FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Triple Crown Sports is excited to announce an agreement through the 2023 event season to join forces with PRIME, which is now the official hydration partner of TCS.

PRIME has already delivered the goods at a couple of TCS events in 2023; here’s a list of where you can enjoy the PRIME experience for the rest of the event season:

West Coast Invite (volleyball) – June 2-4, Sandy, UT
Zoom Into June (softball) – June 9-12, Riverside, CA
Texas State Championships (softball) – June 9-11, Dallas Metroplex
SlumpBuster (baseball, three sessions) – Omaha/Council Bluffs
Colorado 4th of July (softball) – Colorado Front Range
Summer Nationals (baseball) – July 6-24, Myrtle Beach, SC
East Coast Summer Nationals (softball) – July 19-30, Myrtle Beach, SC
Pathway Arizona (baseball) – Sept. 15-18, Phoenix
Fall Nationals (baseball) – Sept. 24-25, Las Vegas
Ronald McDonald (softball, two sessions) – North Houston
Pathway Fall Classic (baseball) – Oct. 27-30, Tucson, AZ
Arizona Fall Showcase (softball) – Nov. 3-5, Phoenix
Don Battles On (softball) – Nov. 17-19, Riverside, CA
*Schedule subject to change

“We’ve had a great time meeting the Triple Crown Sports community and keeping them hydrated with PRIME Hydration” said Matt Zucco, VP of Marketing at PRIME. “We look forward to heading out to more events this year and continuing to help fuel their athletes around the country.”

“We’re excited to name PRIME as an official partner of Triple Crown Sports and look forward to having their team activate at many of our top events in 2023,” said Chief Marketing Officer Andy Hansen.  “PRIME is one of the fastest growing sports drinks on the market and we will be able to get their product into the hands of the thousands of teams and players who compete in our events around the country.”

About PRIME​
Founded in 2022 by entrepreneurs and influencers, Logan Paul and KSI, PRIME is a global lifestyle beverage brand focused on providing better fuel for any endeavor. PRIME offers their highly coveted flagship product, PRIME Hydration, on-the-go PRIME Hydration+ Sticks and new PRIME Energy beverage. PRIME can be found at Target, GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe, Walmart and Kroger Family Stores nationwide as well as select retailers in the U.K., Canada and Australia. Please visit drinkprime.com for additional information and follow PRIME on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years. TCS runs both the preseason and postseason WNIT basketball events and produces the men’s and women’s DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown is also powering “WNIT” concept events in D-I softball (NISC) and volleyball (NIVC), with those two events debuting in 2017. Triple Crown’s PV College Challenge features more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. Anchored by the 1,100-team Colorado 4th of July event, TC fastpitch tournaments draw the nation’s finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces one of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 550 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.

Name: Kelsea Thompson
 
Job title: East Coast Baseball Director
 
Email: kelsea@triplecrownsports.com
 
Hometown: Farmingdale, NY
 
Family: I was born and raised on Long Island, NY in Farmingdale. My mom, Christine Nelson, now resides in Van Etten, NY and is a school teacher. My dad, Gregg Thompson lives in Oyster Bay, NY and is a retired NYPD officer. I have two older siblings — Taylor Thompson (26) and Kaitlyn Woodland (28).
 
College attended/graduation: SUNY Oneonta (2019)
 
Sports background: I grew up as a multi-sport athlete. Starting out my athletic career, I was an elite gymnast with my sister, then I began playing travel soccer, basketball, tennis and track and field. 
 
My proudest moment was ending up on the podium in front of my family and coaches my senior year of high school at the New York State Track and Field Championship for the pentathlon. I made it to the State Championship three years in a row and to finally medal my last season was icing on the cake. I was offered a DI track and field scholarship to Sacred Heart University where I competed in the heptathlon. 
 
I transferred to SUNY Oneonta where I switched my athletic pursuits to rugby. Never playing the sport, I was happy to end my college career as an NSCRO Heart and Soul winner at Regionals in Wayne, Nebraska circa 2017. We were a student-led team so while we lost in regionals; making it all the way there and coming up shirt will always be my most humbling defeat. Since graduating I have coached women's rugby and still play as well.
 
Hobbies: Outside of work I enjoy playing rugby, pickleball, disc golf, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, trying new coffee shops and breweries, as well as hanging out with my two cats, Chicken and Nug.
 
Favorite trip: My favorite was going to Norway where most of my step family is based.
 
How did you become associated with Triple Crown?: I have been following Triple Crown for a while. During my senior year of college I started looking into different sports companies, trying to figure out where I wanted to intern and work in the future. I have always known I have wanted to work for a bigger sports organization that also focuses on the importance of family. When I saw the opening I knew I had to jump on it and take my shot.
 
What intrigues you the most about Triple Crown?: Everyone has a positive mindset to continue creating and growing high quality sporting events for a wide range of age levels. Triple Crown has shown over and over again it can keep breaking barriers and keep pushing more sports and events out while at a professional level, while maintaining a comfortable, safe and fun environment for all attendees including staff. I am thrilled to be joining the team!

