A total of 20 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams will contest the British Softball Federation’s 2017 Single-Sex Slowpitch National Championships on the weekend of 8-9 July at the Moor Lane Sports Ground in Perry Barr, Birmingham.
The men’s competition divides neatly into 10 Comp teams and 10 Rec teams, and among the Comp teams are the defending champion Puppies from London.
For the first time in many years, two US military teams have entered the men’s tournament, from RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk.
The women’s competition has been hit this year, especially at Comp level, by players travelling to European slowpitch or fastpitch tournaments, so there were only three Women’s Comp entries to go with seven Rec teams.
As a result, BSF Competitions Director Liz Graham has decided to combine all of the women’s teams into a single bracket.
Despite this, entries for both the men’s and women’s competitions are up on last year, and some teams were not able to gain places.
The teams​
Here are the teams that will slug it out at the Single-Sex Nationals, a fun event that is always worth watching and that always produces excellent and exciting softball.
MEN’S COMP
Puppies (London – defending champion)
MildenhallBombers (US Military)
RAF Lakenheath (US Military)
Hoggs (Manchester)
Blue Steel (London/East Midlands)
Godzillas (London)
Rebels (London)
Latin America (Manchester)
Mariners (Solent)
Guernsey
MEN’S REC
Hitmen (Scotland)
Glasgow (Scotland)
Bobcats (Birmingham)
Kippers (Leeds)
Firecracker (Leeds)
Tigers (East Midlands)
Misfits (East Midlands)
Blazers (Windsor)
Brokeback Mountain (GB Under-19 Men’s Fastpitch Team)
Spitfires (Southampton)
WOMEN’S COMP
Besoms (Scotland)
Bluebirds (Bristol)
Minx (Manchester)
WOMEN’S REC
Missfits (East Midlands)
Sheriffs (East Midlands
Panthers (East Midlands)
Rebel Bases (Scotland)
Peaches (Scotland)
PitchSlap (Manchester)
Bristol Rec
Both Comp and Rec women’s teams will be combined in one competition.