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SportsBreak APRIL 2008 E-NEWSLETTER FROM ISSA |
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LOVE SOFTBALL? VIRGINIA IS THE PLACE TO BE IN 2008
The 7th ISF Senior World Cup will be held on June 20-22 at an exciting new venue, Salem, Virginia. Nestled in the Roanoke Valley, Salem and the surrounding jurisdictions have combined forces to host this premier senior softball event. Salem has long been a favorite destination for softball players of all ages and now seniors will get to know why they are now called the City of Champions. On August 15-17 the 14th ISSA World Championships will return to Manassas and Prince William County. This event has become a tradition for many senior teams as they vie for the right to wear one of the coveted championship rings. Teams journey to Manassas from coast to coast to compete and renew old friendships. Based on player feedback, the ISSA has made arrangements with softball officials in Tidewater Virginia to bring the senior teams a new end-of-the-year event, the ISSA Winter Nationals. This first year tournament will be held on October 3-5 at Virginia Beach. With some outstanding new softball facilities and a world-class beach resort community, this event will undoubtedly become a favorite for senior players and their wives. Log on today to the ISSA website to stay on top of senior softball and see all we have to offer for 2008! Remember VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS, softball lovers. CITY OF CHAMPIONS
THE SENIOR SOFTBALL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
Competition has been programmed for senior women beginning at age 40 and senior men at age 50. Again this year the World Championships will also include Masters Divisions for 35+, 40+ and 45+ men's teams. The Prince William County/Manassas CVB has mailed tournament packets to all teams that have previously expressed an interest in participating. Others may request a tournament packet from the ISSA Office or copy the needed forms and information from the ISSA website. ASA SENIOR NATIONALS RETURN TO BURLINGTON, NC
Teams will find the tournament information for this event on the Burlington website at www.burlingtonnc.gov, "Tournament Information.". There will be no charge for spectators this year and souvenirs and food concessions will be available at each venue. Also, the format will be the same as last year; two pool games on Friday with double elimination starting on Saturday. Tournament officials plan to finish on Sunday and only use Monday as a make-up day for bad weather or overflow of teams. Hotel reservations may be made through the Alamance County Convention & Visitors Bureau web site at www.burlington-area-nc.org or by calling1-800-637-3804. Teams should make their reservations early since nearby Elon University has an early start this year and the tournament weekend overlaps with the University’s move-in day! The Amateur Softball Association which sanctions this event was founded in 1933, and is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 83 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 240,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. The ISSA has been an Allied Member of ASA since 1996. For more information on the ASA, visit www.asasoftball.com. IT IS OFFICIAL
Competition will be held for Senior women’s teams from 40 and Over to 65 and Over. All age classifications and skill level divisions will be included for the Senior men’s teams. Men’s Masters competition will be scheduled for 35 and Over, 40 and Over and 45 and Over. And a new division of play for ISSA will be a 35+ Coed Division. The Winter Nationals will permit players who are eligible for an age division in 2009 to compete in this October tournament. Teams can use this tournament to begin the process of putting their tournament team together for 2009, a concept that many senior teams find helpful. The Athletic Director for the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department is the legendary Jay Smith. Jay was one of the all-time top rated slowpitch softball players in the Country and is pleased to invite his old friends and acquaintances to his “house,” the Princess Anne Athletic Complex. Plan now to attend this end of the year tournament at a great location. Additional tournament information will be posted on the ISSA website later this summer. Experience the Fun at Virginia Beach, on and off the field in October.
SCHEDULE SET FOR OLYMPIC SOFTBALL GAMES
Each of the eight teams will play each other once during round robin play, meaning that the first seven days will see four games played each day. An ‘off day’ is provided on August 19 in the event of rescheduled games due to weather. Two playoff games will be played during the day on August 20, followed by a game that night that will determine the bronze medalist. The grand final is set for Thursday evening, August 21, with the winner earning the gold medal. The team they defeat will be awarded the silver medals. The first game of the 2008 Olympic tournament will see Chinese Taipei take on Canada. The same two teams met on the first day of the 2004 Games in Athens (Game 3), a 2-0 Canada victory. Game 2 this August will see Team USA begin defense of their Olympic gold medal when they take on Venezuela, who will be making their first-ever Olympic Softball appearance. The host country takes the field for Game 3 on opening day, meeting the Netherlands, who return to the Games for the first time since the sport debuted at the Olympics in 1996. Play concludes that night with longtime international softball rivals Japan and Australia squaring off in a match-up of the 2004 bronze and silver medalists, respectively. The full schedule is available on the ISF Website. Fengtai Softball Field was built for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition and opened in August 2006 with the ISF’s XI Women’s World Championship, which also served as the sport’s Olympic Test Event. Last year the venue hosted the China Cup. The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. The ISF Senior World Cup (men’s and women’s slowpitch) debuted in 2002 at Manassas, Virginia. There are 130 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide. HALL OF FAME HONORS SENIOR PLAYERS
With the introduction of the National Senior Summit in 1999, the induction process was revamped to include input from all the member organizations. Today, senior players must have acquired at least six points earned by being selected to the All tournament team at any of the Summit member organization’s National Championships to be nominated. A representative from each Summit organization then votes on the candidates. The complete details for the eligibility requirements including a Pioneer Category that was added in 2003 as well as the submittal information can be found on the Hall of Fame’s website at www.sshof.com. Nominations must reach the National Office in Oklahoma City by April 1 to be considered for that calendar year. SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL
The Olympic Games in Beijing, upcoming elections of National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the Olympic Congress in 2009 and the Youth Olympic Games were defined as key opportunities to advance the cause of girls and women in and through sport. It is about mainstreaming girls' and women's participation in decision-making bodies, events and topical discussions. For instance, the conference participants requested the Chairperson of the IOC Women and Sport Commission to propose to the 120th IOC Session in August 2008 the mandatory requirement for all NOCs to have women on their executive committees, and that this be an enforceable requirement. Within the field of governance, the attendees felt strongly that key performance indicators should be set by the IOC in order to provide guidance to the Olympic Movement and monitor progress against the set targets. The much needed networking of women in the Olympic Movement could be facilitated through the IOC website. The predominant female conference participants also noted the need for men in decision-making positions to participate in women and sport forums. Delegations attending policy-making forums should be gender based. In the United States women over the age of forty are increasingly turning to slowpitch softball as their team sport of choice. Women interested in the sport can contact Pat Lawlis. the founder of the Senior Softball Women’s Advisory Board (SSWAB), an advisory body to the Senior Softball Summit, where she continues to be a SSWAB member. Pat can be reached at lawlis@aol.com. Pat’s non-profit organization, 2nd Chance Sports, Inc produces an e-newsletter, 2nd Look, which presents information and independent views on women’s senior softball. If anyone would like to be added to the e-mailing list for this e-newsletter, please send an e-mail to Softball2ndLook@aol.com and state your request. The ISF Senior World Cup, the ISSA World Championships and the ISSA Winter Nationals are all programmed to hold competition for the Masters and Senior women. WE BRAKE FOR SENIOR SOFTBALL
This 80+ page publication delivers six times a year an information packed magazine that covers the pros, seniors, the grassroots players, a section dedicated to fast-pitch, along with contributing editors and health specialists on a national and international basis. Softball Magazine is dedicated to the positive growth and promotion of the entire sport of softball across the United States and Canada. For years they have provided coverage for the ISF Senior World Cup and the ISSA World Championships as well as many others. Softball Magazine has always and will continue to cover senior softball. They are dedicated to giving the best coverage they can to the men and women who are so dedicated to the sport. Their pages are open to directors and players to submit information. It is FREE and the only cost is time. Teams and league officials can submit a “team spotlight” and tournament directors can get their tournament published in Softball Magazine by sending the information to getinthepages@softballmag.com or calling the toll free #877-453-3711 (ask for Nancy, she can guide you on what info they need). You can also check out softballmag.com for updates on all things softball. 2008 IOWA SENIOR OLYMPICS SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – This year the State of Iowa will hold their qualifying tournament at West Des Moines for the 2009 National Senior Games at San Francisco. The event will be held on June 6 & 7 at the Racoon River Softball Complex. Subject to the number of entering teams, games are scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM on Friday. Competition will be held for all age classifications with gold, silver and bronze medals going to the finalists. Teams interested in participating can obtain additional information and entry forms on the event website at www.iowaseniorolympics.com or call their office at 515-633-5011. This year participants in the tournament will have the opportunity to enter a new event presented by Sheels All Sports. Between games at the tournament on Friday night, players can test their ability to hit a softball into 8 different zones around the diamond. This is a non-medal event but players will be swinging for a chance to win a gift card from Scheels All Sports! The contest is just for the participating team softball players, so all Iowa senior teams or urged to get their team together and join in the fun. Players can also check out the contest rules on the website or call the office for more details! Each month SportsBreak will spotlight individuals, teams and groups who together represent “senior softball.” Around the Country seniors have organized to be involved in our sport, some at a fun-filled recreational level while others like the challenge of competitive tournament softball, some do both. All are important and meet the need of the participants to remain active and ageless. If you know of a special individual, team or organization we want to hear about them. You have a personal story to tell, send it to us at issa@seniorsoftball.org. Just email us the article for inclusion in one of our future e-newsletters. Photos are welcome and will be used if possible. You can use this link to add your family and friends to our mailing list to receive this e-newsletter if you wish. A ROSE IS A ROSE....THEN THERE IS ED
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 62 years ago, Ed lost his dad at age 13. His mom re-married, giving Ed a new step-dad, who eventually shipped the troublesome youth off to military school. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Ed took up the challenge, as he has done throughout his life, and used that experience to learn and grow. He says that his being shipped off to military school was one of the best things that ever happened to him. "I needed that kick in the butt," he said. Ed graduated from Warner Southern College with honors in Organizational Management. He has authored several books along those lines: Presenting and Training with Magic; 50 Ways to Teach Your Learner; and The Trainer's Role in the Successful Transition to Self-Directed Work Teams. Plus, he has created many team-building exercises included in resource books published by McGraw Hill and HRD Press. Ed's latest book is: How Do You Spell Success, A.C.T.O.R. (The Actor Factor for Success in Your Life). Ed has started 9 companies over the years and is currently President of six. He has 32 years experience in manufacturing, served as quality examiner for the State of Florida, worked 10 years at the Kennedy Space Center, and has published numerous papers on the subject of self-directed work teams. A frequent presenter at the ASTD and AWP National Conferences, and the University of North Texas International Conference, he has also made presentations in Europe and as far away as in Australia. Quite naturally, the excellence of Ed's career in business has also carried over to his sports, chief among them these days is his softball. Ed, who was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 1999, has played on 20 World Championship teams and has been selected to eight All-World teams. His dedication to softball is well known by all. Mike Walker, says, "If there is a player, a coach or team that has never heard of Ed Rose, well, they haven't been involved at the highest level of our sport." Ed married his High School sweetheart, Cheryl McCluckey, 42 years ago. They have 3 sons and 7 grandchildren of which, Justin, 18, is a top rated halfback in football, apparently headed to Colgate. Interestingly, and not very well known is that Ed is a member of both the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the International Magicians Society. But no hocus pocus will allow you to play on 20 World Championship teams with the required amount of dedication and necessary hard work in order to maintain that level of excellence. So next time you hear some yelling in the complex, it’s probably Ed motivating his team on to another tournament victory. Ed is the Executive Director of the Florida Senior Sports Association which organizes an annual "softball trip" to the Hawaian Islands. This year’s tour will begin on May 7, contact the FSSA at www.floridassa.com for details. Ed is a veteran of all the Association’s previous trips to the islands and believes that the FSSA has found the perfect formula for those people who dream of somehow combining a great family vacation with playing softball. FIVE SENIOR PLAYERS HONORED
Toni Letaw has been an MVP participant in the local softball leagues for over 30 years. She began playing with the Golden Girls in 1990 and is presently on their 65+ team. Toni can also be found on weekday mornings playing in the predominately men’s NVSS senior league. Playing for the Golden girls tournament teams she has accumulated a wall full of championship awards. John Powell began playing softball in the Baltimore area in 1959 and soon became one of the areas top homerun hitters, always with a good batting average. John was an “all-star” player and his teams were perennial league champions. His reputation landed him on all the top senior teams in the metropolitan area and last year he played for the Thomas Engineering 65+ team. Over the years his teams have won championships in all the major senior softball associations. He has been the recipient of three MVP awards and five All world selections. Frank Tomlinson began playing in Fairfax county in 1969 and soon thereafter was playing for the area’s top rated teams. He began playing senior softball in 2001 for Springfield Trophies and league play with Tom Tudor’s Solid Gold. He also began playing with Murphy’s Law that year and over the next six years the team went on to win 10 National Championships. Last year he played for Spicer’s when they won six Championships. Frank’s contribution was recognized by being selected to All world teams six times and named Best Defensive Player four times. Bucky Wicklein may be best known as the pitcher for some of the best senior teams in Maryland such as Express, Maryland Masters and Morningside House but along the way he also compiled some very impressive hitting statistics routinely between 720 and 800 for the year. During the past ten years his teams won three National Tournaments and were runner-up several times. Randy Moses was inducted in the Promoter Category for his many years of organizing softball programs in Washington, DC where he is employed by the City government. He also plays and manages the Maryland Yutes which for many years have been one of the top senior teams in the Maryland area. The Yutes have won two ISSA World Championships along with numerous other league and tournament championships. Randy represents the ISSA on the senior Softball Women’s Advisory Board established by the National Senior Summit. DOC'S GRAYHOUNDS, A LONG TIME POWERHOUSE
Don Bowman is well known in the Twin Cities area as a softball player and manager. He is a member of the Minnesota USSSA Softball Hall of Fame and over the past seven years in the 50 Major Plus division the Grayhounds have managed to claim four World Championship titles (2000, 03, 05, 06). Coach Bowman remains confident in the opportunity that once again he can bring respect to the Minnesota senior softball program. When not on the softball fields, Don is a Supervisor for the St. Paul Regional Water Services and in his spare time writes for a regional softball/baseball publication, “Let’s Play Softball/Baseball” out of Minneapolis. The Grayhounds 50 Major team will be sporting new sponsors, Cody Law Group and Elite Apparel which will be supplying the team with full uniforms including cleats, batting gloves and pull overs to all players. Excitement and anticipation run high within the Grayhounds organization with the possibility at each outing of bringing not just one world championship home this year....but two. CLATTA, THE HITTING MACHINE
Before advancing to senior softball at age 50, Clatta played for 15 years in top caliber softball with some of the best teams in the country which included Blanton’s, Dave Carroll Sports, and Steele’s. He still plays league and occasionally, tournaments with local non-senior teams. He played outfield until he turned 45 when he moved to the position of catcher. In senior softball he continued to play with the best teams including Orange Crush, Dan Smith Plastering, Fergies, Thomas Engineering, M.W. Tribble, and Turn Two Sports. Playing with three or more teams a year in 50+, 55+, and 60+, he has played with teams from Virginia, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Nevada, and Ohio. Playing for 40 years, he considers himself fortunate to have played with some of the best players in the country who have made it possible for his teams to amass 70 National Championships. He has also been named to 77 All-Tournament or All-World/All-American teams and 42 MVP’s which include MVP’s in ISSA 2003, ASA 