Pretty in Pink: Firebirds Teams Have Standout Showing at Breast Cancer Awareness NIT

Five Firebirds teams competed in last weekend's USSSA Breast Cancer Awareness NIT, and all five posted strong finishes. Heavy rain forecast for Sunday put bracket play in doubt, but precipitation held off long enough to at least complete the semifinal rounds for each division of the tournament. By the time it was all over, all five teams had finished in the top 3:

Firebirds 12U-Palazzo finished 3rd in the 12U-C division.

Firebirds 14U-Mrowka finished as co-champions of the 14U-C division. The championship game was cancelled due to the rain.

Firebirds 14U-Sable won a rain-shortened championship game to take the 16U-B Gold Bracket title.

Firebirds 16U-Hardy-Kelley lost a rain-shortened championship game, after walk-off wins in two bracket games, to take second place in the 16U-Open division.

Firebirds 16U-Taylor took 3rd place in the 16U-B Silver Bracket.

Firebirds Partner with BSN Sports to Offer Great New Apparel Options

The Firebirds have entered into a partnership with BSN Sports to launch a brand new 24/7 fan gear store. BSN Sports's extensive experience and network will also ensure quality and support for Firebirds uniform production and ordering. This is an exciting partnership that will provide a number of benefits to the Firebirds organization and families:

Firebirds Store: Firebirds fans can now order apparel, gifts, and accessories 24/7/365 from our new online store. There is so much to choose from! You want a hoodie? Scarf? Tumbler? Baby bib? We've got it all! Almost everything is customizable: You can change the color and choose from a number of logos and designs for most items. To celebrate the store's grand opening, get 20% off any order of $85 or more by using code AUGUST20 by August 31.

Uniform Store: At limited times, parents can purchase their uniforms and practice jerseys through special online sites. Incredible deals on New Balance footwear will also be available through the uniform store. (Coaches will still be able to order uniforms for new players at any time.)

Equipment: Coaches will be able to order just about any kind of equipment they need, and at excellent prices.

Giving Back: The Firebirds will receive 10% rebates on everything sold through our stores, which we will continually reinvest into new equipment and supplies to benefit the entire organization.

We're excited to welcome BSN Sports to the Firebirds family. If you have any questions, please contact your coach.

Meyer and Wilsey Win Yates Memorial Scholarships

June 19, 2020 - The Firebirds are pleased to announce that Emma Meyer and Sarah Wilsey are the recipients of this year’s Randy Yates Memorial Firebirds Scholarships. Each member of the current Firebirds 18U-Meyer battery (Meyer pitches, Wilsey catches) has won an unrestricted scholarship to support them in college.

Meyer is a recent graduate of Edison High School. She will be attending Gettysburg College this fall, where she will play softball for the Bullets. A Firebird player for six years, Meyer participates in numerous volunteer activities, including supporting the Firebirds Winter Clinic and serving as an assistant coach for NVGSA house teams and the Highland Park developmental swim team. "A devoted, hard-working, caring, and confident softball athlete is what it means to be a Firebird," explains Meyer. "To me, being a Firebird isn’t just wearing a jersey, it’s a passion for the sport that influences everything I do. I am thankful to be a Firebird."

Wilsey graduated from Hayfield Secondary School. She has played ten years - a full decade! - for the Firebirds. In addition to her regular volunteer work at the Firebirds Winter Clinic and NVGSA house camps, she serves as a volunteer for local hypothermia shelters and Stop Hunger Now; as an election page for Fairfax County; as an acolyte at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church; and as a Honor Society tutor at school. She will attend Randolph-Macon College this fall and play softball for the Yellow Jackets. "have been part of the Firebirds for my entire life," Wilsey said, "and it has raised me as a determined player that I am now continuing to take to college with me as I continue my softball career."

The scholarship is named for Coach Randy Yates, a former Firebirds coach and advisory who epitomized the spirit of sportsmanship and the love of the game. As Wilsey noted, "Coach Yates set the precedent of dedication by continuing to coach long after his daughters had moved on to different teams, and we continue his legacy by running camps for future Firebirds, organizing food/equipment drives for the communities around Firebirds, and supporting every team in the program." Coach Yates passed away in 2017. Learn more about the scholarship program here.