Rising Stars Fall ShowcaseOct 22, 2015 by Brentt Eads
Event Preview: Rising Stars Fall Event
Event Preview: Rising Stars Fall Event
Twenty-one years ago, Marty Cooper was the Softball Commissioner in Plantation, Florida running the rec and travel softball leagues as well as coaching high
Twenty-one years ago, Marty Cooper was the Softball Commissioner in Plantation, Florida running the rec and travel softball leagues as well as coaching high school and club teams.
Join Now to see all 68 games Saturday and Sunday at Rising Stars! See the schedule below for all game times…
He and his wife, Cyd, had softball playing daughters of their own and were cruising along doing well in local slowpitch competition, but one factor led to what would become the genesis of the Rising Stars Fall Event—one of the oldest and most prestigious club events of the year which kicks off on Friday and runs through Sunday in Plantation, Davie and Cooper City, Florida.
“The real truth,” Cyd explains candidly, “is our (club) team got rejected three years in a row from a tournament in South Carolina and that upset me because we were quite good.”
The Plantation-based team quickly became dominant in slow pitch play but “turned on a dime when it became fastpitch overnight in the early ‘90’s.”
Before long, Marty’s Plantation Fastpitch team—which would eventually be renamed “Gold Coast Hurricanes”—would become one of the best in the country.
The Hurricanes finished in the Top 10 at the 2005 ASA Nationals in Salinas, California and then placed third in 2007 before winning the championship in 2008, back when the ASA Nationals was only major championship at the club level.
Along with the rise of their own team, the Coopers began the Rising Stars fall event to promote the sport in the Southeast. It was held in Plantation for the first six years before moving to Bamford in 2000 where it’s been every since.
“The very first one we had 20 teams and four field and, back then, we didn’t have e-mail so I sent invitation by mail to everyone,” Cyd laughs. “It was fancy script writing letters but we got some good teams—one from New Jersey, the KC Peppers and a lot of Georgia and Florida teams that could drive.”
“We also had 20 colleges come, including Pat Murphy (Alabama) and Ken Erickson (South Florida) and everyone was able to fit into the Holiday Inn in Plantation.”
This weekend, 122 teams from across the nation in the 18U, 16U and 14U age levels will play at three parks that are all less than five minutes from each other.
The teams will come from as far away as California, Texas and Rhode Island with a five-game guarantee; the winning teams in each bracket will receive t-shirts for the players.
Friday’s action will kickoff at 8 am EST with a Skills Player Camp, a College Exposure Academic Workout and an Individual Showcase Event at Bamford Park in Davie. At 11:30 am the team games will begin and run through the evening.
Saturday and Sunday will see a full day of competition with games starting at 8 am and the last contests beginning at 8 pm.
FloSoftball will be streaming live the games at the Bamford Sports Complex on Fields 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8.
From the modest beginning, the Rising Stars event would grow in time to become one of the biggest in the country.
Five years ago, the Coopers sold the event to David King and Triple Crown Sports. For the first four years, Cyd admits she and Marty “took a back seat” in running the event but as of last year came back in full-time to oversee the day-to-day operations.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” she explains, “because we believe 100 percent in David’s philosophy of taking care of the customer but now we have the ability to put our twist on it too including a booming vendor’s row.”
Marty Cooper and wife Cyd created and have been part of the Rising Stars Fall Event for over two decades.
At its biggest, Rising Stars had 275 teams with over 250 college coaches in attendance.
“I know it was that many,” Cyd laughs, “because I fed them! We were the first to feed the college coaches on a large scale with a chef on-site and having everything from prime rib to an omelet station. Over time we became known in the college coach world as ‘those crazy people who feed the coaches.”’
Great food aside, the co-creator of the event says the reason for the tournament’s success is clear.
“We are one of the most convenient tournaments to get to in the country,” she states. “We’re seven miles from a major airport, the Ft. Lauderdale airport, and you have beaches and luxury hotels less than five miles from the event.”
