With the 2024 seasons behind us, we want to take the time to share our Year in Review. This speaks to the goals, priorities, initiatives, accomplishments and future direction of our association. We encourage you all to read it. For those pressed for time, an executive summary:
From President Derek Bussler:
The 2024 BFA season operated with a fully rostered Board of Directors for the second year in a row. With six new and engaged members joining, the Board was able to keep the momentum going from 2023 and continue to drive incremental value to BFA members. After a strong 2023 season, we intended to keep the momentum going and grow registrations to keep up with neighboring communities. We had strong growth by increasing by 45 players (4 teams) year over year in Summer and 19 more players (2 teams) in Fall. In 2025 we anticipate that we will not have a 14U team due to a lack of skill position players, so skill position player development will be a focus at the younger levels to develop this base for future years. Through the entire 2024 year, we supported a total of 208 players.
From a financial perspective, BFA had a banner year. We are projecting to end the year with roughly $44k in excess revenue. This came primarily through incredible Tournament performance with both the BASH and MONSTA Championships. As such, the Board of Directors approved many in-year adjustments to our expense plans to offer incremental value to our members, which included additional financial aid support, pitching clinic development for specific teams, and paid coaches to support our volunteers. As we move into the 2025 season we are assessing our equipment needs and focusing on how we can create more development opportunities for all members in the off-season. Lastly, we recently approved the use of some of our long-term investment funds to partner with the City of Bloomington and Toro on field upgrades to Dred Scott fields 3 & 4. More details to come on this exciting project.
2024 was an off-season filled with many development opportunities:
Monthly Coaches Clinics, facilitated by local college coaches and expert clinicians
Free access to the Twin’s Fastpitch Coaches Clinic
4 Dome Ball opportunities at both 10U/12U/High School levels
8U-specific skills clinics for five weeks in November/December
4 Single-day skills clinics led by Strike Zone Sports
2 sessions of Pitching, Catching and Hitting clinics led by Strike Zone Sports in the fall and winter
Free Sunday Night Clinics starting in January, facilitated primarily by BFA and Jefferson coaches
2 MSA credits given to each family to use for working on specific skills
Moving up 10U practice for new 10U fall players
Brought in pitching coaches from SZ and Kennedy this summer and fall to work with new 12U pitchers
Brought in 3 paid former high school and college coaches
BFA is only as effective as its members and it requires volunteers at all levels to continue its success. We exist to create a fun outlet for girls to develop lifelong skills, make friends, and develop their softball abilities; and we are collectively responsible for putting in the time and energy to make this happen. We should be proud of all of the work that our members have put in to make BFA a stable and successful organization and excited for all of the new families that have joined to continue its success and serve the community. Go BLAST!
Read the complete text of the 2024 BFA Year in Review!