About Draft Day Tournaments
More than a tournament.
Connecting players, strengthening communities, and keeping slow-pitch softball growing throughout West-Central Minnesota.
Why Draft Day exists
Draft Day Tournaments was built around a simple problem: there are still plenty of people who want to play slow-pitch softball, but finding a team, meeting other players, and getting connected to the softball community is not always easy.
As participation has changed and fewer communities have been able to maintain the softball traditions they once had, Draft Day Tournaments set out to create another way for players to get involved, regardless of whether they already have a team.
Where it started
The idea traces back to founder Hunter Botz’s time serving in the United States Marine Corps. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, as a radio operator, Hunter developed a passion for slow-pitch softball on Kadena Air Base. When military responsibilities allowed, Saturdays and weeknights were often spent at the ballfields.
That passion grew when his team qualified for a national tournament in Tokyo. Hunter spent a week competing against teams from across Japan, ultimately finishing 52nd in a field of more than 150 teams. The experience showed him that softball could be much more than just a game. It could create friendships, bring together people from different backgrounds, and build a strong community around competition.
Years later, that idea became Draft Day.
From one field to a larger mission
The first Draft Day tournament was held in 2022 in Leaf Valley, Minnesota. Thirty-four players came together on a single field outside the Leaf Valley Mercantile with one simple goal: get together and play ball. No one entered with a pre-built team. Every player registered as an individual, showed up on their own, and was drafted onto a team for the day.
In 2023, the tournament moved to Nelson, Minnesota, where Nelson Draft Day continued to grow.
The draft format quickly became an important part of the mission. Players who may never have met otherwise were suddenly teammates, and many of those connections continued long after tournament weekend. Draft Day has helped connect players who went on to form three different league teams in Morris, St. Cloud, and Wadena, while also helping additional individuals find opportunities with teams in their own local communities.
In 2026, Nelson Draft Day became Draft Day Tournaments, reflecting a larger vision for what the organization could become.
The vision
“The goal is no longer simply to put on one tournament. We want Draft Day Tournaments to help strengthen slow-pitch softball throughout West-Central Minnesota by creating welcoming, organized events where players can compete, meet new people, and become part of a larger softball community.
That mission extends to the towns that host these events too. Softball tournaments used to be a major part of many town festivals and summer celebrations. As fewer communities continue that tradition, we want to help bring it back. We want these tournaments to give communities another reason to gather while bringing players, families, spectators, and local businesses together for the weekend.”
Hunter Botz, Founder
Looking ahead
What began as a single tournament that also supported veteran organizations has grown into a company focused on strengthening softball and investing back into communities throughout West-Central Minnesota.
For Hunter, the long-term vision reaches even further:
“The long-term goal is to establish a dedicated softball complex somewhere in the region between Alexandria, Morris, and Fergus Falls, ideally near the Evansville, Barrett, or Elbow Lake area. We want to create a permanent home for tournaments, leagues, community events, and the continued growth of slow-pitch softball in this part of Minnesota.”
Through every tournament, the purpose remains the same
Connect players.
Strengthen communities.
Keep softball growing.
Draft Day Tournaments is building a community worth playing for.
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