“Teams and college coaches love the convenience of flying to Ft. Lauderdale or even Miami, which is 30 miles away, and there’s no traffic. Plus, you can be at the hotels and fields in 10 minutes.”
Another reason for the longevity of Rising Stars, she believes, is the person attention she and her husband as well as the Triple Crown Sports staff put into making it a good experience for all.
“We want people to feel that we create events they want to keep coming back to,” she continues, “so we pay great attention to having well-groomed fields, covered dugouts, longer games, great food and affordable hotels—here, you have four-star resort hotels ranging from only $84 to $120 per night.”
Cyd says she tries to always be available to answer questions that might come up from club coach, college scout or parent.
“People see that we really do care that they have a good experience and that’s why people have been coming back for 21 years.”
RISING STARS LIVE STREAMING SCHEDULE:
PARTICIPATING TEAMS:
18 Gold Teams:
Join Now to see all 68 games Saturday and Sunday at Rising Stars! See the schedule below for all game times…
He and his wife, Cyd, had softball playing daughters of their own and were cruising along doing well in local slowpitch competition, but one factor led to what would become the genesis of the Rising Stars Fall Event—one of the oldest and most prestigious club events of the year which kicks off on Friday and runs through Sunday in Plantation, Davie and Cooper City, Florida.
“The real truth,” Cyd explains candidly, “is our (club) team got rejected three years in a row from a tournament in South Carolina and that upset me because we were quite good.”
The Plantation-based team quickly became dominant in slow pitch play but “turned on a dime when it became fastpitch overnight in the early ‘90’s.”
Before long, Marty’s Plantation Fastpitch team—which would eventually be renamed “Gold Coast Hurricanes”—would become one of the best in the country.
The Hurricanes finished in the Top 10 at the 2005 ASA Nationals in Salinas, California and then placed third in 2007 before winning the championship in 2008, back when the ASA Nationals was only major championship at the club level.
Along with the rise of their own team, the Coopers began the Rising Stars fall event to promote the sport in the Southeast. It was held in Plantation for the first six years before moving to Bamford in 2000 where it’s been every since.
“The very first one we had 20 teams and four field and, back then, we didn’t have e-mail so I sent invitation by mail to everyone,” Cyd laughs. “It was fancy script writing letters but we got some good teams—one from New Jersey, the KC Peppers and a lot of Georgia and Florida teams that could drive.”
“We also had 20 colleges come, including Pat Murphy (Alabama) and Ken Erickson (South Florida) and everyone was able to fit into the Holiday Inn in Plantation.”
This weekend, 122 teams from across the nation in the 18U, 16U and 14U age levels will play at three parks that are all less than five minutes from each other.
The teams will come from as far away as California, Texas and Rhode Island with a five-game guarantee; the winning teams in each bracket will receive t-shirts for the players.
Friday’s action will kickoff at 8 am EST with a Skills Player Camp, a College Exposure Academic Workout and an Individual Showcase Event at Bamford Park in Davie. At 11:30 am the team games will begin and run through the evening.
Saturday and Sunday will see a full day of competition with games starting at 8 am and the last contests beginning at 8 pm.
FloSoftball will be streaming live the games at the Bamford Sports Complex on Fields 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8.
From the modest beginning, the Rising Stars event would grow in time to become one of the biggest in the country.
Five years ago, the Coopers sold the event to David King and Triple Crown Sports. For the first four years, Cyd admits she and Marty “took a back seat” in running the event but as of last year came back in full-time to oversee the day-to-day operations.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” she explains, “because we believe 100 percent in David’s philosophy of taking care of the customer but now we have the ability to put our twist on it too including a booming vendor’s row.”
Marty Cooper and wife Cyd created and have been part of the Rising Stars Fall Event for over two decades.
At its biggest, Rising Stars had 275 teams with over 250 college coaches in attendance.
“I know it was that many,” Cyd laughs, “because I fed them! We were the first to feed the college coaches on a large scale with a chef on-site and having everything from prime rib to an omelet station. Over time we became known in the college coach world as ‘those crazy people who feed the coaches.”’
