You may notice a lot of girls softball players in the Triangle this weekend and next week.

The PONY Softball Fastpitch National Championships are returning to the Wake County for the fifth year in a row.

Twenty-two parent-child teams turned out to compete in the Triangle Tarheels Basketball Club’s Mother-Daughter, Father-Daughter Tournament at Youngsville Elementary School in Youngsville.

The double-elimination, two-on-two competition, a fundraiser for the nonprofit team, featured girls ages 9-17 competing with a parent or a mentor, Tarheels coach Ahmad Smalls said.

Cold weather puts many outdoor activities on hiatus, but that doesn't mean participants stop preparing for next season.

Many area recreational sports organizations keep busy through the winter by planning and conducting benefit events to raise funds to pay for equipment, facilities, travel, entry fees or any of the many expenses affiliated with their activities.

Here are three fundraisers coming up over the next three weekends:

The Triangle Volleyball Club is going for a world record.

Club athletes, staff and participants in next month's Mid-Atlantic
Power League tournament will attempt to win a place among the Guinness
World Records for the number of consecutive volleyball passes, said
Sherry Fadool, associate director of the Morrisville-based Triangle
Volleyball Club.

The record attempt will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Raleigh
Convention Center as a prelude to the Mid-Atlantic Power League’s Feb.
6-7 MAPL Raleigh 2010 tournament at the convention center.