT, we are hopeful for another successful turnout this December in Clearwater.”
The open tryout is open to any female U.S. citizen born in 1998, 1999 or 2000 who can commit to a June – July, 2017 time period. There is a $100, non-refundable registration fee for any ASA/USA registered athlete that includes a participant t-shirt and training from some of the top coaches in fast pitch softball. There is a $115, non-refundable registration fee for athletes who are not registered through ASA/USA Softball that also includes a participant t-shirt, training from the top coaches in fast pitch softball and insurance coverage for the open tryout. Participants are responsible for their own equipment and expenses to the tryouts. Those athletes who advance from the open tryout and are selected to attend the JWNT Selection Camp will then have their expenses paid for by ASA/USA Softball.
Below are the minimum standards for athletes to register for the JWNT open tryouts:
Infielders/Outfielders (must meet each of the following)
- Bat Speed – 50 mph minimum
- Run (home to first) – 2.95 seconds maximum
- Run (home to home) – 12.5 seconds maximum
- Throwing Speed – 55 mph minimum
- Pushups – 30 minimum
Pitchers (consistent speed for any three of the following)
- Fastball – 63 mph minimum
- Riseball – 60 mph minimum
- Change up – 45 mph maximum or 18 mph slower than maximum pitch speed
- Curveball – 60 mph minimum
- Dropball – 63 mph minimum
Catchers (must meet each of the following)
- Throw (home to second) – 2 second maximum
- Throwing Speed – 55 mph minimum
- Bat Speed – 50 mph minimum
- Run (home to first) – 2.95 seconds maximum
- Run (home to home) – 12.5 seconds max
- Pushups – 30 minimum
Click here to register for the Open Tryout.
Further information on the JWNT open tryout, including registration time and hotel information, will be relayed to registered athletes after the registration deadline.
The 2017 USA Softball JWNT will compete in two international competitions in 2017, the World Cup of Softball XII in Oklahoma City, Okla. and the WBSC Junior Women’s World Championship in Clearwater, Fla.
For updates on the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team and events throughout the 2017 season visit www.USASoftball.com.
About ASA/USA Softball
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.02 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won 10 World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com/.
About the World Baseball Softball Confederation
Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland — the Olympic Capital — the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for baseball and softball. WBSC has 213 National Federation and Associate Members in 142 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums worldwide annually.
The WBSC also governs all international competitions involving official National Teams. The WBSC oversees the Softball World Championships (Men, Women, U-19 Men, and U-19 Women), Premier12, World Baseball Classic, and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women’s).
For further information, please go to www.WBSC.org or follow the WBSC on Twitter at @WBSC.