Great food aside, the co-creator of the event says the reason for the tournament’s success is clear.
“We are one of the most convenient tournaments to get to in the country,” she states. “We’re seven miles from a major airport, the Ft. Lauderdale airport, and you have beaches and luxury hotels less than five miles from the event.”
“Teams and college coaches love the convenience of flying to Ft. Lauderdale or even Miami, which is 30 miles away, and there’s no traffic. Plus, you can be at the hotels and fields in 10 minutes.”
Another reason for the longevity of Rising Stars, she believes, is the person attention she and her husband as well as the Triple Crown Sports staff put into making it a good experience for all.
“We want people to feel that we create events they want to keep coming back to,” she continues, “so we pay great attention to having well-groomed fields, covered dugouts, longer games, great food and affordable hotels—here, you have four-star resort hotels ranging from only $84 to $120 per night.”
Cyd says she tries to always be available to answer questions that might come up from club coach, college scout or parent.
“People see that we really do care that they have a good experience and that’s why people have been coming back for 21 years.”
RISING STARS LIVE STREAMING SCHEDULE:
| POOL | Day | Time | Field | Age | Visitor | vs | Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Demarini Athletics 18 gold | vs | Tampa Mustangs-TJ |
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Gold Coast Hurricanes 18 Gold - Cooper | vs | Demarini Athletics 18 gold |
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #2-Yankee | 18U | SoCal Fillys | vs | Tampa Mustangs-TJ |
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Rock 18 Gold - Waye | vs | Wagners-3n2 |
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Gold Coast Hurricanes 18 Gold - Cooper | vs | Wagners-3n2 |
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Gold Coast Hurricanes 18 Gold - Cooper | vs | Rock 18 Gold - Waye |
| Pool 1 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | SoCal Fillys | vs | Wagners-3n2 |
| Pool 1 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | SoCal Fillys | vs | Rock 18 Gold - Waye |
| Pool 1 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Gold Coast Hurricanes 18 Gold - Cooper | vs | Tampa Mustangs-TJ |
| Pool 1 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #6-W.Sox | 18U | Demarini Athletics 18 gold | vs | Wagners-3n2 |
| Pool 2 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | RI Thunder | vs | Florida Power Black - Kaser |
| Pool 2 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | Miami Stingrays 18 Gold | vs | NJ Pride Gold |
| Pool 2 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | RI Thunder | vs | Florida Storm Gold - Shepherd |
| Pool 2 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | Team California 18U | vs | Florida Power Black - Kaser |
| Pool 2 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | Miami Stingrays 18 Gold | vs | Florida Storm Gold - Shepherd |
| Pool 2 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | Team California 18U | vs | NJ Pride Gold |
| Pool 2 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | NJ Pride Gold | vs | Florida Storm Gold - Shepherd |
| Pool 2 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | Team California 18U | vs | RI Thunder |
| Pool 2 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #3-Brave | 18U | Miami Stingrays 18 Gold | vs | Florida Power Black - Kaser |
| Pool 3 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | Florida Fire 98 Moritz | vs | Polar Crush |
| Pool 3 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | FIRECRACKERS-AZ | vs | Panthers Fastpitch-Clint |
| Pool 3 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | Florida Fire 98 Moritz | vs | Team TFS STX |
| Pool 3 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | Crossfire | vs | Polar Crush |
| Pool 3 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | FIRECRACKERS-AZ | vs | Team TFS STX |
