Cyd and Marty Cooper created the Rising Stars Showcase with a new branch, the Super Stars Championship, that hosts a number of the top club teams from all over the country October 21-23 at Central Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.



Marty Cooper started the Rising Stars showcase 23 years ago when he and his wife responded to a need for Florida talent to be seen.

Back in the day, we used to have to travel to try to get into some of these other showcases and there weren't many of them. That's why we developed this tournament to show off the Florida talent and give the kids here the opportunity to be recruited by the college coaches that are around here. - Marty Cooper, Gold Coast Hurricanes

Contrary to most showcases, the main draw to Super Stars Championship is the seven-inning games.

"I really like this tournament, because it's seven innings," Michigan Finesse coach Don Deher said. "We play full games. It's all at one complex. Obviously, good competition. Cyd and Marty Cooper do a great job with the tournament."

NC Lady Lightning coach John Corn agrees, "We like the fact that we get to play seven-inning games, because we want to teach our players to play the game so they can get ready for college ball. How do you close out games? How do you learn how to fight back when you go down early? When you have a seven-inning game, you can learn how to chip away at leads or hold leads. It really does a lot to develop a player for a college game."

Whether kids are committed or not committed, we try to put them in front of good competition and that's how they get better. They're playing against kids that they're going to be playing against when they're in college. - Don Dreher, Finesse

Another addition to the Super Stars Championship is a preseason college matchup between the University of Florida and Florida State on Saturday, October 22. Two-time national champion Florida will play Florida State, which has won three straight ACC titles, at 6 PM EST at Central Park on Field 2. Don't miss this unbelievable matchup, which is streaming LIVE on FloSoftball!

What to Watch for at Super Stars Championship

Who: No. 25 Gold Coast Hurricanes - Cooper

Why: Marty Cooper's team returns a strong nucleus of players mixed with young talent vying for a spot on the nationally ranked club. They have an all-star roster with P Kama Woodall (2017, N.C. State), C Danielle Romanello (2017, Florida), SS Taylor Bump (2017, Michigan), and 3B Hannah Sipos (2018, Florida). Cooper expects the returners to set the standards for how this team will compete. Finesse coach Dreher expects Gold Coast to be one of the toughest teams to face at Super Stars. "The Gold Coast Hurricanes always have a good group of kids that are committed to Florida. They're always top notch," Dreher said.
When: See schedule

Who: No. 59 Finesse - Dreher

Why: The Finesse have a strong defense and hit for power. Jenny Bressler (UTA) spins the ball, deceiving batters with her rise ball. One of the most dynamic players to watch on Finesse, Grace Cheleman (2018, Michigan) can switch hit, slap, bunt, and hit home runs from both sides. Two players from the 14U team will be playing up, and they will be exciting to watch. Lauren Sciblorski is a power-hitting 2021 SS/3B who will be making visits to Oklahoma and Michigan. Left-handed hitter Sierra Kersten 2020 is getting recruited by Michigan and Northwestern. Dreher said, "You're going to see a lot of communication. A lot of hustle. You're going to see a team that's always trying to get better because that's what we're doing."
When: See schedule

Who: Carolina Elite - Fusetti

Why: Carolina Elite boasts as one of the fastest teams in the Southeast. With 2019 UTL Courtney Culcleasure (uncommitted) and 2018 UTL Brooklynn Brewington (uncommitted), you're going to see both players steal bases and put pressure on defenses with their speed. Brooke Lougher 2019 3B/SS is dynamite at the plate. She's getting looks from teams in the SEC and Atlantic Sun Conference. Drayton Siegling is the southpaw in circle who had a strong performance at PGF Nationals. Expect to see her log a number of key innings this weekend.
When: See schedule

Who: No. 17 NC Lady Lightning

Why: LLG are a well-balanced team with an offense built on speed and average. Nine seniors return to the Lady Lightning, including all of their pitchers. Sydney Nester (N.C. State) and Whitney Samford (East Carolina) will share innings on the mound for the Lightning. The glue of the squad is 2017 3B Bailey Taylor and Chandley Garner, and they will lead the team on offense and defense. Some new faces and impact players added are Ellie Mataya (2018, Boston College), Faith Jarvis (2018, East Carolina), CJ Wright (2019, NC State), and 2020 No. 31 Hot 100 player Melody Coombs (Syracuse).
When: See schedule

How to Watch

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