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The Need - The sport of fastball is American as apple pie. Back in the '30's, '40's, and '50's town fastball teams and leagues were a given. Over the years, the participant numbers have diminished to the point that some areas of the U.S. do not even play male fastball. You see slowpitch and girls
fastpitch.
Those of us who love the sport and want to see it flourish again have realized the key to success is to develop players, teams, and programs at the youth level. We are confident the youth players will enjoy the sport and all it has to offer, and consequently continue playing the game as adults. The International Softball Congress (ISC) is taking a proactive position of actually helping develop local boys fastball teams.
Corporate Assistance - As a non-profit organization, the ISC does not have the funds to implement our play without the help of Corporate America, specifically, the sporting goods industry. The logic is that the more players involved in the game at both the youth and adult level, the more sporting goods products will be purchased by these athletes/consumers.
The Plan - Our plan is to solicit applicant teams from around the U.S. to apply for an ISC Youth Fastball Team Grant. We will create one new team for each "corporate sponsor" who comes on board. Our immediate goal is to create five new teams in 1999 in the 18 and under age category. The ISC's Youth Committee will advertise for applicants, screen the applications, talk to the key individual(s) involved in the application, and make the decision on which teams/programs to assist.
One a team has been accepted, they must sign an agreement with the ISC which stipulates the following conditions:
The grant will have a $2,500 value and will be given in a combination of product and cash.
The grant is for one year only as a tool to help the team get established and operational.
The team agrees to enter the ISC 18 and Under North American Championship Tournament in July. (Dates and location to be announced.)
The team agrees that maximum effort will be made on their local level to continue and expand the youth fastball program beyond 1999.
Our philosophy on this is that once these boys begin playing fastball, going to tournaments, playing against adult men, and participating in a championship tournament against teams from the U.S. and Canada, their enthusiasm to continue playing the game will stimulate continuation of their program beyond 1999. We have all see this scenario in other cities and it is the rule, not the exception. Fastball offers these kids opportunities that no other sport, including baseball, can come close to offering. They get to travel, compete against adults, play for true North American and national championships, and compete against players from all over the world.
Corporate Involvement - As an ISC Corporate Sponsor, $2,500 of your sponsorship money goes into this ISC Youth Development Fund. As a manufacturer of products used by fastball teams, you will develop a "youth package" of your product for an 18-member fastball team. Each team created by the ISC Youth Development Fund will purchase, through the ISC, your package. Example: If your product is equipment bags, you develop a package of 20 individual bags, one bat bag, one ball bag, and one first aid bag. The value of this is your "dealer cost" for the items included. The total value cannot exceed $500.
Another sponsor may be a bat manufacturer. The bat people develop the same type of package which would include seven bats. Another sponsor may be a uniform manufacturer. They likewise, develop a package of 20 uniforms.
With these three sponsors in place, we create three new boys teams. Each of the three teams will get the package from the bag manufacturer, the bat manufacturer, and the uniform manufacturer. Each of you will be paid dealer cost for the three packages. The more sponsorship we sell and the more teams we create, the more your product is bought, worn, and exposed.
Cash to Teams - Once a newly created team has their package from our sponsors, the remaining money will be distributed to the team manger who must use is for tournament entry fees and other team related expenses. At the end of the season, the team manager must furnish the ISC with an accounting of how the money was spent.
Summary - We feel this is a unique approach to continuing an American tradition. It benefits everyone involved. As a sponsor you will realize an immediate purchase of your product packages. As an organization, the ISC can take pride in the cooperative nature of the project and seeing hundreds of young men enjoying the benefits fastball has to offer. As a manufacturer/sponsor, you are given some assurance that you have helped yourself increase a future customer base.
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