FORT COLLINS, CO. – To mark the official launch of the Triple Crown Sports Series program, TCS has secured an agreement with USA Tourney Series, which will run multiple baseball tournaments in the spring and summer of 2023 out of its home base of South Weymouth, Mass., about 30 minutes south of Boston.
 
Triple Crown Series is designed to combine the insight and expertise of local and regional tournament directors with the marketing muscle and production skillset found at Triple Crown Sports, which has 40 years of experience in professional execution of premium, must-attend events. Triple Crown Series will be a magnet for and natural fit with high-value organizations across the country that attract teams to their weekend tournament slate.
 
The TC Series will help continue to move youth diamond sports forward in the right direction and provide unparalleled experiences for athletes and their families across the country. USA Tourney Series has worked hard to provide the Northeast and New England states with a stellar experience at an affordable price.
 
"The USA Tournament Series is run by a Northeast based organization with experience at the collegiate, collegiate summer ball, high school and club baseball levels,” said Chris Diver, USA Tournament Series co-owner and event director. “We look forward to providing a high-quality slate of events for our first year of operation using a combination of top area venues and minimal distance between those venues. We fully expect to prove ourselves as the top baseball tournament provider in the Northeast."
 
Here’s a quick look at the 2023 tournament offerings from USA Tourney Series:
 
April 14-16: 11u April Vacation Baseball Bash
May 12-14: 12u Mother’s Day Madness
May 26-29: 9u-14u Memorial Day Classic
June 2-4: 13u/14u Invitational
June 16-18: 9u-12u Father’s Day Frenzy
June 23-25: 15u-17u Summer Slam
June 30-July 4: 13u-17u Independence Day Celebration
Aug. 4-6: 15u-17u Summer Ender
 
“USA Tourney Series does their events the right way – they care about the teams, players, and coaches who register for their tournaments and provide a top-notch experience for ages 9 through 17,” said Brennen Flores, TCS event director and Series coordinator. “Their history in the market and the respect they have from their peers made it an easy decision to launch the Triple Crown Series with them.”
 
“Triple Crown Sports is proud to announce its partnership with USA Tourney Series. They are producing high-quality baseball events in the Northeast,” said Matt Pilcher, national director of Triple Crown Series.

USA Tournament Series
 

TC Series

​Name: Aaron Martinez
 
Job title: Warehouse/Purchasing Agent
 
Email: amartinez@triplecrownsports.com
 
Hometown: Cedaredge, CO
 
Family: One rascal of a son, Julian Caddis Martinez, age 2. I am the second oldest of four boys, parents are Celeste and Anthony.
 
College attended: Red Rocks Community College, Metro State (Denver), Front Range Community College.
 
Sports background: As a youth, I was involved in all types of sports – especially T-Ball, wrestling, basketball, football and track. I played center and nose tackle in football, and discus and shotput were my track and field events. My most humbling moment in sports was wearing a coaches jersey in T-Ball because I was too big for the player’s uniform. My friends break out that team photo, often.
 
Hobbies: I was raised to love the outdoors and did plenty of hunting and fishing as a child. My No. 1 hobby is fly fishing; a river full of trout and a box of dry flies is my sanctuary. Would love to get art back into my life; I am also getting plenty of time in changing diapers.
 
Favorite trip: My honeymoon to Hawaii was the most memorable trip so far, as we visited all the major islands on a cruise. Five of my best friends and I made a fishing trip to Lake Michigan this summer, and that was also great.
 
How did you become associated with Triple Crown?: Rachel Cavallaro mentioned there was an opening, and I also saw the job post online.
 
What intrigues you the most about Triple Crown?: Triple Crown’s core values are what anyone would want to experience in a workplace. I see eye-to-eye with all of them. The Triple Crown staff has been very welcoming, and you get that “team” feel as soon as you walk in the door. It’s exciting to be a part of this unique industry.

Name: Kimberly Mehalos
 
Job title: Lodging manager -- focus on AZ Spring Championships, AZ Fall Championships, AZ/ABQ Pathway, SoCal, Las Vegas Fall Nationals, Best of the West (Sparks, NV).
 
Email: Kmehalos@triplecrownsports.com
 
Hometown: Gilbert, AZ
 
Family: Parents are Deno and Theresa Mehalos, married 50 years. My sister Kelly Graziano is married to Tony Graziano; their children are Alex, Joe and Grace. My two dogs are Duke (8) and Princess (11).
 
College attended/graduated: Johnson & Wales University, 1999
 
Sports background: Played slowpitch and fastpitch softball growing up; in high school I also played indoor soccer, golf and softball.
 
Favorite trip: In 2019, I took a 3-week trip to Europe, with destinations such as Paris, Barcelona, Mallorca, Ibiza, Malaga, Gibraltar, Portimao, Lisbon, Oporto, Honefleur and London.
 
