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If you know Jim Barsalona, the long-time travel ball event producer who runs Team NJ Events across the nation—and has been doing so for close to 30 years—you probably would want to reconsider dropping off cookies or other goodies at his home for the next few weeks.
That’s because Jim and his wife Carol are on the road this week and well into mid-November as he oversees the production of two of the top Fall club tourneys in the country.
Here’s a look at these two events loaded with many of the top travel teams and players in the nation…
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The 2022 Arizona Fall Invitational
The Fall Invitational begins tomorrow—Friday, October 28—and runs through Sunday, Oct. 30 in the areas of Phoenix, Chaparral, Horizon and Scottsdale. It’s primarily for 18’s and 16’s with some strong 14’s added in as well.
And it’s been kept at a smaller number of teams—62 total across the three age divisions—with only nine of them being from within Arizona, because Barsalona wanted to keep everything with a reasonable distance.
“We stopped at that number,” the event director begins, “simply because I didn’t want to go off site. We have three complexes where the teams will play within 15 minutes.”
In Arizona, as well as in the soon-to-follow Florida competition, a key aspect that everyone also loves is the quality of “the Blue” behind the plate; the umpiring will be handled by top DI college umpires from around the country.
Another positive: the event roster includes teams from not just the West—although powerhouse programs like Athletics – Mercado, Batbusters, Corona Angels and the Firecrackers will be taking the fields—but there will also be talented teams from as far back East as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and South Carolina, to name a few.
CLICK HERE to read more about the Arizona Fall Invitational
The Arizona Fall Invitational is a stay-to-play in a great location which Barsalona describes as being “very scenic.” It’s also a place he and his wife are very familiar with as well, as they’ve lived in Arizona at various times dating back to 1967.
“We’ll stay a few extra days in Phoenix next, “Jim explains, “and then we’ll head to Clearwater.”
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The 2022 Clearwater Fall Classic
One of the most anticipated events of the 2022 Fall season, the Clearwater Fall Classic will once again be held at the Eddie C. Moore Complex (nine fields) and the Sid Lickton Complex which has five fields and is about 10 minutes away from the Moore Complex.
What makes the event very fun to follow is it combines many of the elite teams from the top club event producers, Alliance and Premier Girls Fastpitch, and will see teams competing head-to-head that normally don’t have the opportunity.
“Some of the matchups are going to be really, really good!” Barsalona says excitedly, but it’s true as where else can you see the Alliance champion OC Batbusters – Stith team from So Cal take on the PGF winners Birmingham Thunderbolts – Rocky from Alabama
CLICK HERE to read more about the Clearwater Fall Classic
This mixture—a hybrid, if you will—of the top programs across the country hits every region with represented elite level organizations. At the 18U level alone, 20 states are represent including Arizona Storm – Mathis, the Corona Angels from Cali, the Bombers and Bullets from Georgia, the Polar Crush from Maine, the Suncats from New Mexico, the Lady Dukes and Lady Lightning from North Carolina all the way to Washington Ladyhawks in the far away Northwest.
So why do so many come so far? It’s simple: the best wants to play the best and, also, not a small detail, top college programs from EVERYWHERE will be on hand to evaluate the top recruits as well as the rising younger prospects.
And what both club and college coaches agree makes this event really beneficial: two-hour time slots.
“This is our fifth or sixth year of doing two-hour games,” Barsalona explains, “and it gets more girls in, with more at-bats and allows colleges to see them play. They can get two-back-to-back seven inning games and that’s plenty. Every game is seven innings and it’s not drop dead, time limited competition. Nobody likes drop dead, that sucks!”
It allows teams to play for exposure, sure, but also maintains that the Team NJ head calls “the integrity of the lineup. You don’t have to move kids here and there, you can play as you see best for the team and the kids but, most importantly, it accomplishes the two goals you have by playing in the Fall.”
Specifically Friday and Saturday at the Fall Classic in the Sunshine State will see 1 hour 40 minute “Finish the Inning” two-hour time slots followed by Sunday 1 hour 30 minute “Finish the Inning” contests set up in 1 hour 50 minute time slots.
“It’s serious softball so, No. 1, the coaches play to win and see what they have as a team and, No. 2, while competing against the best, each programs get their kids seen by top college coaches around the country.”
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball