Arlington Heights Thunder Fastpitch

Another weekend, another reminder of what Thunder Fastpitch is all about: competing hard, playing for one another, and continuing to grow. Across Illinois and Wisconsin, Thunder teams put together an incredible stretch of softball this weekend, highlighted by a tournament championship, two runner-up finishes, and a collective eight-game winning streak on Saturday . 14U Black Wins the Deerfield Warrior Classic Congratulations to Thunder 14U Black , champions of the Deerfield Warrior Classic Softball Tournament ! The team battled through a competitive field all weekend and came away with the championship hardware in extra innings. They played with confidence, toughness, and the kind of energy that makes a long tournament weekend fun to watch. A huge congratulations to the players, coaches, and families on a well-earned title. 13U Teal Takes Second in the 14U Division Thunder 13U Teal stepped up at the Illinois Wave Wipeout Fastpitch Tournament and more than held their own. Playing in t...

10 Seasons of Developing Players, Building Teams, and Creating Opportunities Thunder Fastpitch provides a competitive, family-oriented softball experience for athletes throughout the northwest suburbs. Our mission is to help athletes develop confidence, skills, and a love for the game while competing at a level that aligns with their goals. Register for Evaluations Explore our Teams Thunder Fastpitch at a Glance Established: 2017 Organization Type: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Players: 230+ Teams: 20 Ages: 10U–18U Location: Arlington Heights, Illinois Training Facility: ThunderDome Evaluation Season: July Service Area: Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Wheeling, Rolling Meadows and surrounding communities Why Families Choose Thunder Fastpitch 🏆 10th Season A decade of player development, team success, and lasting relationships. 🥎 Player Development Fundamentals, confidence, and long-term growth. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Culture A supportive envi...

This fall marks Thunder Fastpitch's 10th season , and we couldn't be more excited about what lies ahead. Over the past decade, Thunder has helped hundreds of athletes develop their skills, compete at a high level, build lasting friendships, and prepare for success both on and off the field. As we begin planning for our milestone 10th season, we are excited to welcome both returning and prospective players to the Thunder Family. Whether your goal is to improve your skills, compete against top competition, prepare for high school softball, or pursue college opportunities, Thunder offers opportunities for players at every stage of their development. Thunder players benefit from: Experienced and dedicated coaching staffs Year-round development opportunities Access to the ThunderDome indoor training facility Competitive tournament schedules A positive, family-oriented culture  A commitment to player development on and off the field Interested in Learning More? Tryout registreation ...

Is your daughter curious about fastpitch softball?  Our Junior Thunder Winter Training Program kicks off this January and is the perfect way to build confidence, sharpen skills, and experience what it means to be part of the Thunder Family! 📌 Program Details Who: Girls new to or exploring fastpitch softball When: Sundays, exact time TBD (January–April, skipping major holidays) Where: Brand-new indoor facility in Arlington Heights What’s Included: 12 training sessions, Junior Thunder t-shirt, instruction from Thunder coaches, and mentorship from older Thunder “Sisters” 🔥 Highlights include: ✅ Hitting, fielding, pitching, and game fundamentals ✅ Strength, agility, and coordination development ✅ Teamwork, confidence, and friendships that last ✅ A positive, high-energy environment focused on FUN! Whether your athlete is preparing for spring house league or eyeing Thunder tryouts next summer, Junior Thunder is the best way to grow in the game. 👉 Spots...

As we wrap up another incredible year of growth, competition, and development, we’re excited to announce the official team lineup for the 2025–26 Thunder Fastpitch season! Thank you to all the players and families who participated in tryouts. The talent and dedication displayed made this one of the most competitive selection processes we’ve had to date. We’re proud to continue building a program that supports athletes at all levels and provides a positive environment for skill development, teamwork, and love of the game. 2025–26 Thunder Fastpitch Teams We are proud to offer multiple team levels to meet players where they are in their development and help them reach their full potential. 10u Black Head Coach: Laura Pettyjohn Level: B/C / Developmental 10u Teal Head Coach: Scott Peterson Level: B/C / Developmental 11u Black Head Coach: Ashley Knezevich Level: B 11u Silver Head Coach: Shaun Balmer Level: B/C 11u Teal Head Coach: Greg McGrath Level: B/C  12u Black Head C...

If you’re a dedicated softball athlete who’s hungry for more, we want you on our radar. Next season’s tryouts are just around the corner, and spots fill up fast. Whether you're looking to challenge yourself, find a new team dynamic, or simply take your game to the next level, our tryouts are the perfect opportunity to show what you’ve got. Joining the Thunder Family is a chance to be part of something competitive, supportive, and built for growth. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make your mark. We can’t wait to see who’s ready to rise.   👉 REGISTER FOR TRYOUTS For answers to common tryout and travel softball questions, we invite you check out our  Frequently Asked Questions  page.

