The Nationals Team Showcase is an interactive opportunity for players and coaches to battle against their peers through different skills competitions during opening ceremonies and beyond! Once the showcase is completed, the results are tallied and the Nationals Team Showcase Champions are crowned at closing ceremonies.
60 Yard Dash
The 60 yard dash is a simple test of speed. In this battle of the quickest of the quick Nationals' players will compete to have the fastest 60 yard dash in the tournament.
Catcher’s Pop Time
The Catcher’s pop time competition is a test to determine which National’s catchers are quickest to receive the ball, and gun it down to second base. To be competitive here you will need to have combination of a good arm and quick reflexes.
Pitcher Velocity
Every throw will have an “Velocity” in Miles Per Hour (MPH). The throw must hit the target in order for it to count. The player with the highest MPH velocity will determine a winner.
Homerun Derby
The athlete who hits the most homeruns in each age group will be named the winner.
Coaches Fungo
Here at the Nationals, we include the coaches in the competitions too! Coaches will compete against each other in an accuracy test that determines who is best at hitting balls to certain positions in the field.
Around The Horn
Around the horn determines which team can be the most composed while dealing with the pressure to get the ball to every spot in the field faster than any other team.
- One (1) player from each team will participate in the 60 Yard Dash.
- Each participant is timed running a distance of 60 Yards.
- Time is started on the player’s first movement and stopped at the completion of 60 Yards.
- If a player has a bad start, stumbles, or falls it will not result in a rerun.
- The fastest time will determine the winner.
- One (1) player from each team will participate in the Catcher’s Pop Time.
- Each player will receive three throws in the Catcher’s Crouched Position from a person of their choice. Once the player receives the ball from behind home plate, they will then throw the ball to second base.
- Time is started when the ball touches the player’s glove in the Catcher’s Crouched Position and is stopped when the ball is received at second base.
- Any ball dropped by the catcher on the throw, or during their transfer, will not result in a redo. However, they can still complete that turn and throw the ball to second base.
- The fastest Pop Time will determine a winner.
- A minimum of one (if your team has a roster of 12 or less) and maximum of four (increments of one can be added for every additional roster spot from 12) participants from each team will participate in the Pitcher Velocity. If a team has more than one (1) participant, the player with the highest velocity will be the score recorded for that team.
- Each participant will get 3 attempts to pitch from their age group’s respective pitching distance. The athlete may not run and throw a pitch. Feet must be stagnant in a normal pitching position.
- Every throw will have an “Velocity” in Miles Per Hour (MPH). The throw must hit the target in order for it to count.
- The player with the highest MPH velocity will determine a winner.
- One (1) player from each team will participate in the derby.
- The player will receive pitches from the person of their choice. Hitter must supply their own tosser. Tossing distance is up to the athlete, but it must come from in front of the athlete and be overhand.
- Each player will receive 45 second timed round to hit as many HR’s as they can. Time starts when the first pitch is thrown. Any pitches thrown after the time expires will be nullified.
- The athlete who hits the most homeruns in each age group will be named the winner.
- 9U/10U: 130′
- 11U: 150′
- 12U: 175′
- 13U: 210′
- 14U: 250′
- 15U/16U: 250′
- One (1) coach from each team will participate in the Coaches Fungo.
- Each participant will have 30 seconds to hit a target at four (4) different locations in the following order: 3B, SS, 2B, 1B.
- If you miss a target, you must hit that target before advancing to the next. For example, if you hit 3B, hit SS, then miss
2B, you must hit the 2B target before proceeding to 1B. - Once the target is hit at 1B, the time will stop. If all targets are not completed at 30 second mark, the target you are on at that time will be noted.
- The coach with the fastest time will be the winner.
- Eight (9) players from each team will participate in the Around The Horn competition.
- As the ball travels “around the horn” each base must be tagged or touched by any part of the player’s body, as in a force-out.
- Teams are timed on how quickly they can throw the ball “around the horn.” Best team time wins the competition.
- There will be backup balls placed at each base and outfield spot, in the case of overthrows. When a ball is overthrown to a position, then the player has the option of going after the overthrown ball or picking up one of the backup balls (with a three second penalty assessed).
- Each team will receive one timed round. The best time will determine a winner.
- The order will be as follows:
- Time starts when the Pitcher releases the ball, throwing to the catcher. Catcher then throws to 3B.
- Third baseman receives the throw, touches his bag and proceeds to throw to second base.
- Second baseman receives the throw, touches his bag and proceeds to throw to first base.
- First baseman receives the throw, touches his bag and proceeds to throw back to the catcher.
- The catcher receives the throw, touches home plate and proceeds to throw down to second base, with the shortstop covering the bag and receiving the throw.
- The shortstop touches second base and then proceeds to throw to the right fielder.
- The right fielder receives the throw, then touches the right field circle (area provided). The right fielder then proceeds to throw back to second base, with the shortstop covering the bag again.
- The shortstop receives the throw, touches second base and then proceeds to throw to the center fielder.
- The center fielder receives the throw, touches the center field circle (area provided) and then proceeds to throw to third base.
- The third baseman receives the throw, touches his bag and proceeds to throw to the left fielder.
- The left fielder receives the throw, touches the left field circle (area provided) and then proceeds to throw home to the catcher.
- Once the catcher gathers or receives the ball, he must touch home to stop the timer.
