Columbia, S.C. - (November 12, 2014) The Columbia Regional Sports Council (CRSC) is proud to assist the Southern Amateur Grid League (SAGL) in the first SAGL Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
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Athletes from all over the Southeast will participate in SAGL's one-day grid tournament, showcasing some of the most elite individuals in the fitness community, including professional appearances. Doors open at 11 a.m., the first race will start at 11:30 a.m. and the event will conclude at 5 p.m. $5 admission fee at the door.
SAGL was founded this year in Columbia, S.C. by Joe Tebaldi and Carl Hardwick who consider grid to be the "sport of the future." Their vision is to bring grid to the masses by creating an amateur league where athletes aspiring to be in the National Pro Grid League (NPGL) can showcase their talents.
"Grid is the ultimate spectator sport," said Hardwick. "It is very easy to follow; it has coaches, men, women, insane bodyweight movements, speed, heavy weight and things that seem inhuman all in one place - the grid."
Described as human-performance racing, Grid is a high-intensity sport in which five men and five women perform functional fitness movements in eleven races that make up one match. Influenced by CrossFit training, the competition is a unique, team-based sport with a score and spectators.
"Grid doesn't only appeal to those who do cross fit," Tebaldi said. "What I like about it is there is room for other specialties like gymnastics and power lifting. You can be a specialist and still do well; it's not just about the well-rounded individual."
As residents of Columbia, Tebaldi and Hardwick thought SAGL was a perfect fit for this area because of its accessible location and its enthusiastic, growing population who love a good sporting event. Since its inception, the league has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the community.
"We wanted to start in the south because we wanted to target a pocket of talent in the nation," said Tebaldi. "The Southeast is booming with prospects and we just want to give everyone a shot at living out an American dream: becoming a professional athlete."
Accommodations for the SAGL Invitational will be provided at the Inn at USC at a discounted rate of $110 a night for the projected attendance of approximately 1,000 fans and participants. The estimated economic impact of the tournament is $47,323.
Grayson Hopp, sales manager of the CRSC, said, "The opportunity to take part in the growth of a brand new sport and assist with this groundbreaking event is so exciting. We are thrilled that the SAGL chose to start its league in Columbia and we look forward to watching this innovative competition spread across the region."
For more information, contact Scott Powers, executive director of the Columbia Regional Sports Council or go to SAGL's website, thesagl.com.
About Columbia Regional Sports Council
The mission of the Columbia Regional Sports Council is to strengthen the area's economy by marketing and selling Columbia, S.C. as a premier destination for sporting events, partnering with local sports organizations to grow and develop existing events, and by recruiting new events that provide an economic benefit to the region by generating room nights, food and beverage sales, and associated tax revenues. For more information, visit columbiasportscouncil.com.
About Southern Amateur Grid League (SAGL)
The Southern Amateur Grid League (SAGL) is the Southeast's first league for fitness athletes. Inspired by the start of the National Pro Grid League, the SAGL looks to bring the excitement of our nation's newest sport, Grid, to the worthy talent of the masses! We're excited at the opportunity to bring together some of the region's fittest men and women to team up and compete in performance racing.
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