Seventy-mile per hour riseballs, 240-foot frozen ropes, soft hands and lightning-quick reactions all wound into seven feverish innings of gritty, gutsy, fast-paced action. Welcome to hard-hittin', fast-pitchin', affordable family fun. Welcome to National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)!

NPF, formerly the Women's Pro Softball League, is intended to provided family entertainment for people of all ages and to showcase the top talent in softball today.  It is the goal of the league to entertain and provide positive role models for young people. NPF demonstrates that a good work ethic, dedication, and love for what one does, will allow everyone to achieve their life’s goals.  NPF athletes demonstrate this by their actions, both on-and-off the field.  They are prominent people within their communities and avail themselves to their fans, particularly the young ones.

The WPSL captured the attention of fastpitch softball fans worldwide when it exploded onto America's sports scene in 1997. Since then, the WPSL has regularly showcased an unparalleled brand of fastpitch softball played by the world's best female athletes.

The WPSL can trace its origins back to the first professional softball league. Former LPGA Tour member Janie Blaylock, softball legend Joan Joyce and tennis icon Billie Jean King, founded the International Women's Professional Softball Association (IWPSA) in 1976. The league featured 10 teams in cities across the nation, including Meriden, Conn., Chicago, Ill., Prescott, Ariz. and San Jose, Calif. In the WPSA's first season, each team played a 120-game schedule that featured 60 doubleheaders.

The fledgling association survived four seasons before lack of funds, high travel costs and inadequate facilities ultimately led to its demise. Despite the absence of a professional league, the following decade proved to be extremely prosperous for the sport of fastpitch softball in the United States.

In 1982, the NCAA began to sanction the Women's College World Series, a move that led to increased participation and exposure for the sport.

Internationally, the USA Softball Women's National Team won back-to-back gold medals at the 1986 ISF World Championship and the 1987 Pan American Games. The college game also benefited from rule changes enacted in 1987 that increased the game's offensive output and ultimately its popularity. Some felt it was the perfect time to reintroduce the world to professional softball, but few acted upon their beliefs. Former Utah State University softball player Jane Cowles was in the minority.

Along with her collegiate head coach John Horan, Cowles developed a plan for a women's professional fastpitch softball league. In February 1989, she introduced a blueprint for the league to her parents John and Sage Cowles, owners of the Cowles Media Company, who agreed to provide financial backing for the endeavor.

Field research and market studies began later that fall and continued to take place through 1993. In January 1994, plans for a barnstorming tour were announced, and 18 months later two teams comprised of former collegiate all-stars played exhibition games in cities throughout the Midwest. The tour was an overwhelming success and provided the framework for a true professional league.

Eight years of successful research and planning finally culminated in May 1997, with the Cowles family and title sponsor AT&T Wireless Services launching Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF). After completing two seasons as WPF, officials changed the name to WPSL in 1998.

The WPSL consisted of four teams located in the Eastern United States in 2000. The world's most talented fastpitch softball players, including former Olympians, collegiate All-Americans and all-conference selections, highlighted the 15-player rosters of the league's four squads. The Akron Racers, Florida Wahoos, Ohio Pride and Tampa Bay FireStix each participated in the WPSL regular season. The Florida Wahoos defeated the Ohio Pride in the championship series held in Springfield, Mo.

The 2001 "Tour of Fastpitch Champions" allowed the WPSL to focus on expansion. The WPSL expansion plan took into consideration the need to re-shape the current structure of the league to accommodate the addition of important strategic partners vital to future growth and success of the League.

The 2001 tour traveled to 11 cities that were targeted as WPSL expansion candidates. Competition featured games between the WPSL Gold and All-Star teams as well as Canada, the USA National Teams and local all-star teams. Nine of these games were televised, seven on ESPN2 and two "live" on ESPN, a first for the WPSL. The season was deemed a success with more than three million households witnessing a WPSL game. Numerous cities are also being developed for future ownership in the league.

The "Deuce" televised over 30 games from 1999 to 2001. The broadcasts consistently out-rated those of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Hockey League (NHL).

Play was suspended during the 2002 season to restructure the organization and allow the league additional time to develop and explore new expansion markets. However, a WPSL All-Star team competed in two exhibition games against the Tennessee All-Stars as part of the National Softball Association's A division Eastern World Series in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The WPSL All-Stars also conducted two clinics as part of the weekend activities.

On Nov. 21, 2002, WPSL announced a rebranding strategy and official name change to National Pro Fastpitch. Major League Baseball partnered with NPF as its Official Development partner as a continuation of MLB's efforts to connect with female athletes and women.

As "Official Development Partner" in 2003 Major League Baseball provided introductions to Major League Baseball Clubs, community partners, broadcast partners and to MLB.com. This landmark relationship is sure to elevate NPF to new levels.

As part of its long-term sales, marketing and promotional campaign, NPF featured an All-Star Tour in 2003. The tour provided each of the league's expansion team owners with tools to lay the groundwork in their marketplace for the official launch of league play in 2004.

In 2004, all the hard work and planning paid-off for fans, athletes, coaches and league officials with the relaunch of the league in six markets: Stockton, California; Tucson, Arizona; Houston, Texas; Akron, Ohio; Lowell, Massachusetts; Montclair, New Jersey.

