Hi Coaches & Parents~

Are you getting ready for Pitch for the Cure? We are!! Pitch 2008 starts Friday!! Everyone here on the Pitch Staff is gearing up for an exciting weekend and we're happy to have you joining us!

One quick announcement... Metal cleats are not allowed on the fields or in the games. No exceptions.

Candle Tribute Ceremony: During our ceremony we will honor those that have struggled with breast cancer. This includes those that have lost their battle, those that are currently surviving, are in some form of treatment or are just being diagnosed. We will read the names of each honoree and light a votive candle (pink candles in clear votive holders) in their name. Our ceremony should take place near dark on Saturday evening and we plan to halt games as much as possible. Each year, this is one of the highlights of our event.

For a $5.00 contribution, you can have their name included in the ceremony and added to the Pitch for the Cure website. Whether purchased by mail or at the event, we'll add their name to those that are read aloud and then to the website. If purchasing in person, please visit the Silent Auction tent at J.B. Hunt or the Team Check-In booths at Tyson Park or Dock Wheeler Park. These requests can only be filled while supplies last.

Breast Cancer Survivors: Come talk to us at the tribute booth to let us know that you are a survivor. We'd like to recognize you all weekend long and have you join in a group picture at the tribute ceremony!

Team Challenge Donations: We "challenge" each participating team to raise funds to give directly to the Ozark Komen for the Cure. This is your "Team Challenge Donation". In the last two years, we've collectively given Ozark Komen $25,000! We'd like to donate $18,000 for 2008! This would include each team fundraising and contributing to the Team Challenge Donations, the Springdale Chicks donation of 20% of profits, Queen of the Heat contest fees and other direct donations. Together we can make a huge difference towards the fight against breast cancer!!

Team Challenge Donations should be turned in at check-in to be considered for the contest. An award will be given to the team with the highest Team Challenge Donation in each age bracket. An overall event fundraising team will also receive an award for each player at the event. All Team Challenge winners will have their team pictures shown on the Pitch for the Cure website. Awards will be announced and given at the Saturday evening ceremony.

(Because Team Challenge Donations are direct donations without a service, they are 100% tax-deductible as dictated by law.)

Canned Food Drive: This year our event is expanding to reach out to other ways to assist girls and women. We'll collect canned food items at each Pitch location and then donate them to local women's shelters. Please lend a hand by dropping your canned items in the barrels located near the entrances of each park.

Women in the Military Support Banners: Another way to reach out at Pitch 2008 is to help us show our female military members how much we appreciate them. Special banners will be displayed during the event that YOU can sign to send a personal message. We'll send the banners to our female troops. Since we'll have 4 states represented by teams at Pitch 2008, we'll send banners to troops that represent each of these states. Those states are AR, OK, MO and KS. To nominate a troop to receive a banner, please visit this link: http://www.pitchforthecure.org/Banner_Nomination.html

Queen of the Heat Pitching Contest: As you'll see in the rules (subject to change prior to the event), this is for any girl that is playing on a Pitch for the Cure team but she must have her coach's approval. This contest will begin on Friday night if you are with a team that will arrive on Friday. For Saturday starting teams, you'll begin on Saturday. Finals -should- conclude Saturday evening. Awards for each age division to be given at the award ceremony on Saturday....winner will also be shown on the Pitch website.
Queen of the Heat - Pitching Speed Contest

T-Shirt Contest: Each team can create a t-shirt to enter in this contest. You are welcome to wear a special shirt during tournament play plus enter one of those shirts into the contest. (Tournament rules are that every player on a team must wear a numbered shirt or jersey that is of the same or similar color.) Or you can create just one shirt for the contest.

One shirt maximum per team can be supplied to Pitch for the Cure in an adult size at team check-in on either Friday night or Saturday morning. These shirts will NOT be returned at the end of the event. Your t-shirt can be themed and designed however you like. We only ask that it be appropriate for all ages. Our organization does reserve the right to not allow any entries that it deems inappropriate...although we don't foresee any problems!!

The shirts will be put up for voting to begin on Friday! How do you get votes? When each tournament attendee pays to enter the gate, they will receive a ticket to use for voting. They can take their tickets to the t-shirt contest area (near the Chicks booth) and use their ticket to vote for their favorite shirt. The t-shirt with the most votes (tickets) will win. That team will receive an award and will have their picture placed on the Pitch for the Cure website.