How did you become associated with Triple Crown?: I have been working with TCS since 2009 as a hotel partner.
 
What intrigues you the most about Triple Crown?: The employees!

 
With full appreciation of the talent pool and competitive drive found within Texas youth baseball, Triple Crown Sports has entered into a marketing agreement with Central Texas Select Baseball for two 2022 events in Waco, TX.
 
First up is the North/South Shootout, set for Sept. 24-25, followed by the Battle on the Bosque, slated for Nov. 5-6. Both events welcome teams from age groups 9u through 14u; the primary facility for the tournaments is Riverbend Park, an eight-field complex in the north-central part of the city near the Bosque River.
 
“I have been involved in baseball for over 30 years as an organizational owner, coach, Perfect Game Director, event director and tournament director,” said CTS co-founder Sandy Shofner. “I am looking forward in helping revive youth baseball in the Central Texas area and especially at Riverbend Park in Waco.”
 
“Triple Crown has worked in and around Texas baseball for decades and has always appreciated how coaches and players from the state make our events special,” said TCS chief operating officer Sean Hardy. “We look forward to adding our skill set in spreading the word about Central Texas Select Baseball events and see a bright future with the market in and around Waco.”
 
Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for 40 years and runs multiple events in the Dallas Metroplex. TCS also powers one of the largest and most well-regarded youth baseball events in the world, the SlumpBuster, which drew more than 715 teams in June 2022 and runs during the D-I College World Series in Omaha.
 
For more information on Central Texas Select events, go to www.ctsbaseball.com

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Sure, pitching is the name of the game in claiming a Triple Crown Sports Omaha Slumpbuster championship trophy. Quite simply, you just gotta have enough available – and productive – arms.

But it also helps when a team has a competent offense and defense to support a dangerous pitching staff. No, a relentless offense and a flawless defense.

Now that better describes the Bolt.  

To say the Utah-based club displayed all of the above and more during the course of the 13U D1 Platinum field would be an understatement.

A massive understatement.

The top-seeded Bolt refused to even smell defeat on its way to a perfect 7-0 tournament, capped by a 15-2 championship game victory over No. 19-ranked Vipers Black Sunday afternoon at the Council Bluffs Sports Complex.

“This is a special group,” Bolt coach Dale Rex said while his players and parents enjoyed photo sessions with the Slumpbuster trophy and championship rings. “I thought we’d compete for the championship here because we do have a lot of arms and we usually swing it pretty well, but I didn’t know that we’d win it all necessarily.”

How good were the first-time Slumpbuster participants? The Bolt outscored its opponents 93-6. Yes, that’s right. They crossed home plate nearly 100 times and surrendered just six in seven games, averaging a little more than 13 runs per contest.

After not allowing a run in pool play and earning a fat target on its backs, Bolt starting pitcher Sammy Dart said his team’s confidence was high. 

“It’s got to be at the top,” he said. “We were the No. 1 seed and had all the pitching in the world. Our bats were always hot and I just felt great about us and our ability to get the job done.”

The uniqueness of this particular Bolt squad starts on the mound, as all 12 rostered players have the ability to throw strikes and record outs, according to the man in charge.

“I don’t believe any one of our pitchers threw more than 75 pitches the entire weekend,” Rex said. “Our No. 1 and No. 2 pitcher actually only threw one inning this weekend.”

Not too shabby.

Through the first five innings of the title game, the Bolt held on to a 4-1 lead. However, they found a new gear with a 10-run sixth inning to put things well out of reach. Rocky Downs executed a bases clearing triple, Pratt Morley roped a two-run single and Dart, Jaxon Cloward, Ryder Huntsman and Ledger Holmes all had run-scoring base hits.

“These kids take pride in having good at bats and they don’t try to do too much. Especially when one or two get going; we do a good job of moving runners over and stringing things together,” Rex said. “They’re not selfish players and their goal is to win games and tournaments and they were able to do that here.”

Dart, who according to Rex swung a consistently strong bat all weekend, tossed four innings of one-run ball while striking out six and allowing six hits. At the dish, Dart was 2-for-2 with an RBI double.

“I felt great with it being my first start of the tournament,” Dart said of his championship effort on the mound. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to start, but I was told to put on my flats before the game and I ended up feeling great today.”

Rex was more than satisfied with Dart’s efforts. Enough to deem Dart the team’s MVP of the tournament. 

“He hit really well all weekend and we know he’s pretty special on the mound,” Rex said. “He doesn’t blow you away but he throws it firmly and he hits his spots and picks people apart. He takes pride in being a really good pitcher.”

“It’s all about energy and momentum,” Dart said. “One guy can get a big hit and then you just let the next guy do the same thing. You just need that first big hit.”

And that’s what the Bolt received. All weekend long. 

“This is probably one of my favorite tournaments I’ve come to,” Rex said. “I love how easy it is to get everywhere and then to be able to go to some of the College World Series games has been amazing and hopefully inspire these kids to be there one day, as well. We look forward to coming back next year; this was awesome.” ​