National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Softball
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is a women's professional fast pitch softball league. Its beginnings date back to 1991 with the establishment of the National Fastpitch Association (NFA) in Boulder, Colorado. 1994 saw the first Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) Tour. Women's professional softball was played as the WPF until the end of 1998, when the name was changed to the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). 2001 saw a suspension of the WPSL as the league paused to concentrate on expansion for the 2002 season. In 2002 the WPSL was renamed National Pro Fastpitch (NPF). 2002 and 2003 saw WPSL/NPF All-Star competitions.
NPF league play resumed in 2004 with six teams: Akron Racers, Arizona Heat, Texas Thunder, New England Riptide , New York/New Jersey Juggernaut, and California Sunbirds. There are currently four teams in the league (as of the 2010 season): Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Philadelphia Force, Rockford Thunder, and the USSSA Pride.
NPF At-A-Glance
- Season: 50 games (training camp starts in mid-may with the regular season late may/early June through late July/early August)
- Teams: 4
- Championship: NPF Championship Series (Cowles Cup)
- Most recent champions: 2010 - Rockford Thunder
- League web site: http://www.profastpitch.com/
- Hall of fame: National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum
NPF Softball Rules
National Pro Fastpitch plays by the same rules as the college and amateur game. The pitching distance is 43 feet. Base paths are 60 feet in length. The fence distance, however, is a little longer - 210 feed down the first and third base lines and out to 230 feet in center field. Games are 7 innings long and typically last about 2 1/2 hours.
NPF Player Acquisition
National Pro Fastpitch gets players from an annual draft and from regional tryouts. Teams host regional tryouts in the late winter and early spring months.
NPF players earn between $2,500 and $5,000 for the entire three month playing season, along with a $25 per diem for meals when traveling.
NPF Championships
The NPF Championship Series is held in August at the end of the National Pro Fastpitch regular season. For 2007 four teams will qualify for the Championship Series which will be a double elimination series. The winner of the NPF championship series is awarded the Cowles Cup.
Past NPF Championship Series Cowles Cup champions include:
- 2005 - Akron Racers
- 2006 - New England Riptide
- 2007 - Washington Glory
- 2008 - Chicago Bandits
- 2009 - Chicago Bandits
NPF Game Broadcasts & Multimedia
NPF on TV
There is currently no 2010 broadcast schedule for NPF. Check the Special Events/TV section of the NPF website for the latest information about television broadcasts. Also check the NPF Schedule.
NPF Video
| profastpitch.com - Video Galleries |
| Podcast #52 - WE ARE NPF |
| Podcast #20 - 2007 Highlights |
| Podcast #63 - CAT on the decision to Pitch |
| RSS integration by RSSinclude |
NPF Teams
- Akron Racers - Akron, Ohio
- Chicago Bandits - Lombard, Illinois
- Tennessee Diamonds - Alcoa, TN
- USSSA Pride - Kissimmee, Florida (Formerly the Washington Glory)
NPF News & Game Highlights
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