EL1 SPORTS EXPANDS FOOTPRINT TO COLORADO TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND ENHANCEMENT OF SOFTBALL

New Alliance Performance Center and Support for Colorado USA Softball Tournaments Bolster Softball Development in the Rockies

TACOMA, Wash., Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EL1 Sports (EL1), a leading national youth sports training company, is expanding its footprint to Colorado, furthering its commitment to foster the growth and expansion of the game of softball. As part of EL1's dedication, the organization is launching the Alliance Performance Center NoCo in West Greeley, CO in partnership with The Alliance Fastpitch and EL1 will be supporting the development and operations of new Colorado USA Softball sanctioned tournaments.

"Through our collaborations with The Alliance Fastpitch and Colorado USA Softball, we are building on our continued dedication to growing the game of softball," said Griff Long, CEO of EL1 Sports. "We're thrilled about the enhanced softball experiences that Alliance Performance Center and the new tournaments will bring to the region. Together, we aim to elevate the sport, provide high-quality resources and operations, and create exciting new opportunities for athletes and families in Colorado."

The Alliance Performance Center will be EL1's first facility dedicated exclusively to softball as part of its multi-year partnership with The Alliance Fastpitch announced in September 2022. The training facility formerly Colorado Softball Academy, will be operated by EL1 and will expand on the organizations' shared goal of accelerating the growth and unity of women's fastpitch softball from the youth through professional levels. EL1 brings new resources to the facility enabling them to serve not only their current players but also more players and families; expand their current staff; add new camps, clinics, and lessons for individuals and teams; introduce new instructional and administrative technologies; and open up new opportunities for area athletes.

"The Alliance Performance Center will support our efforts to better serve our fastpitch community by opening up new opportunities for local athletes to train, compete, and become leaders when they walk through the facility's doors," said Jami Lobpries, Ph.D., CEO of The Alliance. "Our partnership with EL1 combines The Alliance's mission and network with EL1's highly regarded instruction, technology, and back-end operational and administrative support that help us take our offerings to the next level. We're excited to continue on this journey together and hope this is the first of many Alliance Performance Centers."

"Softball is a foundation to reach female athletes, build their confidence, and set them up for success on and off the field," said Ashlie Rowley, General Manager of The Alliance Performance Center. "The Colorado Softball Academy facility was built to give kids everything they need to train – mentally, physically, and emotionally. EL1 and The Alliance Fastpitch bring an incredible network of resources, and will help take the opportunities in this facility to the next level."

EL1 is now also operating tournaments sanctioned by Colorado USA Softball, serving players, teams, and coaches from across all age brackets with high-quality, well-organized, and innovative tournament and player development experiences. Throughout 2024, a total of 218 indoor games are scheduled to be conducted throughout six tournaments, spanning the age range of 10u-18u with over 120 unique teams registered to partake in the events. EL1 has deep expertise in youth development, with 25 owned and operated softball and baseball training facilities across the country. The company's tournament department boasts over 100 collective years of operating national events, and envisions itself as an alliance for improving and uniting the softball community. Together, the organizations are working to enhance traditional tournament formats and scheduling, provide more reasonable pricing, offer additional umpiring crews provided by EL1's network of umpires, and reinstate opportunities for national berths for Colorado softball teams.

These new initiatives support EL1's mission to grow the games of softball and baseball by expanding access to high-quality instruction for players of all skill levels, ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, and marks yet another milestone in the company's rapid growth. In 2023, the company added eight new facilities and now operates in nine states across the country. In March 2022, the company entered into a partnership with Major League Baseball as its "youth baseball and softball training partner," and in July 2022, EL1 acquired Quickball, the fast-paced baseball and softball sport and instructional program.

To register for Colorado USA Softball tournaments, please visit: www.el1tournaments.com/softball. For more information on the Alliance Performance Center NoCo, please visit: www.allianceperformancecenter.com/

About EL1 Sports
EL1 Sports is a national youth sports training company created by athletes, coaches, and educators who believe in the transformative power of sport. EL1 is committed to providing exceptional training and administrative solutions in the service of athletes, teams, organizations, tournaments, and events. With an extensive range of programming, from Quickball for beginners to our partnerships with Major League Baseball (MLB), The Alliance Fastpitch, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, and Pittsburgh Pirates, we aim to expand access to high-quality sports instruction and foster a lifelong love for baseball and softball. Operating across 22 facilities and hundreds of communities nationwide, EL1 is dedicated to making youth sports more efficient and equitable with world-class instruction and cutting-edge technology. For more information, please visit www.el1sports.com.

About the Alliance Fastpitch
Founded in 2020, the Alliance Fastpitch is a national league system focused on organizing and unifying fastpitch softball through our regional Member Leagues and our cohesive network of athletes, coaches, and parents. It is our goal to drive athlete-centric programming and development-based resources that raise the standard for our sport. The Alliance Fastpitch is the result of grassroots collaboration and a vision for change by youth fastpitch leaders across the country. The nine Member Leagues within the Alliance Fastpitch include the Pacific Coast Fastpitch League, Heart of America Fastpitch League, Northeast Fastpitch League, Rocky Mountain Fastpitch League, Southeastern Fastpitch League, Texas Fastpitch League, Northwest Fastpitch League, Atlantic Coast Fastpitch League, and the Central Fastpitch League.

Follow The Alliance Fastpitch on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and visit our website thealliancefastpitch.com. If you are looking to join a Member League within The Alliance Fastpitch, register your team here member.thealliancefastpitch.com.

SOURCE EL1 Sports