About Us
The Palm Beach Challenge began as the brainchild of Palm Beach County residents Alan and Michael Zeff (father and son). Alan and Michael brought the idea of creating an event, exclusively for Junior Colleges, to the Homestead Challenge Director Mario Signorello. A partnership developed soon thereafter. The 8-year-old Homestead Challenge was a similar event in Miami-Dade County with over 80 teams. The Homestead Challenge was facing a dilemma of what to do with Junior College teams who presented a unique dilemma concerning the scheduling of equal and appropriate competition. The founders then approached and received encouragement from Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department got involved and coordinated the field logistics and the new home for junior colleges spring training was created. The Palm Beach Challenge played it’s first game on February 27, 2004 when Frederick, MD took on Corning, NY. All totaling, 30 baseball and 2 softball teams, from 13 different states and Canada, played nearly one hundred games at the Santaluces Sports Complex.

In 2006 NCAA Division I and Division II teams became the newest additions to the Palm Beach Challenge.

In addition to the teams, the residents of Palm Beach County are the winners. The Challenge participants rent almost 3000 hotel rooms and bring $2.5 million in total economic impact to our community.