Let me take you back...back when the Nationals had Spring Training at the Space Coast Stadium...back when the dirt parking lot also doubled as the fair grounds for the Space Coast Fair...back then the only 'diamond sport' was baseball. But as we lived it, that time had to come to an end. And a big question popped up. "What do we do with the Space Coast Stadium?"
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Eau Gallie High graduate Alex Powers goes off to FSU to play collegiate softball...then a few years later with the creation of the USSSA Pride and the world headquarters of USSSA in Viera, Alex is drafted to play professional softball for her hometown team. Yeah, that's right! Brevard's only professional sport is women's softball and the star of the Pride is also home-grown!
I first met Alex Powers around the holidays last year, as I got to learn more about USSSA and what the Space Coast Stadium is up to. They don't just host as the home stadium for the Pride. They also have like tons of youth diamond sports tournaments (I know this because my nephew just came down from Kansas City to play here and they faced teams from all over America) ranging from all ages, they also have like men's professional home run kinda baseball thing? I don't know exactly what it's called...but I know this: there are grown-ass men getting PAAAAAID to literally just hit home runs.
And the whole stadium area has also gone through an over-haul as well...in lieu of a dirt parking lot that once was littered with funnel cakes. Now stands multiple turfed fields that can host multiple games throughout the day. With seating for hundreds, and giant screened scoreboards in the outfield!
This is like many "Field's of Dreams"...they built it, and now here they come. From all over the country and in the case of last summer ALL OVER THE WORLD as Viera, and USSSA, hosted the Women's World Cup of Baseball. Teams from Japan, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico and more took the field against the US and played and stayed right here in Brevard.
So that's just a brief brag about the Space Coast Stadium...now let's brag about Alex Powers. First, she was drafted in the top 10 of her draft class to play professional baseball...so yeah I sat down with a legit athlete and she also is now working in the corporate front office of USSSA too as she just got the promotion recently! Like we mentioned earlier, she's a graduate of Eau Gallie High and was born and raised in Melbourne, only ever leaving to go to school at FSU.
So without any more delay, here's Alex's 'Brevard County Story' as we're also joined by Sierra Romero too, another player for the USSSA Pride.
A special thanks to both Alex and Sierra for sitting with me...having some great drinks and I'm serious Alex I will be your agent...we will get you sponsored by SpaceX if I have my way!
And now I wanna shift over to Mainstreet Pub, a place that has always been close to my heart. For many years, we did a Wednesday night broadcast out in front of Mainstreet Pub and had soooooo many great times with their $1 beer night. Whew seriously...hangovers happened after those nights. Lena and the staff at Mainstreet Pub are some of the greatest humans on Earth and our server Teela has been a pal of mine for at least a decade now...but what I've never tried...was the food. And OH. MY. GOD! That roast beef sandwich was bonkers. The charcuterie plate...I ate it all. I highly recommend not just drinking at Mainstreet Pub...but going for lunch...and then turning it into a late night hang sesh...and then Ubering home.
Again, thanks to Alex and Sierra for joining me. Jami Lopries who is also in the front office of USSSA for help set this up (we need to catch up soon mmmkay!). Thanks to Lena at Mainstreet Pub and as always our sponsor Melbourne Mainstreet and Akili for getting everything put together!