Thunder Fastpitch is excited to announce registration is now open for our 8U House All-Star Team!   This is a fantastic opportunity for young athletes to take their game to the next level while having fun and building lasting friendships. It also serves as a great chance to see if your player is ready to take the next step into travel softball. Who’s Eligible? 🏆 Players 8 years old & younger 🥎 Current house league players looking for extra competition ⚡ Players eager to develop skills in a fun, competitive environment Why Join? 🔥 Extra practices & tournaments 🎯 Skill development with top coaches 🏅 Play against other All-Star teams Spots are limited, so don’t wait! Sign up today and be part of the Thunder All-Star experience! 📅 Register Now: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/thunder-hast/items  

Registration for our Junior Thunder indoor winter training program is now open.  This program offers a great opportunity for current house league softball players to train during the winter to prepare for their upcoming season.  Check out the link below to learn more and to see what joining the Thunder FAMILY is all about! CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

As we approach the end of another great season, we are excited to announce that the upcoming tryouts for Thunder softball next season are just weeks away. We are excited to see showcase their skills as we continue to build on our success and grow as a program. Available Teams for 2024 - 25 Thunder Fastpitch is pleased to offer multiple team levels for the 2024 - 25 season to accommodate varying skill sets and experience levels. Our goal is to ensure that each player finds the best fit for their development and enjoyment of the game. We will be offering the following teams next season: 10u Black: Head Coach: Laura Pettyjohn Level: B/C / Developmental 10u Teal: Head Coach: Greg McGrath Level: B/C / Developmental 10u Silver: Head Coach: Ashley Knezevich Level: B/C / Developmental 11u Black:  Head Coach: Jason Barth Level: Most Competitive 11u Teal:  Head Coach: Chad Fischer Level: B/C 11u Silver:  Head Coach: Shaun Balmer Level: B/C 12u Black: Head Coach: Brian Carlson Level...

The Thunder recorded one of their best weekends of the season to end June grabbing four top 2 finishes! Congrats to these four teams as well as all of our teams that were in action this weekend. These four finishes bring our total to 17 first or second place finishes this season, great job ladies!!! Thunder Premier taking 2nd Place at the NAFA National Qualifier  in the 16u division! Thunder Teal 16u taking 2nd place at the Old Glory Classic  in the 16u division! Thunder Black 14u taking 1st place at the  Glen Ellyn Invitational Softball Tourney in the 14u division! Thunder Black 13u taking 1st place at the Old Glory Classic  in the 14u division! Check out the video below of 13u Black walking it off in the bottom of the 7th for the Championship title! Congratulations on a great weekend Thunder!!!

Looking to take your game to the next level?  Tryouts for the 2024 - 2025 Thunder season will take place this July for the season starting this August. We will be holding tryouts for teams 10u --> 18u that includes a mix of new (10u) and existing teams of varying levels from new/development to our Premier college showcase team(s). This is a fun and highly competitive program that focuses on teaching fundamentally sound softball skills. Our goal is to help every player improve and achieve their goal of playing in high school and beyond. Just as importantly, we believe in teaching the value of what it means to be a part of a team and the responsibilities and commitment that come with it. Because our focus isn't solely on softball, our players truly love being together both on and off the field. If you are looking for a more competitive softball experience with a Family feel, Thunder Fastpitch is for you. We look forward to seeing you at tryouts! SIGN UP HERE

It is with tremendous pride that we are pleased to announce that the new Thunder indoor training facility (affectionately known as the Thunder Dome) is officially open! Our brand new indoor training facility includes two retractable batting cages, four individual tee stations, space for small groups of pitchers or fielders to work, and more. Thunder families will benefit from having direct access to indoor training space for additional practice time as well as lessons provided by Thunder preferred instructors. A huge thanks to the countless volunteers who helped with the internal build-out, specifically Jason Barth, Justin Marcus, and Joe Conrad, who dedicated countless hours and truly went above and beyond. We’ve been waiting a long time to say this, but to our players, our coaches and our entire Thunder FAMILY, Welcome Home.

In their final PGF event of the fall, the LP4U Fall Peoria Showcase, Thunder Premier 16u placed second in their division.  The tournament started with a tough loss to a strong Peoria Sluggers team, but Premier bounced back with a strong 11 - 2 win over CTW Premier Saturday night. Wins over NWI Sox Fastpitch and the TBSA Wahoos lead to a spot in the Championship game against the Lady Expos, who edged the Thunder 10-9 to take the final. It was a total team effort and we are very proud of the girls for performing so well despite the rainy and sub-50 (and sub-40 on Sunday) degree days. You can see some of the weekend's highlights on our YouTube Channel . Way to bring the BOOM! KEY STATISTICS: BATTING Number Last First GP PA AB AVG OBP OPS SLG H 77 Kee 2025 Payton 5 15 13 0.615 0.667 1.590 0.923 8 42 Van Ryn 2026 Madilyn 5 16 15 0.533 0.563 1.163 0.600 8 7 Aicher 2026 Elizabeth 5 16 12 0.500 0.625 1.208 0.583 6 17 Felman 2026 Gabby 3 8 6 0.500 0.625 2.125 1.500 3 27 Marchialette 2026 Ma...