The PlayFPN Summer Nationals, a youth pastpitch softball tournament for 12UB, 14U, 14UB and 16UB divisions, begins Tuesday at Fastpitch Nation Park in Windsor. The tournament brings 77 teams and more than 1,000 players to the state for the five-day event.
Teams from New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland will join teams from across Connecticut. Tournament director and host David Rocha is the owner and general manager of Fastpitch Nation Park. Rocha built and opened the 11-field facility in 2019 to accommodate the growing number of athletes who want to compete in fastpitch softball tournaments.
An opening ceremony and parade of athletes was held Monday at Quassy Amusement and Waterpark in Middlebury.
Other amenities at Fastpitch Nation Park include paved parking, LED scoreboards, covered dugouts, more than 2 acres of team warm-up space, an outdoor food court and live internet streaming of all games played.
For the PlayFPN Summer Nationals Tournament game schedule and more information, go to https://playfpn.com.
Sacred Heart University hires men’s volleyball coach: Adam Niemczynowicz has been named men’s volleyball coach at Sacred Heart University after a five-year stint at Bard College. Niemczynowicz guided Bard in the United Volleyball Conference, which is annually one of the most difficult NCAA Division III conferences. After the 2021 season was canceled, Niemczynowicz led Bard to its most wins since the 2016 campaign, finishing 8-10. In addition to his coaching duties at Bard, he served as an assistant athletic director. A native of Poland, he played NCAA Division I volleyball at Concordia College from 2001-2003, helping the Clippers to three-consecutive Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association playoff appearances and a national ranking that reached as high as No. 13. As the Pioneers transition from the EIVA to the Northeast Conference for the 2023 campaign, Niemczynowicz takes over a Sacred Heart program that went 10-17 last season, its most wins since 2017. The Pioneers return five starters, including Second Team All-EIVA selection Patrick Mucherino.