By Robert Campbell

Now going into its third year Conference USSSA continues to be one of the best ideas in modern day softball. The idea behind the success is actually quite basic as conference USSSA allows all divisions of play against the nation’s top programs and in the process each team continues to earn points towards their specific level of competition.

The result is a thing of beauty as both lower level and upper level powerhouse teams from across the nation flat out love the idea. The lower division teams get to better their programs while facing the best of the best that the nation’s softball community has to offer.

There is a bit more to the Conference USSSA plan as they have ensured their success by running their tournaments at some of the most prestigious venues in the country with tournaments such as the Dudley/Budweiser, the Busch/Pepsi Classic, and the Smoky Mountain Classic. Can you imagine the excitement for a lower division team to play the best of the best in front of huge crowds at such prestigious tournaments?

In the season long process teams earn points, berths, travel money, and hotel rooms for their participation. The Conference also recognizes individual players with season ending awards in several areas such as defense, home run standouts, and a Conference USSSA MVP.

The top twelve finishing teams in points for last year were: Resmondo’s, Bell Corp./Belcher/TAI/Backman, Team Combat/Benfield/Dalsanders, Jean Shoppe/Worth, Aubrey’s/Elite Sports/Phone Masters/Worth, KME/Chaney’s/Easton, Wood Law/Quick Roofing/Worth, Laser Vision/Easton Fence Brokers Inc./Worth, Pace/TPS, GTL Combat, and Taylor Made/Mizuno.

For more on Conference USSSA visit their website at www.usssa.com.

2008 Tentative Conference USSSA Schedule

April 11 – 13 West Coast Classic Phoenix, AZ
April 18 – 20 USSSA Hall of Fame Classic Kissimmee, FL
April 25 – 27 USSSA Worth Men's Major Glen Burnie, MD
May 2 – 4 Gateway City Classic St. Louis, MO
May 9 – 11 7th Annual Texas Legends Euless, TX
May 16 – 18 Columbus Major Columbus, IN
May 23 – 25 Peach State Shootout Atlanta, GA
May 30 - June 1 20th Annual Mike Davis Memorial Concord, CA
May 30 - June 1 Music City Classic Nashville, TN
June 6 – 8 Windy City Invitational Joliet, IL
June 13- 15 2nd Annual Space City Classic Houston, TX
June 20 – 22 26th Annual Dudley Budweiser Brooklyn Center, MN
June 27 – 29 Easton Sports Northeast Shootout N Brantford, CT
July 4 – 6 Busch/Pepsi Classic Little Rock, AR
July 4 – 6 Combat Major Kent, WA
July 11 – 13 Smoky Mountain Classic Maryville, TN
July 18 - 20 Cincinnati Men's Major Cincinnati, OH
July 25 – 27 2nd Annual Carolina Shootout Raleigh, NC
August 8 - 10 Worth Last Chance Sterling Hgts, MI
August 15 – 17 Men's Class A World Disney
August 29 – 31 Conference USSSA Championship Kissimmee, FL
Sept 12 – 14 Men’s Class B World Series Disney
Sept 17 – 21 Men’s Major World Series Disney
Sept 18 – 21 Men's Class C World Series Sterling Heights
Sept 18 – 21 Men's Class D World Series Disney