National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) oversees a women's fastpitch softball league that includes the Afron Racers, Chicago Bandits, New England Riptide, Philadelphia Force, Rockford Thunder, and Washinton Glory. The league organizes games, enforces rules, and regulates team ownership. It also manages corporate sponsorships and broadcast rights. In addition to league games, NPF teams play national teams from other countries, such as China, Canada, and Venezuela. The league was organized in 2004 by Jane Cowles, a former softball player for Utah State University, and is controlled by her family. It traces its roots to the Women's Pro Softball League, which started in 1997 and folded in 2001.