This weekend, the fields at the Florida PGF Early 99% Showcase won’t just echo with the usual sounds of cleats, bats, and dugout chants. There will be something more. Something deeper. A presence. A purpose. A legacy that lives on far beyond the scoreboard.

This is the first annual 99% Showcase, a brand-new event carrying a heavyweight of meaning. It was created to honor the life and enduring impact of Coach Aly Bermudez, a beloved figure in the Florida softball community whose fierce love of the game and unshakable belief in her players left a mark no stat sheet could capture.

This showcase is about high-level competition, yes. It’s about college recruitment and four guaranteed games and showing what you’ve got in front of scouts. But more than that, it’s about why we play. Who we play for. And what we can fight for together.

A Coach, A Fighter, A Legacy That Doesn’t Quit

To understand the heart of this event, you have to understand Coach Aly.

Aly Bermudez wasn’t just a coach. She was a mentor, a motivator, a light in cleats. She was the kind of coach who knew when to push you, when to believe in you harder than you believed in yourself, and when to hug you through your worst day. She coached with fire, but always with love. And when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she fought it with the same grit and determination she expected from her players.

She didn’t want pity. She wanted effort. She wanted 99%.

As her players and fellow coaches will tell you, that number became more than a stat. It became a mindset. A way of life. You don’t coast. You don’t tap out. You give all you’ve got, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

When Coach Aly passed, the loss rippled across the softball world. But so did her influence. And now, with this event, that influence has a permanent home.

What the 99% Showcase Means

This isn’t just another stop on the travel schedule. It’s a statement.

The 99% Showcase exists to honor Aly’s legacy, but it also carries a broader mission: to raise awareness for ovarian cancer, support families in the fight, and build a community that plays with both excellence and empathy.

Players, coaches, and fans will flood the park in teal and gold, the official colors of ovarian cancer awareness and remembrance. Every pitch, every play, every jersey will carry more than a number or a name. They’ll carry a purpose.

Annual donations will be made from the event and will support The M Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women and families affected by ovarian and cervical cancers. Their work provides financial assistance, emotional support, and critical awareness in the fight against two of the deadliest and most underfunded women’s health battles.

The Foundation’s mission aligns perfectly with what this showcase represents: resilience, hope, and action. It’s not just about honoring those we’ve lost. It’s about helping those still fighting and lifting up families who need it most.

You can learn more or donate directly at mfamilyfoundation.org.

Thank You to the People Who Made This Happen

Events like this don’t happen overnight. And they don’t happen without heart.

A huge thank you goes to Bill Hoopes and Kristine Dolunt of PGF Florida, whose dedication and leadership turned the idea of this showcase into a real, powerful, beautiful weekend of softball.

Bill and Kristine believed in the vision from the beginning. They understood this wasn’t just about putting on games. It was about carrying forward a legacy. About giving players a platform to shine, yes, but also about making space for something bigger than the game. Their work behind the scenes, the coordination, the logistics, the outreach — it’s all been done with the kind of heart Coach Aly would’ve loved.

Thanks to their efforts, the 99% Showcase is now a reality. And not just a one-off. This is year one of what will be an annual event, growing every season with more teams, more awareness, and more impact.

The Format: Showcase Softball Meets Something Deeper

The 99% Showcase features over 30 teams from across Florida and beyond, competing in a four-game guarantee format that blends visibility with competition. It’s designed to highlight talent, build relationships with college coaches, and create opportunities for athletes to be seen and celebrated.

The teams are split into eight pools (A through H), with each pool stacked with a mix of elite travel squads, rising programs, and wildcards who can swing momentum in a hurry. From national-caliber teams like Batbusters, Texas Glory, and Florida Storm to rising contenders like CFL Pride, Clearwater Bullets, and SWFL Elite, the competition level will be fierce from first pitch to final out.

And while no trophies will be handed out — this is a showcase, not a bracketed tournament — the stakes are still high. Recruits want to show they can compete. Coaches want to see who handles pressure. And teams want to honor the moment by playing their best ball of the fall.

Pools at a Glance

  • Pool A features powerhouses like Batbusters Roberts 16U, CFL Pride-Kerr, and the Florida Dawgs alongside scrappy contenders like Santa Fe Inferno Blankenship and Central Florida Ladyhawks.

  • Pool B is the largest, with six teams including Batbusters 18U, Central Florida Gold-Peterson, and the aggressive Firecrackers Yeary group. Depth and endurance will matter here.

  • Pool C includes Florida Storm National-Masso, always a tough out, along with programs like Grit N Grind, Mamba Fastpitch, and Clearwater Bombers Mason who bring plenty of athleticism and heart.

  • Pool D offers a youth-heavy vibe with teams like Future16U Ralph and SWFL Elite 29/30, while Clearwater Bullets-Kermit and the Florida Flames bring experience to the mix.

  • Pool E includes Florida Élite (Champion), a team known for clutch performances, squaring off against the Clearwater Lady Bombers Santiago, the Fillies, and a young but talented Windermere Wildfire O’Brien group.

  • Pool F is full of grit, with Rock Gold Haley – 16U, Top Gun FL-Willis, Lead Your Journey Castillo, and Windermere Wildfire – Kaylor all playing with energy and swagger.

  • Pool G offers regional flair and future stars. Texas Glory Venice 18U Gold brings power, while TN MOJO 2028 – Orlando, SWFL Elite 08, and Fillies Fastpitch HS T/H add unpredictability.

  • Pool H wraps things up with another strong group: Hotshots Treasure Coast 16U Scotti, Legacy Fastpitch, Santa Fe Inferno Langworthy, and Texas Glory Venice 18U Silvia/Marino.

What It’s All About

At the end of the day, this weekend isn’t about rings or rankings. It’s about Aly. It’s about remembrance and resilience. It’s about a softball community showing up for something bigger than themselves.

It’s about daughters playing for moms. Coaches wearing teal for teammates they’ve lost. Families coming together in the stands, cheering a little louder because they know just how fragile and beautiful life can be.

Coach Aly Bermudez believed in giving your best. Not perfection. Not 100 percent. Just everything you’ve got, even on the hard days.

This weekend, more than 30 teams will lace up and step between the lines to do just that.

For Aly.
For each other.
For the fight that’s far from over.