Fireworks shoppers in northwest Bakersfield have another reason to stop by a local stand this Fourth of July season: proceeds are helping support the Bakersfield Bandits Softball program.
Bakersfield Bandits Softball League pose with their creative posters, as the TNT firework stand officially opens. PHOTO: KBAK
Daniel, the head coach of the Bakersfield Bandits, said the team formed in 2021 to give players more competitive opportunities, including travel ball.
“Our team got together in 2021 to try and get the girls to have more competitive softball, to where they could travel and really experience the more competition from out of town teams and expose them to colleges,” Daniel said. “We’ve been with the same girls that we started with. So it’s been great.”
KBAK
Players from multiple high schools were at the stand holding their home signs to draw attention and encourage people to stop and buy fireworks. The players mentioned they spent hours making the signs, starting at 9 a.m. Sunday.
“We have a really great group of girls,” she said. “It’s just like really encouraging being able to go to practice every day and hang out with like people we’re all best friends with, because we’ve been together for almost five years now, so we’ve kind of grown up together.”
Players said they attend several schools, including Highlands, Bakersfield High School, Frontier and Independence.
The fundraiser also includes raffle tickets. Daniel said, “Yeah, so the raffle tickets, we do 50 tickets for $20 a piece, and so it’s a limited amount of tickets, and so everybody has a very good opportunity, so it works out well.”
At the stand, Daniel highlighted several fireworks he said are among the top sellers, including “our showdown, our five minute showdown,” the “Brain Buster,” and “Three Minute Eternal Eruption.” He also pointed to newer items, including “The Bald and The Beautiful,” “The Final Salute,” and a large assortment option designed for groups that he said can “put on a show for a good 45 minutes to an hour.”
KBAK
Players said the fundraiser helps cover costs tied to the program. Haley, a Highlands student, said, “I think people should come out and support because it’ll allow us to buy more equipment, and so we can go to bigger and better tournaments.”
The TNT Fireworks stand is now opened today through July 4th at 7:30am-10:30pm.
They’re located at the Rosedale Village shopping center near Callaway Drive and Rosedale Highway, across the street from Dewar’s