Beyond the Line Drive: Rebuilding with the SERV Methodology & 12.8 Million Strong

During the summer of 2022, I was asked to leave my full-time position in the local prosecutor’s office to work with Extra Inning Softball. In November 2022 I became a co-owner of the company. Having worked for Extra Inning Softball part-time since August 2020, I welcomed the opportunity to work with female athletes on a full-time basis.

In April 2023, just six months later, a national story was published under prior co-ownership that should never have appeared on our platform. It did not reflect the values I believe youth sports media must uphold.

The mother of the athlete featured in the article contacted me directly. While I was already working behind the scenes to have the story removed, she shared something that intensified the gravity of the situation: her daughter had previously been struck in the face by a LINE DRIVE in earlier years. The emotional weight of that history magnified the impact.

Within five days, the article was permanently removed.

Immediately afterward, I met with legal counsel to implement structural safeguards so that nothing like it could ever happen again.

But the damage had already begun.

The Weight of One Decision

Consequences

Between April 2023, the month the story was published, and January 2024, the company lost one-fourth of its membership base. The decline was steady and measurable.

When I assumed sole ownership in January 2024, credibility had been compromised. More concerning, the rankings system lacked a defined methodology. There was no formal framework guiding evaluations. No structured validation process.

It felt like trying to turn around a sinking battleship — while the former co-owner launched a competing platform in the same space we move forward with confidence.

A Reset in Standards

In early 2024, we rebranded and realigned the company around three core principles:

Empower. Inspire. Support.

EIS is more than an abbreviation. It is the standard by which we measure every article, spotlight, ranking, and social media post.

I made a commitment: only positive, constructive, athlete-centered content would be published under our name. No exceptions.

This was not a marketing pivot. It was a values reset.

Creating Structure: The SERV Methodology

Rebranding our editorial standards was only part of the solution. Rankings required discipline and structure.

That is how the SERV methodology was created.

SERV stands for:

• Software – Proprietary systems to track/organize performance data
• Evaluate – Position-specific skill assessment and measurable metrics
• Research – Cross-checking competition level & verified performance
• Verify – Confirming accuracy through multiple data points

Prior to 2024, no formal methodology governed rankings under the previous structure. Today, every evaluation flows through SERV. It provides transparency, repeatability, and accountability.

Rankings without methodology create noise.
Rankings with structure create trust.

The Role of Feedback

I credit our recovery to two sources.

First and foremost, to God — for the clarity, endurance, and conviction to lead through an uncomfortable season. Leadership requires humility and resilience, and I believe both were strengthened during that period.

Second, to the softball community.

The feedback was not always easy. At times, it was direct and even brutal. But that feedback forced refinement. It revealed weaknesses. It demanded better.

Without it, we would not have built the revamped rankings approach that now defines our platform.

Software: The Backbone of Evaluation

At the foundation of SERV is proprietary ranking software developed specifically for Extra Inning Softball‘s evaluation process.

This is not a spreadsheet-only system. It is a structured data environment that allows:

• Cross-comparison of athletes by position across classes
• Statistical pattern recognition over time
• Automated flagging of anomalies or outlier performances
• Composite Scoring based on tournament quality and competitiveness

Evaluate: Expertise Applied to Performance

Data informs. Experience interprets.

The Evaluate pillar of SERV is where our knowledge of the game becomes critical. Statistics alone do not determine rankings. They must be understood within the context of competition, mechanics, projection, and situational performance.

Evaluation includes:

• Detailed analysis of performance statistics within competitive context
• Position-specific breakdown of measurable skills and athletic tools
• Film review of game footage and skills video
• Direct observation at tournaments and showcase events
• Consideration of feedback from trusted professionals

Watching video allows us to assess mechanics, movement efficiency, situational awareness, and decision-making — elements that numbers cannot fully capture. In-person tournament attendance provides something even more valuable: live evaluation of tempo, presence, competitive response, and performance under pressure.

We understand the difference between a player compiling numbers and a player impacting the game.

Research: Competitive Context Matters

While software builds structure, research builds credibility.

The Research pillar of SERV ensures that rankings are never driven by numbers alone. Data must be contextualized, validated, and examined through experienced eyes.

This phase includes:

• Direct discussions with head coaches
• Feedback from trusted regional leaders across the country
• Ranking determinations made by a unanimous rankings committee

That rankings committee is comprised of women who have played and coached at the collegiate level. These are individuals who understand competitive benchmarks, projection, positional nuance, and the developmental trajectory of elite athletes.

Their role is not symbolic. It is decisive.

Every ranking determination requires unanimous agreement within the committee. If consensus is not reached, the discussion continues. That safeguard ensures that no single voice, region, or bias dictates placement.

Research provides depth.
It provides perspective.
It provides competitive intelligence that software alone cannot replicate.

In SERV, analytics establish structure — but experienced leadership confirms legitimacy.

The Standard Moving Forward