About

History

Est. 2021 out of a need to give more girls the opportunity to play elite youth softball in the greater Billings, Montana area.

2021 -2022: Billings Blizzard Fastpitch was founded by former University of Oklahoma Softball Pitcher, Stacy Braddock Dunn. Stacy ran a 14u developmental team and laid the foundation for the program.

2022-2023: Billings Blizzard 16U team took the National Championship Title at the Roseville, CA 16U B Western Nationals - a first for Montana. It was the first time any girl on the Billings Blizzard had attended a Nationals!

2023-2024: 16U team won USA Softball of Montana State Title and competed in Seattle at the 18U A USA Softball Western Nationals. A 12U team was founded and led by MSUB star short-stop Jessica Sullivan. We kicked off a NEW tournament called "Magic City's 4 the Girls Challenger". It was a hit! And it was indeed for the girls! We made a $50 profit (the goal was to break even), while giving away brand new bats, Nakona gloves, sliding mitts, pitching tools, free t-shirts, etc. via a Friday night "skills event". It was the first of its kind for Montana. First, second, and third place teams in 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, & 18U divisions were given fancy trophy rings (1st & 2nd), or medals (3rd). The tournament was a HUGE SUCCESS for Billings. We were able to use Stewart Park, light it up at night, and pay our umpires well. We hosted teams from Canada, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. We look forward to doing even more this coming year, as our ultimate goal is to make women's sports in Billings a HUGE positive.

2024 - Present: Billings Blizzard Fastpitch has exploded. More girls are getting to play elite fastpitch softball at a reasonable price point. We now have 10U, 12U, 14U, & 18U teams. Our goal is to encourage every team to take their girls to the state tournament, as well as pursue going to Nationals. This is not the norm for teams in Montana, but we are trying our best to make it so.

Help us continue to grow!

In the fall of 2024, Director and 18U Head Coach Stacy Dunn put her money where her mouth is - she and her husband cashed out their retirement savings to build an indoor space where the Blizzard softball teams can practice during the cold months of the year. Since moving to Billings, they realized that indoor space in the winter is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in creating a culture of excellence on the ball field. Building this private indoor facility not only guarantees more reps for the girls, but also keeps costs down for players' families.

Blizzard's ultimate goal is to offer an elite youth fastpitch softball experience at an affordable price point in the greater Billings area. Our coaches are ALL volunteers! We believe in the power of youth sports in forming a person's character. While most travel softball teams charge $800-$1000+, we are asking our players for $300 and are seeking out sponsorships for the rest. We believe charging the girls something is important, so they have skin in the game and take responsibility for their show up and training. But we want to make sure that any gifted athlete, no matter the income level, has the opportunity to play ball.

It costs $10,000 to run a youth, travel softball team. It costs $20,000 to run an 18U team thanks to more travel and the higher costs of college exposure tournaments. Billings, MT is currently a low recruitment area; not due to lack of talent. Our hope is to put Billings on the map when it comes to the softball college coach's eye. We want to do everything we can to bring athletic recognition to our area through opportunities that expose the talent that exists here - ultimately that means more traveling for our upper division teams. Montana girls are strong, resilient, and quick. It's time their skills are recognized.

Please consider clicking on the GIVE tab on our webpage to support our cause. We need the entire Billings area and those who want to push women's sports for future generations behind us. Thank you for your consideration and to the generosity of those who are already behind our program. You are making a difference! We can't do it without you!