Don’t Miss Out: Rising Stars Futures Watchlist Deadline Soon! [Classes 2031-2034]

Rising Stars Watchlist: Applications close June 30

The deadline is quickly approaching for athletes hoping to earn national recognition through the Extra Inning Softball Rising Stars Futures Summer Watchlist. Submit Now!

With submissions officially closing on June 30, families, coaches, and organizations are encouraged to finalize nominations for athletes in the 10U and 12U divisions (Classes 2031 – 2034) before the window closes.

The Rising Stars Futures Summer Watchlist was created to identify and spotlight some of the top emerging athletes across the country while helping build an early pathway toward future national rankings and recruiting visibility.

This year’s expansion includes two major additions: a new three-tier evaluation system and the integration of national leaderboard exposure featuring athlete photos, accomplishments, and placement.

Three-Tier Futures System

As part of the expanded format, athletes selected for the watchlist will now be categorized into one of three national tiers based on performance, projection, consistency, and long-term upside. Submit HERE!

Together, these tiers help establish a more structured national development pipeline while giving athletes, families, and coaches clearer visibility into future ranking potential.

Futures Premier
The highest distinction within the Futures platform, Futures Premier recognizes athletes demonstrating elite-level ability and standout consistency within their age division. This tier represents the highest level of recognition within the Rising Stars Futures system.

Futures Select
Futures Select highlights athletes who continue showing strong development, impact performance, and clear upward trajectory as they progress within the sport.

Futures Prospect
Futures Prospects recognizes emerging athletes who are gaining momentum and displaying promising growth within their age group.

Creating Clearer Visibility

The Rising Stars Futures Summer Watchlist is intended to celebrate athletes at every stage of development while creating a clearer pathway for future recognition and rankings. As CEO Bonnie Holland noted:

“One of the biggest goals behind the Three-Tier Futures System was creating a platform that celebrates development while providing meaningful recognition for young athletes.

Not every player develops at the same pace, and this structure allows us to highlight athletes at different stages of their journey while giving athletes, parents, and coaches a clearer picture of where players currently stand and where they may be headed.

We believe it creates a more exciting, transparent, and motivating experience for everyone involved,” Holland said.

Leaderboards Add Visibility

In addition to the tiered system, all selected athletes will receive placement on Extra Inning Softball’s growing national leaderboard platform.

Each athlete selected for the watchlist will receive a featured athlete photo, national leaderboard placement, recognition of historical tournament accomplishments and accolades, and increased national exposure through a centralized athlete platform.

The addition of the leaderboard system transforms the watchlist into more than just a one-time recognition. Instead, it creates a shareable, highly visible platform designed to help athletes build their profiles, showcase their achievements, and gain additional exposure moving forward. Submit Now!

Built on the SERV Methodology

To help ensure fairness and accuracy, all submissions require supporting documentation, including screenshots of game statistics. While Extra Inning Softball utilizes proprietary software to organize data, flag unusual trends, and assist with athlete evaluations, all watchlist placements are reviewed and approved by our rankings committee.

The process follows our SERV methodology: Software, Evaluate, Research, and Verify. By combining technology with human evaluation, we strive to provide a consistent, transparent, and credible review process for every athlete considered.

Submission Window Closing

Extra Inning Softball officials continue emphasizing one important reminder: athletes cannot be selected if they are not submitted.

As the June 30 deadline approaches, organizations and families are encouraged not to wait until the final days to complete the nomination process.

The Stars Futures Summer Watchlist continues serving as one of the earliest national visibility opportunities available for athletes in the Classes of 2031 through 2034.

To submit an athlete for consideration, visit our Submission Page before the nomination window officially closes.

Join Now!

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