Event News: Robby Wilson Memorial Showcase June 24-26, 2022… In Honor of the NSR Softball Scout Who Passed from COVID Last Year, All Proceeds Go to His Family

Robby Wilson was a well-known figure in the softball recruiting world as he worked at National Scouting Report (NSR) and was active in the space helping get college attention for deserving athletes.

Robby passed away on January 12, 2021, at the young age of 35 after being hospitalized for a month with COVID and, after helping over 500 softball players advance to play at the college level, he is being honored with a showcase tournament in his name to be played this summer.

All proceeds of the Robby Wilson Memorial Showcase will go to his family which included his wife Leslie and daughters Madyson (age 16) and Parker (8).

The Stars Fastpitch organization out of Perryville, Missouri, has partnered with NSR, which has been helping high school athletes get scholarships since 1980, to put on this first annual tourney this summer which will be held June 24-26, 2022 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

“We wanted to honor and celebrate Robby’s life as a scout, coach, father, and husband,” explains NSR Area Director and College Scout Mandi Balduf. “He was a larger-than-life figure in the scouting world. He worked for kids and players across the country and was instrumental in hundreds of dreams coming true.”

Rusty Rigney, the President & CEO of NSR—a company which has 90 scouts across the country in various sports—believes that Wilson’s efforts made a mark on the sport of softball in many ways, but most powerfully in changing the lives of hundreds of girls that are living out their dream of playing at the college level.

“Robby was a true innovator in recruiting,” the company leader says. “He was always looking for ways to improve his methods and the only thing bigger than his work ethic was his heart he had for the girls. Robby connected so well with the players. Laughing at the silliest jokes one minute and giving life lesson advice the next. I can’t say enough about what a special man, scout, and friend he was to so many and I hope coaches and teams will come to this event and help us celebrate Robby’s memory as we continue his legacy of helping athletes live out their dream.”

The event in his honor will see teams compete in the 8U through 18U age divisions and will also feature on-site metric testing by NSR scouts.

Robby’s wife says she was “blown away” when Mandi Balduf messaged her about the Memorial Tournament and that the gate fees and donations would be given to the college funds of Madyson, who is playing high school softball at O’Connell College Prep in Galveston, Texas, and Parker, who is playing 8U travel ball for the Maumelle Diamonds in Arkansas.

“NSR has been so supportive of us after the passing of Robby and this just topped it all off,” Leslie says. “They even asked Parker to throw out the first pitch as she has started pitching at 8-years-old.  This event will celebrate Robby’s love for the game and the players, and we are so proud to be apart of it.  I know he is smiling down so grateful that his daughters have the opportunity to spend time with his prospects and fellow scouts playing the game he loved and lived for!”

What made Robby so impactful in the recruiting world? Leslie believes it was his passion for the sport, which began when Madyson started t-ball.

“He was constantly looking up different drills and ways to get the girls to grow their skills,” his wife remembers. “Robby always felt that his job as a scout was to not only get the girls recruited to a school that fit them but also teach them the skills to succeed in adulthood.  His prospects had to handle things on their own with guidance from him every step of the way.  This led to constant phone calls and texts with parents, the prospects and coaches which would sometimes be cumbersome, but he always would answer because he was committed to his job of helping prospects do their best.”

“Robby had a tattoo on his wrist—”RYR”—for “Remember Your Reasons.”  His reasons were God, his family, and his “girls.” He led his life this way and I will be forever grateful for him instilling this in his daughters and everyone he touched.”

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Below is a flyer with the specifics of this summer’s event…

Coaches & teams interested in registering for the event can do so at www.playnsa.com. Specifically, click on the following age divisions to get specific info: 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U.