The 2004 season was distinguished by 178 league-wide games, 96 of the best female softball players in the country, the continued support of Major League Baseball as the Official Development Partner of NPF in the category of women's fastpitch softball, NPF playoffs (both best of three series went three games) and the inaugural NPF Championship with the NY/NJ Juggernaut capturing the Championship Cowles Cup with a victory over the New England Riptide, fourth place finisher in the regular season.

In December, 2004, owners of the individual National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) teams announced a plan intended to transition operations of National Pro Fastpitch from the founding Cowles family to an operating group consisting of team owners.

The efforts of the new ownership group in 2005 focused on solidifying broadcast agreements locally and nationally, soliciting sponsorship support, and aligning with national softball associations to bring meaningful competition to each team market and various grassroots events across the country. The group continues to recruit new teams and strengthen team ownership in each market.

The 2005 regular season included a total of 144 games and 23 opponents including six NPF teams, plus women’s ASA major teams and international teams such as Canada, Mexico, Russia, Venezuela, China and Australia. The season concluded the last weekend in August when the Akron Racers beat the Chicago Bandits 5-4 in extra innings to claim the NPF Championship Title.

The Juggernaut joined forces with Telecare to broadcast six games in 2005. Telecare reaches almost a million homes in the Long Island area. Comcast SportsNet Chicago aired seven original broadcasts of Chicago Bandits games in 2005. ESPN2 aired two games during the NPF Championship series. The final game was broadcast on ESPN2 with a very impressive .48 rating.

The In 2006, the Philadelphia Force and the Connecticut Brakettes joined the 2005 Defending Champions, the Akron Racers, the 2005 Regular Season Champions, the Chicago Bandits, the New England Riptide, the Arizona Heat and the Texas Thunder for league play. The schedule included a 48-game regular season schedule for each of the seven NPF teams including seven, 4-game home series and five, 4-game road series. The New England Riptide beat the Connecticut Brakettes to win the NPF Championship title at the end of August with a score of 2 - 0. The Chicago Bandits were once again the regular season champions.

The Philadelphia Force partnered with tv2 sports which is broadcast by Service Electric to air 14 games during the 2006 season. TV2 Sports reaches 750,000 households in both the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania and parts of North/West Jersey. Five New England Riptide games were broadcast on Fox Sports Net New England which reaches 5 million homes all over New England and Comcast SportsNet Chicago once again broadcast select Bandit games. Additionally, five games were nationally televised on ESPN/ESPN 2 during the 2006 season.

The 2007 season included six teams competing in a total of 132 regular season games, including games against Team China, Venezuela, Denso Japan Pro Team, plus the Michigan Ice and Stratford Brakettes.  The season concluded the last weekend in August when the league’s newest team, the Washington Glory took home the NPF Championship Title and the coveted Cowles Cup by beating the Rockford Thunder 3-1.  The Championship Series was hosted by Cardinal Youth Softball in Kimberly, Wis.  Glory and Team USA pitcher Monica Abbott picked up the win for Washington. She pitched the first five innings and didn't allow a run to the Thunder. The win was her second of the weekend over Rockford, the first being a no-hitter. With her efforts Abbott was named the NPF Championship Series Most Valuable Player.

Although expansion  plans are on-going, six teams are currently slated to compete in 2008.  The schedule will include a 48-game regular season schedule for each of the six NPF teams with additional exhibition games scheduled in various markets, including games against international teams as part their pre-Olympic warm-up schedule.  The season will start in late May and run through the last weekend in August when the top four teams in the league will compete for Championship Honors in Kimberly, Wisconsin.   The interactive game-day experience will be a primary focus in each market.

NPF will continue efforts to build the brand on a national scale with marketing campaigns and cross-promotions centered around NPF players.  NPF will once again have the support of regional television exposure in Chicago, Philadelphia and Akron.  In addition to exploring on-line broadcast opportunities, NPF is also in negotiations to bring a game of the week to fans across the country as well as a semi-final game and the final game of the NPF Championship Series for a total of 14 national broadcasts with a reach of over 50 million per broadcast.  Team NPF will also be featured in two games against the USA Olympic Softball team which will be televised on ESPN/ESPN2 in June of 2008.  National media exposure will provide consistent, measurable return on investment for sponsors and will bring national attention to our league and our world-class athletes.

NPF knows how important it is to support grassroots softball. The task is to utilize national marketing and media campaigns to generate national and local awareness not just for NPF, but for the sport of softball at all levels, to help develop grassroots programs, continue to introduce young female athletes to the sport and at the same time, provide elite female athletes with opportunities to showcase their skills, talents and abilities on the playing field and in the community.

NPF is dedicated to working with partners who will commit to the effort of promoting NPF and supporting professional fastpitch softball in the United States and continues to develop and build working relationships with key fastpitch organizations, including the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

The development partnership with Major League Baseball, the broadcast support of local and national networks, the support of industry sponsors, the experience and commitment of team owners and the exceptional talent of NPF athletes and coaches combine and point toward a future that is bright and full of promise.