World Champions, Missouri Lawmen defend their title on the road in Tampa Bay!

Tampa Bay Kick Off Results

2026 Tampa Bay Kickoff Classic Tournament Recap

A Strong Start to the Police Softball Season

The 2026 Tampa Bay Kickoff Classic officially launched the police softball tournament season in spectacular fashion in beautiful Tampa Bay, Florida. For Center Mass Police Softball, the event held special significance as it marked the Second time the organization hosted a tournament in its own backyard.

With a mix of beautiful weather and in true Florida fashion with rain, an incredible atmosphere surrounding the weekend, the tournament brought together elite law enforcement softball teams from across the country, along with their families and supporters, to celebrate competition, camaraderie, and the brotherhood that defines the police softball community.

On behalf of Center Mass, we extend our sincere appreciation to every team that traveled to participate in this inaugural event. The relationships formed throughout the police softball circuit are what make these tournaments so meaningful, and it was an honor to welcome everyone to the Sunshine State.

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A Memorable Opening Ceremony

The tournament began with a powerful and patriotic opening ceremony.

Renowned vocalist, songwriter, and performer Rubi Mar delivered a moving performance of the National Anthem, while the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard proudly presented the colors.

The ceremony also featured Colonel Robert Ura of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, who had the honor of delivering the ceremonial first pitch to officially open the tournament.

Tournament introductions were led by Natalie Zfat, a respected social media creator, journalist, and video host. The weekend’s unforgettable moments were beautifully captured by Aza-Lens Photography, whose work documented the energy and excitement throughout the event.

Special recognition also goes to the hardworking grounds crew at the Greco Softball Sports Complex, who worked tirelessly to keep the fields in outstanding condition despite heavy rain leading up to the tournament. Their dedication ensured that play continued smoothly throughout the weekend.

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A Night of Brotherhood

The tournament weekend also featured the 2026 Tampa Bay Kickoff Classic Player Party, where teams, families, and supporters gathered to celebrate the start of the season.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to Frank Speranzo of Colony Grill – Tampa Midtown for generously providing incredible food for the event. Your support and generosity helped create a memorable experience for everyone in attendance.

We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to Grand Cathedral Cigars, who hosted the event in a first-class environment. The atmosphere, hospitality, and camaraderie made it a truly special evening for the law enforcement community.

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Day One – Pool Play Battles

Tournament play began early Saturday morning with four games kicking off at 8:00 AM, followed by a brief pause at 10:30 AM for the opening ceremony.

Pool play delivered several highly competitive matchups as teams battled for early positioning heading into bracket play.

Three teams emerged from pool play undefeated at 3-0:
• Miami 5.0
• Great Lakes
• Kentucky Blue

Meanwhile, Pool A featured one of the most competitive showdowns of the day as Missouri Lawmen and Center Mass each finished 2-0, ultimately ending in a tie to close pool play.

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Majors Division Championship Run

Bracket play in the Majors Division quickly intensified as teams fought their way toward the championship.

Great Lakes continued their dominant run, securing victories over South Florida Lawmen and Kentucky to advance to the winner’s bracket final.

However, the biggest story of the bracket belonged to the Missouri Lawmen.

Entering bracket play as the #4 seed, Missouri began an impressive run through the tournament, defeating Center Mass, Miami 5.0, and eventually Great Lakes to capture the winner’s bracket king seat and await the survivor of the loser’s bracket.

In the elimination bracket, South Florida Lawmen made a strong push toward the finals with victories over Empire, Miami 5.0, and Kentucky. Their momentum eventually came to an end against a determined Great Lakes squad, setting up a highly anticipated championship rematch.

Great Lakes rose to the challenge in the championship round and forced a decisive “if game” against the undefeated Missouri Lawmen.

In a hard-fought battle between two powerhouse programs, both teams left everything on the field. When the dust settled, the Missouri Lawmen emerged victorious, securing the 2026 Tampa Bay Kickoff Classic Major Division Championship.

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Major Division All-Tournament Team

Missouri Lawmen

MVP (Turfs) — Vlad Gomez
All-Tournament — Joey Gardner
All-Tournament — Matt Smallen
All-Tournament — Justin Beal

Great Lakes

All-Tournament — Travis Perkola
All-Tournament — Jon Tibaudo

Majors Results:
1st- Missouri
2nd- Great Lakes
3rd- SFL
4th- Kentucky
5th- Miami 5.0
6th- Center Mass
7th- Empire
8th- NFL
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Gold Division Championship

The Gold Division also featured an exciting and competitive bracket.

Following pool play, Garden State, 305 Elite, and Bluegrass secured the top seeds and earned first-round byes.

Early bracket matchups featured 305 Elite defeating MDF/Dayton, while Lake County battled PAPD for advancement.

As the bracket unfolded, 305 Elite quickly established themselves as the team to beat, defeating MDF/Dayton, NYPD Finest, and Maryland Finest to claim the winner’s bracket king seat.

Meanwhile, PAPD mounted an impressive run through the loser’s bracket, defeating MDF/Dayton, NYPD Finest, and Maryland Finest to earn a championship matchup against the undefeated 305 Elite.

Despite PAPD’s determined effort in the final, 305 Elite capitalized on their momentum and depth to secure the Gold Division Championship.

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Gold Division All-Tournament Team

305 Elite

Ian Santana
Gabriel Cox
Suniel Castellanos

PAPD

Dylan Chateau
Stan O’Neil


Gold Results:
1st- 305 Elite
2nd- PAPD
3rd- Maryland
4th- NYPD Finest
5th- MDF/Dayton
6th- Blue Grass
7th- Garden State
8th- Lake County
9th- Nec Force
10th- NYC Boldest
11th- Canada Wrence Weasles
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Looking Ahead

The Tampa Bay Kickoff Classic proved to be an incredible start to the 2026 police softball season. From the competitive games on the field to the camaraderie shared off it, the weekend perfectly represented what makes the police softball community so special.

Center Mass would like to thank every team, sponsor, volunteer, and supporter who helped make this event possible. We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to the newcomers on the police softball circuit, Wrench Weasels from Canada and NYC Boldest for joining us in Tampa for their first police tournament. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to meet you all this weekend. Our friends from Canada were an absolute blast, and we’re thankful you chose to be part of this event.

We look forward to continuing to grow this tournament and welcoming everyone back to Tampa Bay for many years to come.