Alongside the games, the Top 72 runs three optional skills competitions — a fun way for players to show off what they’ve got and chase some hardware. Each skill is scored within your player’s own age division (9U–14U).
Golden Arm
Throwing accuracy and arm strength.
Each player makes 5 throws at a BowNet target from the distance set for their age group. Points are earned on every throw and added together for a final score (max 25). The highest total wins.
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Throw lands and stays in the sock net on the fly | 5 pts |
| Hits the net in the air (on the fly, no bounce) | 2 pts |
| Hits the net on a bounce or roll | 1 pt |
| Miss | 0 pts |
| Age Group | Throwing Distance |
|---|---|
| 9U / 10U | 125 ft |
| 11U – 14U | 150 ft |
Road Runner
A sprint speed challenge.
Each player runs a straight 40-yard dash — all age groups run the same distance. Times are recorded to the thousandth of a second (three decimals, e.g. 5.842s) so even the closest finishes can be separated. The fastest time wins.
Home Run Derby
Show off your power at the plate.
Each batter gets 10 swings or 12 pitches — whichever comes first. Players must bring their own pitcher. A hit counts as a home run when it clears the home run distance for the batter’s age group. The batter with the most home runs wins.
| Age Group | Home Run Distance |
|---|---|
| 9U / 10U | 150 ft |
| 11U / 12U | 200 ft |
| 13U / 14U | 250 ft |
How winners are decided
- Per skill, per division: the top finishers in each skill are ranked within their age division.
- Overall: players who compete in all three skills earn an overall placement based on their combined rank across the three events — the lowest combined rank wins.
- Ties in any single skill share the same rank.
Good to know
- The skills competitions are an optional add-on to your Top 72 registration.
- They run during the event weekend; the exact schedule and station locations are shared on site.
- Event staff run and score each station. Their scoring is final.
Questions
Reach Cory Perreault at top.choice@usssa.com or 520.429.4498.