Story and Interview by Emma Breer

As we get closer to The Alliance Super Cup Series Final Presented by EvoShield, among the eight teams excited to play is the Rock Gold Manetta 16u team. A young group from Fort Myers, Florida, most of the roster are first-year players, excited to make their first-ever appearance at the Super Cup. None of the kids on the roster are eligible to commit to any school yet. However, they are turning heads throughout the softball world. Johnny Manetta, Rock Gold’s coach, says how the team is “working hard and is hungry.”

A very talented roster still with loads of room to grow, Manetta says they’re constantly “working hard and are hungry,” they’re excited to go into the Super Cup and chase the best competition in the country. It’s about constantly working to better oneself so you’re not overwhelmed in the big situations. Better competition can build character.

Manetta also says a big part of it is “being in the right place at the right time.” Being in front of the right coach helps you find your future home after high school or being put around the right people helps put you in a setting to continue to develop, as an athlete and a person. In the Rock Gold organization, it’s an expectation for the “older kids (to) set high standards (so the) younger generations (try) to live up to it.” (Manetta). Building a culture like this forces expectations of success and hard work to move down from generation to generation. Rock Gold is a huge justification of the power of one’s environment and one’s effort.

Expect to see Rock Gold Manetta play in the Super Cup finals in Colorado the week of July 1st among the final eight teams vying for that championship title.

About the Super Cup Series

The Alliance Super Cup Series presented by Evoshield is an in-season tournament that promotes competitive and purposeful play through the year for 18U, 16U, and 14U teams. The Alliance Super Cup Series launched in 2022 with a vision of creating year-round competitive opportunities in each region and a culminating national event that is played within the TC Fireworks week in Colorado. The Super Cup Series is an Alliance National Event meaning all teams must be registered with an Alliance Member League and all athletes on the roster must be active Alliance Members. The Alliance Roster is the Official Event Roster.  there are SIX Super Cup Qualifying events hosted throughout the country. Teams are invited to the Alliance Super Cup based on their 2023 season national finishes. The Alliance Fastpitch National Competition Committee awarded each event with Super Cup Finals berths for each age division and AFCS National Berths for each age division.

For more information on the Super Cup Series along with the full scheduled and brackets, click HERE.