Cumberland Heat

The Cumberland Heat

In 1996 the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) authorized women’s fast-pitch softball. It was immediately established in Maryland, and the Cumberland Heat was founded.

As noted on their website and Facebook, “The Cumberland Heat is a 501(c) non-profit girl’s fast-pitch softball organization located in Cumberland, Maryland. Our organization is a traveling club that consists of girls between the ages of eight to eighteen years old who are committed to developing their softball skills while representing our community at different tournaments throughout the tri-state region. Our goal is to assist these young girls in developing their personal and softball skills enabling them to achieve high levels of competition and possibly eligibility for college scholarships. The Cumberland Heat organization has a positive impact on the lives of our young girls, their families, and the community.

The Cumberland Heat Organization is guided by a volunteer board of directors and dedicated parent volunteers. We provide growth and development opportunities for female athletes while reinforcing self confidence and the ability to excel on and off the field.”

The Cumberland Heat currently involves almost seventy girls throughout the greater Cumberland area playing fast-pitch softball within four different age-groups and traveling teams. These teams have won championships on the state and regional level and some are even ranked nationally.

The team photograph depicted above was taken on June 18, 2017. The Cumberland Heat 12u team had just won the "USSSA 2017 Freedom Invitational Tournament” championship held at Eldersburg, Maryland. They finished the week-end undefeated. On that same day the Heat had other respective age-group teams competing in Hagerstown, Maryland as well as New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Depicted in the team photo are:
Front Row (L-R): Zoey Rhodes, Ariaya Walker, Savannah Roach, Ryland Kienhofer, Jaidee Guinn, Ally Myers, Izzy Kendall, Alysa Shoemaker and Chloe Greise.
Back Row (L-R): Riley Gallagher, Bailee Greise, Olivia Looker, Jennifer Witt, Emily Wilson, and Maddie Bonnett
Coaches for the Heat’s 12u team are Rick Twigg, James Wilson, Chris Greise and Dan Myers.

The second photograph depicts some Cumberland Heat team members at breakfast in the motel prior to the big game. Seated at the table, left to right are Avery Noel, Bailee Greise, Aubrie Root, Izzy Kendall and Adaline Wilson.