• The Book Report: five chapters of How Champions Think by Dr. Bob Rotella, one idea from each. Write Your Own Scouting Report, Find Your Four-Minute Miler, Edit the Replay, Respecting Your Talent, and Commitment + Perseverance + Habit.
• New Podcast: this weekend Beyond the Scoreboard becomes a podcast. Episode 01 with Coach Caden Vittorini from Built Different, guiding athletes through Edit the Replay.
• Player of the Week: Jett Holland, Oklahoma United 12U Baseball. Played through a fractured glove hand at the state tournament.
• Car Ride Home: what is something you wish adults understood about being your age?
• Pink Hat Collection: USSSA is bringing pink to the fields for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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• The Car Ride Home: the Building Confidence series finale. When you start doubting yourself, what helps you believe in yourself again?
• From the Playbook: The Countdown reaches zero as Chad closes out his four-part speech. Ty Cobb's .366. Zero. And a challenge: play all three hundred. Plus a first look at September's read, How Champions Think by Dr. Bob Rotella.
• Player of the Week: A'rmoni Dennis, FL Stars Fastpitch Roberts 12. An 11U athlete whose impact reaches far beyond the softball field.
• Bring the Hype, Last Call: entries for the 2027 Easton Hype Fire close August 30.

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• USSSA x Easton "Bring The Hype" Reel Contest: post a Reel at a USSSA event between Aug 20 and Aug 30 using #USSSABringTheHype for a shot at a 2027 Easton Hype Fire (plus three $100 Easton gift cards for 2nd through 4th).
• The Car Ride Home: this week the question is for YOU. What is one thing I want to make more room for in my life this school year? (With a follow-up for the kids: if this school year came with one "try something new" ticket, what would you use yours on?)
• From the Playbook: Part Three of the Countdown. Chad asks 2,200 players to turn around and find the people who got them there. Their countdown is shorter than yours.
• Player of the Week: Landon Johnson, Lookouts 9U. Two years after being hit by a truck while riding his bike, Landon is back on the field.

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In this edition:

• From the Playbook: Part Two of the Countdown, an opening ceremony speech from the National All-State Championships. About 600 games played, 300 games left, and the one game nobody sees coming: the last one.
• Player of the Week Double Feature: Ruby Phillips of Legacy Creamer 10U and Karlee Schwartz of Whip Fastpitch 09. Two young athletes who show what it means to be a great teammate on and off the field.
• The Car Ride Home: this week the question shifts from what they have done to who they are becoming. What is something about yourself that you are proud of?

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In this edition:

• The First Pitch: a personal letter from USSSA CEO John J. Latella thanking the families, athletes, coaches, and directors who made this season what it was.
• From the Playbook: Part One of the Countdown, an opening ceremony speech from the National All-State Championships in Lafayette. 2.4 million kids play youth baseball. Only 2,200 sat in that stadium in Louisiana. Here's what those numbers really mean.
• Player of the Week: Brady Begley, Central Florida Scouts. Straight-A student, National Junior Honors Society member, and the definition of getting back on the mound.
• The Car Ride Home: this week's question, "What's something you can do today that you couldn't do a year ago?"
• Around the Nation: Fastpitch All American Games in Space Coast + National All State in Lafayette. Photo galleries from both.

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In this edition:

• 🏆 Event Spotlight: the USSSA National All State Championship in Lafayette, Louisiana. 43 states. Invite-only. Some of the nation's best young baseball players representing the place they call home.
• ⚾ Meet Trip: USSSA's brand-new mascot makes his official debut this week at National All State. Say hi, snap a photo, and give him a high five.
• 📚 From the Playbook: Phil Jackson's Eleven Rings, chapters 17 to 22. The final chapter and "Lead by Example". Leadership isn't about controlling the game. It's about creating the conditions for someone else to thrive.
• ⭐ Player of the Week: Kenadee Carr, FAM 11 Blue. After spinal surgery for Levoscoliosis and a tethered spinal cord, she earned medical clearance just in time to return for the 2026 season.
• 🚗 The Car Ride Home: this week's question, "What's something that made you smile today?"
• 🇺🇸 Around the Nation: Baseball just wrapped up the All American Games. The spotlight now shifts to approximately 1,200 Fastpitch players stepping into the box this week.

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In this edition:

• 🌊 Making a Difference — the USSSA team spent the morning cleaning up Pelican Beach Park as part of the Adopt-A-Beach program
• 🦾 Throw Hard. Rest Harder. — more than half of all Tommy John surgeries today are performed on athletes between 15 and 19. What every parent should know about protecting young arms.
• 📚 From the Playbook — Phil Jackson's Eleven Rings, chapters 11 to 16: Our Kids Mirror Our Energy, What Will They Remember, and The Mental Game
• ⭐ Player of the Week — Ethan "E-Dog" Powell, 8U Central Kentucky Thoroughbats, 100 swings a day
• 🚗 The Car Ride Home — this week's question: "What was the hardest part of your day, and how did you handle it?"
• 🇺🇸 Tournament Spotlight — 36 of the nation's top 12U players. Rawlings Army. Easton Army. USSSA Army. One unforgettable weekend at the 2026 War Games.

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Welcome to Beyond the Scoreboard — a new weekly newsletter for the parents, coaches, and grandparents of USSSA, written by Mary Scott.

In this edition:

• 🚗 The Car Ride Home — one question to open the door to a real conversation after practice
• 📚 From the Playbook — Phil Jackson's Eleven Rings, chapters 1–5, with concrete plays to run this weekend
• ⭐ Player of the Week — Brinley Leitch's story of competing with Type 1 Diabetes
• 💪 Built Different — 5,000+ families, 300K workout minutes, and what's coming next season
• 📸 Photo Mosaics — every family who uploads gets a free keepsake
• 🇺🇸 Around the Nation — this weekend across USSSA

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