| Pool 3 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | Crossfire | vs | Panthers Fastpitch-Clint |
| Pool 3 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | Panthers Fastpitch-Clint | vs | Team TFS STX |
| Pool 3 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | Crossfire | vs | Florida Fire 98 Moritz |
| Pool 3 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #4-Marlin | 18U | FIRECRACKERS-AZ | vs | Polar Crush |
| Pool 4 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | FL-Team Mizuno - Morgan | vs | New Jersey Breakers Gold-Salvatore |
| Pool 4 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | Clearwater Lady Bombers Gold | vs | Gators Gold - Flannery |
| Pool 4 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | FL-Team Mizuno - Morgan | vs | Socal Magic 18 gold |
| Pool 4 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | TC Tremors Gold | vs | New Jersey Breakers Gold-Salvatore |
| Pool 4 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | Clearwater Lady Bombers Gold | vs | Socal Magic 18 gold |
| Pool 4 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | TC Tremors Gold | vs | Gators Gold - Flannery |
| Pool 4 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | Clearwater Lady Bombers Gold | vs | New Jersey Breakers Gold-Salvatore |
| Pool 4 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | Gators Gold - Flannery | vs | Socal Magic 18 gold |
| Pool 4 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #1-Oriole | 18U | Gators Gold - Flannery | vs | FL-Team Mizuno - Morgan |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Carolina Elite Genovese/Fusetti | vs | L'il Saints East |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | Carolina Elite Genovese/Fusetti | vs | Louisiana Voodoo - Barksdale |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | Florida Storm | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes 16-Rodriguez |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | Carolina Elite Genovese/Fusetti | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes 16-Rodriguez |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | Carolina Elite Genovese/Fusetti | vs | Florida Storm |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | Hanover Hornets 16U | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes 16-Rodriguez |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | Louisiana Voodoo - Barksdale | vs | FL -Team Mizuno - Conrad |
| Pool 5 | Saturday | 12:00pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Louisiana Voodoo - Barksdale | vs | Tampa Mustangs Gold Bell |
| Pool 5 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #7-Tiger | 16U | FL -Team Mizuno - Conrad | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes 16-Rodriguez |
| Pool 6 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Hatters Gold Birle | vs | Florida Select |
| Pool 6 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Sarasota Heat 16-Dover | vs | L'il Saints East |
| Pool 6 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Hatters Gold Birle | vs | Tampa Mustangs Gold Bell |
| Pool 6 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Sarasota Heat 16-Dover | vs | Florida Select |
| Pool 6 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Florida Select | vs | Tampa Mustangs Gold Bell |
| Pool 6 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Sarasota Heat 16-Dover | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes 16-Rodriguez |
| Pool 6 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 16U | Hatters Gold Birle | vs | L'il Saints East |
| Pool 7 | Saturday | 8:00am | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Hanover Lady Hornets | vs | Tampa Mustangs - TJ 14U |
| Pool 7 | Saturday | 10:00am | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Florida Fire Watson | vs | Hanover Lady Hornets |
| Pool 7 | Saturday | 2:00pm | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Florida Grynd | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes-Devesa |
