Mar 08, 2016 • 3 min read
If you had to choose one word to describe the players on the Stafford Stealth fastball team, it would be passionate.
Fastball, considered the most competitive form of baseball, is not for the faint of heart–the commitment required is substantial. According to coach Saundra Lafley, players aren’t just joining a team. They’re joining a family.
“A fastpitch softball team isn’t just a collection of players you see a few times a week,” says Lafley. “They are family, sisters, regardless if you like all of them or not. You can’t choose your family just like you can’t choose your team. The unique thing about us, though, is that we’re bonded. We stand together and we fall together, always.”
That’s why the Stealth turned to FlipGive to help them raise the necessary funds to keep the team going for another season.
Last year, FlipGive launched its first FlipGive Challenge, The TeamShop Challenge. Teams competed to raise the most money within thirty days in order to win cash prizes for their team. FlipGive made things easy for the Stealth because they never had to ask for any donations–people were just buying things they would buy anyway.
“It was really great for us, because there wasn’t as much pressure. There were several options including giftcards, food, and general items. The entire team really liked the idea, so we decided to go for it,” says Lafley.
FlipGive is a free platform that allows users to create online fundraising pages and shop their favorite brands. Up to 50% of what you spend goes to your fundraiser.
But fundraising is so much more than making sure a team has the funds to sustain them for the season. It’s about bringing a community together and letting the players know that there are people behind them who support them.
Coach Lafley says, “It’s all obviously volunteer. We don’t get paid for what we do, so everything goes back into the team. It really helps us so much with new equipment and helping these girls pay their dues. These are the things they really need to have in order to continue playing. These girls are here to stay and grow as players and individuals, that’s what makes us so strong and unique.”
Stafford Stealth brought their A-game in last year’s challenge and won $7,000 dollars toward their fundraiser.
We are so proud of the Stafford Stealth and all they have done for their team!
FlipGive is a fundraising tool that gets you cash back on the stuff you buy. Create a page, shop online, and get up to 50% back from over 1,000 brands. It’s fast, easy, and 100% free. You can find out more at www.teamsnap.flipgive.com.
This season, FlipGive is launching their second challenge, Raise To WIN, where teams can compete to win up to $5,000 dollars for their team. Click here to create your own fundraiser and be entered to win!