Event Preview: PGF Nationals Back in Big Way This Week with 300-Plus 18U & 16U Teams From 34 States!

After a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Premier Girls Fastpitch (PGF) Nationals is back in a big way in 2021 with over 300 from 34 states battling this week for a chance to take home the coveted trophies at 18U and 16U (Premier and Platinum levels at both age divisions).

Many of the top names currently in college softball and even the Olympics over the last few weeks have competed in the prestigious event which began in 2010.

This week in the cities of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, and Irvine in Orange County, California, the teams will battle in the double-elimination format striving to make the PGF Platinum Championships on Friday and the PGF Premier Championships on Saturday.

The championships on both days will be at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

Click HERE to see the week’s complete schedule which begins “for real” on Tuesday with bracket play.

Additionally,  on Saturday the PGF High School All-American Game for graduated seniors will take the field at noon PST and the first-ever PGF High School (Futures) All-American Game will begin at 6:30 pm PST.

This year’s event has great talent both at the team and player levels but what I’ve really enjoyed is the history of the PGF Nationals which hit its 10-year birthday in 2019.

To honor the occasion two years, I published an article titled: “PGF Nationals Hits 10-Year Mark… Here are 10 Favorite Memories“… it was fun to write and revisit many of those great memories!

If you’ve been around the fields at PGF over the last 10 years or so, what’s been a favorite memory or two of yours? I’d love to hear: email me at [email protected] and let me know!

So, for those in So Cal where the weather always seems perfect this time of year, sit back and enjoy the great games and drama that is sure to take place.

And back to the original point of there being teams from all over the country–it’s truly a national even with travel teams coming in from Hawaii to Florida, Rhode Island to Washington and almost all points in between!

Don’t believe me? Check out the list of teams below and you’ll find all of these states represented!

Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball

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Teams Participating in 2021 PGF Nationals WEEK 1 (18U & 16U)