| Pool 7 | Saturday | 4:00pm | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Gold Coast Hurricanes-Devesa | vs | Tampa Mustangs - TJ 14U |
| Pool 7 | Saturday | 6:00pm | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Florida Fire Watson | vs | Florida Grynd |
| Pool 7 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Florida Fire Watson | vs | Stingers Gold |
| Pool 7 | Sunday | 8:00am | Bamford #7-Tiger | 14U | Gold Coast Hurricanes-Devesa | vs | Jacksonville Storm Davis |
| Pool 7 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Florida Grynd | vs | Gold Coast Hurricanes - Neveling |
| Pool 7 | Sunday | 10:00am | Bamford #7-Tiger | 14U | Hanover Lady Hornets | vs | Team Tampa-Salvarola |
| Pool 7 | Sunday | 12:00pm | Bamford #2-Yankee | 14U | Tampa Mustangs - TJ 14U | vs | Panthers 01 |
| Pool 8 | Friday | 11:30am | Bamford #8-Indian | 14U | Gold Coast Hurricanes - Neveling | vs | Team Tampa-Salvarola |
| Pool 8 | Friday | 1:30pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 14U | Stingers Gold | vs | Panthers 01 |
| Pool 8 | Friday | 3:30pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 14U | Gold Coast Hurricanes - Neveling | vs | Panthers 01 |
| Pool 8 | Friday | 5:30pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 14U | Jacksonville Storm Davis | vs | Team Tampa-Salvarola |
| Pool 8 | Friday | 7:30pm | Bamford #8-Indian | 14U | Stingers Gold | vs | Jacksonville Storm Davis |
PARTICIPATING TEAMS:
18 Gold Teams:
- Clearwater Bullets 18 Gold
- Clearwater Lady Bombers Gold
- Connecticut Seahawks - Gold
- Crossfire
- Crossfire-Team Stump
- Cruisers Elite
- CT Eliminators Gold
- Demarini Athletics 18 gold
- FIRECRACKERS-AZ
- FL-Team Mizuno - Morgan
- Florida Fire 98 Moritz
- Florida Force 18U Gold
- Florida Power Black - Kaser
- Florida Select
- Florida Storm Gold - Shepherd
- Gold Coast Hurricanes - Schmalz
- Gold Coast Hurricanes 18 Gold - Cooper
- Lady Bandits Showcase
- Lady Gators Jackson
- Lightspeed Gold
- Miami Stingrays 18 A Red
- Miami Stingrays 18 Gold
- New England Diamond Gems Premier Gold 18U
- New Jersey Breakers Gold-Salvatore
- NJ Breakers Gold 18U Gold
- NJ Heist Elite
- NJ Heist Gold
- NJ Pride Gold
- NLS
- Panthers Fastpitch-Clint
- Polar Crush
- RI Thunder
- Rock 18 Gold - Waye
- SJ Mystics GOLD--Jackson
- SoCal Fillys
- Socal Magic 18 gold
- Southern Shockers 18U Gold
- Tampa Mustangs-TJ
- TC Tremors Gold
- Team California 18U
- Team TFS STX
- Wagners-3n2
- West Pines Diamond Dusters - Norman
- Wolfpack Miami 18 GOLD
- Clearwater Bombers Gold - Mason
- Clearwater Lady Bombers Aitken 18U
- Coral Springs Panthers Staubly
- FINCHS ACES
- Lady Bandits Elite
- Lake County Tigers 18U-Navy
- Lake County Tigers Orange
- Miami Lady Canes 18u
- Miami Stingrays Black
- Rock 18 Gold - Cognigni
- Sarasota Heat-Tampa 18U
- Sting Fastpitch 18U
- Sunrise Thunder - Dennis
- Top Gun 18U Elite
- Wagners Gold-Thomas
- Wildfire - Golden
- Carolina Elite Genovese/Fusetti
- Clearwater Bombers 16 Gold
- Clearwater Bullets
- Coral Springs Panthers 00
- Crossfire (Team Grimaldo)
- FL -Team Mizuno - Conrad
- Florida Gold John
- Florida Grynd
- Florida Select
- Florida Storm
- Gainesville Gold-Phillips
- Gold Coast Hurricanes 16-Rodriguez
- Gold Coast Hurricanes Farias 16
- Gold Coast Hurricanes-Miller
- Hanover Hornets 16U
- Hatters Gold Birle
- L'il Saints East
- Lady Gators Jackson -Estes
- Lady Gators Jackson-Schmidt
- Louisiana Voodoo - Barksdale
- Miami Stingrays-Red
- Palm Beach Bandits Showcase 16U-Gold
- Sarasota Heat 16-Dover
- Sarasota Quicksilver
- Sunrise Thunder 16U
- Tampa Mustangs Gold Bell
- West Pines Diamond Dusters Hodges
- WP Diamond Dusters - de Leon
- 3N2 DG 02 Ralph
- Delray Lady Canes
- Fire 14U Pena
- FL-Team Mizuno - Yawn
- Florida Fire Watson
- Florida Force 14u
- Florida Power Black 01
- Florida Select
- Gators ` Ortiz` Flannery 14u
- Hanover Lady Hornets
- Hatters Gold 14U Birle
- Jacksonville Storm Davis
- NLS Elite 14U Stager
- Panthers 01
- Pembroke Lakes Bandits - Delvin
- Port Perry Angels 2000
- Tampa Mustangs - TJ 14U
- West Pines Diamond Dusters