RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
A new professional softball league, the WPF (for “Women’s Professional League), will begin next summer based on the collaboration of three companies—USA Softball, USSSA Pride and Smash It Sports, it was announced Thursday morning.
Former Oklahoma All-American Lauren Chamberlain will serve in the role of commissioner and the new league will be headquartered in Oklahoma City. Additional information about the WPF can be found at the league’s website:wprofastpitch.com.
The following news release was sent out Thursday morning with more details and quotes from the key parties…
Also, this video was released via various social meda outlets:
It's time to #ProtectHerDream @wprofastpitch
🔗 https://t.co/H8uO7tLUdh pic.twitter.com/BQQhuI2FY1
— USA Softball (@USASoftball) September 30, 2021
*****
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – WPF (Women’s Professional Fastpitch) is excited to announce the launch of their new professional softball league, slated to begin play in June of 2022. WPF aims to provide a long-lasting and viable option for softball players post-collegiate play, with the ultimate goal of making the professional dream a real possibility for young girls across the world.
Lauren Chamberlain, a former professional softball player and popular face in the sport, has been named Commissioner of the league.
“I am deeply humbled and incredibly excited for my role as Commissioner of WPF,” Chamberlain said. “I have worked hard to build good standing with existing softball athletes, people of influence in our sport, and those outside of our sport. I am confident that I can bridge the gap between all parties and create an exceptional professional level of softball, one that our sport and its athletes deserve.”
WPF founders are formed by three strong forces in softball: USA Softball, USSSA and Smash It Sports. The partnership between USA Softball and USSSA is to be highlighted, as both are approaching this venture hand in hand. This show of unity and progression will help shape the future of professional softball and the sport as a whole.
“The opportunity to venture back into a women’s professional league has been at the forefront of our mission within USSSA, and more specifically the USSSA Pride,” said Donny DeDonatis III, CEO of USSSA. “We are both ecstatic and humbled to be a major role player in WPF’s development and creation.”
“We are very excited about the launch of WPF,” said Craig Cress, USA Softball CEO. “We are looking forward to encouraging athletes to compete both professionally and internationally, and provide women more opportunities to continue their playing careers after college. With softball not being in the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA Softball recognizes the importance of keeping our athletes involved in high-level competition in order to be prepared for future Olympic appearances.”
Rick Schiffhauer, the President of Smash It Sports, has been a longtime supporter of softball. Smash It Sports has found success in the slow-pitch world, and looks forward to venturing into fastpitch.
“When I founded Smash It Sports, one of our core values was to look for avenues to advance women in diamond sports,” said Schiffhauer. “I want my daughters and other girls to have the same dreams and aspirations as the boys. We need to close the disparity between baseball and softball.”
The inaugural season will range from June 15, 2022, through Aug. 15, 2022. This scheduling decision was heavily based on giving professional athletes more opportunities to play. WPF will work hand in hand with other platforms to ensure the athletes have every opportunity to make a living playing the sport they love.
WPF will be headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with teams playing nationwide.
OKC is widely referred to as the “Softball Capital of the World,” and is home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series.
“Oklahoma City is unquestionably the world capital of softball, so of course it makes sense that this would be the headquarters of the WPF,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “We value being the host of this new endeavor, we’re excited for what that will mean in the years ahead, and we’re grateful to Commissioner Lauren Chamberlain and the WPF for choosing us. We look forward to watching the story of the league unfold.”
“It is time for the show to continue past the WCWS,” said Chamberlain. “Ya’ll are going to need more popcorn.”