Super Cup Finals Event Preview
By jess
Story by Emma Breer
Kick off July and celebrate the Fourth by coming to Colorado to see The Alliance Super Cup Series presented by EvoShield on Tuesday, July 2. For this week in Aurora, Colorado, at the 14u, 16u, and 18u age levels, be prepared to watch some of the top competition in the country; below is a link to the list of teams competing and a link to the Alliance Super Cup Series page where you can find the brackets for each age level.
18u
In the 18u bracket, you’ll find the OC Batbusters Stith and Aces Fastpitch; these are the top two finishers at the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series (AFCS) last year, where the Batbusters beat the Aces. If we are to see them come face-to-face again in the Super Cup final, will the results come out differently? Or will the Batbusters come out on top again? Especially with the Batbusters also holding the spot as the reigning Super Cup champs as well.
Three other teams in the tournament finished in the top eight in the 2023 AFCS (Impact Gold Jackson, Fury Platinum X Higdon, and Corona Angels Tyson). Jeremy Higdon, the coach of Fury Platinum X, did point out that “no one cares, work harder.” His team has applied the effort in the cages, in the gym, and on the field. “They keep it loose and laugh while competing at a really high level” as a team that genuinely likes each other. (Higdon) Are we right to anticipate that the reigning champs could fall?
16u
The Impact Gold Jazz won the 16u Super Cup in 2022. This means the same coaches are on staff, but entirely different players are on their roster. However, some of the players off of the 14u Impact Gold National Mendoza team, who won the 14u Super Cup last year, moved up to the 16u roster. Can these coaches still guide this roster to a title, regardless of the athletes in the dugout? Or will the difference in age level prove to provide too much difficulty?
The mix of teams in their bracket is an interesting one too. Half of the teams playing in the 16u Super Cup this year are making a first-ever appearance for their organization (Williamsburg Starz Gold Bunn, Buzz Gold, AZ Steel–Figueroa, and Rock Gold Manetta). Trey Holdbrook, the Buzz Gold coach, points out how this tournament places you among the “best teams from around the country.” Holdbrook is excited to place his players in an environment to push themselves. Johnny Manetta, the Rock Gold coach, and his team also want to “(chase) competition.” Manetta knows better competition builds character, and he can’t wait to expose that. All these teams have been placed among the best of the best, regardless of their experience here or not. But does the nuance of this tournament give these newer teams a disadvantage? Or can we expect to see some surprising moments, matchup upsets, and some exciting play we aren’t ready for?
14u
The 14u Super Cup is full of talent in different ways. There’s one small little thing all of them have in common though…
None of the organizations this year have won at the Super Cup Finals at the 14u age level. That’s bound to change for a couple of these teams, but who, exactly? And which teams will still leave winless at the 14u level?
We’ve got a couple of teams making their first appearances at the Super Cup this year for their organizations (Indiana Magic Gold, Top Gun National). “Having all opportunities to be seen at the highest level is important,” Stephanie Kim, the coach of Top Gun National, said. It’s important for these kids to play in tournaments that push them to be the best, and it’s exciting to see Indiana Magic and Top Gun lay the groundwork for their organizations to be high-caliber names. However, not only are they placed in a new setting, but they’re also playing among a group of teams searching to end Super Cup losing streaks. How do all these factors impact their first appearances? Will it make for even more competitive games this week?
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.