All shirt entries will be saved and put into next year's silent auction. CHECK OUT THE SILENT AUCTION BOOTH FOR LAST YEAR'S ENTRIES!!

Photographer: When your team arrives for your first day, the WHOLE team should go to check in at the registration table. We have a professional photographer and staff that will be at the event. He'll take a team photo of each team upon your check-in at the event...it is your first stop after signing in. You can make this a "serious" team photo or a fun and funky pic with whatever props you bring with you to mark this special occasion. Just remember that we'll be putting you on the Pitch for the Cure website in a team photo section (with discretion, of course). You'll be able to purchase your photos at the event or later from him online. Please don't skip this step. Not only will this be a great picture for you to have, but we'll use the pics on the website to show awards you win, etc.

He will be taking action shots and award photos that you'll be able to purchase (at the event and on his site). He'll also be taking pics of other activities during the event and general photos. We'll later have a variety of all the pictures on the Pitch website in a viewable (but not printable) format.

Player Gifts: Each player will receive a Schutt back-sack with sponsor giveaways! These will be given out at team check-in. Coaches will also be given a case of water per team.

Fastpitch Awards: We will award 1st - 4th place in each age bracket. 1st place teams will receive a team plaque, individual trophies plus team helmets from Schutt Sports. (All helmets in this award will be identical for the team. Team orders will be placed to Schutt post-event.)

2nd - 3rd place teams will receive a team plaque plus individual trophies. 4th place teams will receive a team plaque plus individual medals.

Silent Auction and Vendors: Bring your cash!! We have wonderful stuff for you to take home with you this weekend... Our silent auction helps our fundraising efforts and there really are some fabulous items in there. We've just been tickled with the generosity of others! The auction runs up until Saturday evening. Our vendors help support our cause, just by purchasing booth space and ads...so SPEND, SPEND, SPEND!!

Pitching Booth: Our pitching booth will run all weekend long at our main location. For just a couple bucks, anyone can participate. Pitch ball one and two to see what your speed reads and then try to predict the speed of ball three. Each turn earns you a small prize, but your correct prediction wins the bigger prizes!

Volunteer Contest: This year we've added a contest for teams or groups that send volunteers. We have lots of games to score and fields to set. If your team or group brings the most volunteers to work, we'll present you with an award.

Parks: At each you are allowed to bring in coolers with food and drinks at all three parks. There are concession stands and they'll appreciate your business. But we all realize that you will be there for a long period of time. PLEASE feel free to bring in what you need. It will surely be hot, and we'd like you all (players, adults and families) to take care of yourselves and each other!! (No alcohol is allowed.)

Pets are allowed at each park as long as they are leashed. "Wheels" are not allowed, such as skates, skateboards, scooters, etc.

There will be Team Check-In booths, event shirt booths and team/action shot photographers at all three parks!

Springdale Area Map

Rogers/Bentonville Area Map

View Larger Map
Springdale Weather

If game shows as being at "JB#", this is field #___ at J.B. Hunt Park in Springdale. There are 6 fields here.
To find this location on Mapquest.com, please type this in as the address:
Fleming Dr & N Silent Grove Rd
Springdale, AR 72762

Or use the map above.

Printable Driving Directions To JBH Park

JBHunt Park Layout Map

If game shows as being a color, this is field "color" at Tyson Park in Springdale. These fields are colors rather than numbers. So please keep your eye open for games showing to be at "red", "blue" or "green". There are 3 fields here.
To find this location on Mapquest.com, please type this in as the address:
4350 Watkins Ave
Springdale, AR 72762
Tyson Park Layout Map

If game shows as being at "Doc#", this is field #__ at Doc Wheeler park in Rogers. There are 4 fields here.
Use the Google map above to find this park.
Doc Wheeler Park Layout Map

As you'll see there is space marked on the map to set up pop up tents and such. There is not a lot of shade inside the JBH ballpark, but there is a lot of open area right around the perimeter of the ball fields where shade tents can be put up. Because we will have SO many people here plus vendors, we ask that the tents be outside the area where the 6 fields are located. No spiked tents are permitted.