2005, and LVSS 2005 where he batted 1000 (combined 86 for 86) in each of those tournaments. Before softball Clatta was an outstanding baseball pitcher at Virginia Commonwealth University in the late 60's where he pitched and won both games of a double header against Bridgewater College. He also pitched a no hitter against Oswego State. He is a member of the VCU Athletics and Baseball Halls of Fame. For softball he has also been inducted into the Washington Metro Softball, ASA Central Virginia (where he currently serves as president), National ASA, and the National Senior Softball Halls of Fame. Next year, he will be inducted into the Virginia USSSA Hall for Fame for softball. In addition to playing sports, Clatta taught middle school health and physical education for 30 years. Now, he is happily retired from work, not softball!- focusing his attention on his family and softball. And his wife, Bonnie is the lady behind the backstop encouraging him on before heading out to “treasure” hunt in a local antique store. GARY TRYHORN, AN OLD A AND AN A-ONE GUY
After completing high school at Berkeley High, Gary enrolled into Laney College and took up graphic arts. This after being exposed to printing at the Berkeley High School Printing Department where he worked after school to produce the daily newspaper that Berkeley High put out. Upon graduating from Laney College Gary went to work at the Oakland Tribune as an apprentice printer. Five years later he became a journeyman printer and continued to work for the Tribune. In 1970 Gary decided to try to become a firefighter so started taking civil service tests in the area. In 1971 the Contra Costa County Fire District hired Gary as a firefighter, which started his 28 year career in firefighting. Softball had always been a part of Garys life, but not the main part. He used softball as a way of meeting new friends and enjoying the athletic experience that softball gave him. He played on the Fire Departments Gold medal winning teams of the 70s and 80s, and played almost every evening during the week. When Gary turned 50 he discovered that there was an organization called Senior Softball that was for players over 50 year old. He joined a couple of teams that played tournament softball and in 1995 the Dan Smith Plastering team asked him to play. This team traveled throughout the country and this was Garys cup of tea. After several years with the Dan Smith team Gary decided to branch out on his own and started the California Rebels, a 50 Major team in 1998. This team won both national championships it participated in. The Florida Crush team asked Gary to play for their 55 major plus team for 1999. He also played in two championships with the Old A’s winning championships with both teams. In 2000 Gary took over the Old A’s 55 major plus team, (now a 60 major plus team). Since 1999 the Old A’s have been to 52 national championships, and have won 37 of them, coming in second 6 times. In 2001 SPA President Ridge Hooks asked Gary to be a Western Regional Vice President for the SPA. He also asked Gary to attend the Senior Summit as a Delegate from the SPA. This was an enormous opportunity for Gary to “pay back” senior softball for all of the pleasures that the sport had given him. After serving for two years as Vice Chair and two years as Chair, Gary is still serving on the Senior Summit. He also is President of the Nor Cal Senior Softball Association, (NCSSA) for 2008, and serves on the Leadership Committees of the local Walnut Creakers Senior Softball and Mt. Diablo Senior Softball organizations. After 14 years of playing Senior Softball Gary is still excited about going out with his friends to play. Which even today is a daily experience. But making time for helping to organize senior softball is now a priority for Gary.
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MANASSAS, VIRGINIA - Officials are anticipating the BIGGEST year ever for ISSA senior softball! Many teams have booked their rooms and already signed up and we are receiving more and more inquiries every day!! Don't miss out on an unforgettable senior softball experience in 2008! 
SALEM, VIRGINIA - Women's and Men's senior teams will get to experience first hand the wonderful southern hospitality and expert tournament management provided by the combined staff working the softball venues in the Roanoke Valley come June 20-22 this year. This year the ISF Senior World Cup will be held at the City of Champions, a designation afforded the City of Salem after many years of hosting National Tournament events. 2008 marks the first year that senior teams have been invited to the City. Don't forget, early registration ends on April 15. The tournament entry fee for teams entering by Tax Day is reduced to $435.00. Teams allowed to enter after that date must pay the $495.00 entry fee. Entry forms, roster forms (rosters do not have to accompany the entry but must be submitted 30 days prior to the event) and other tournament information can be printed from the ISSA website at 
MANASSAS, VIRGINIA - Teams from California, Alabama and Virginia have already entered the 14th ISSA World Championship at Manassas, Virginia. Teams from throughout the United States (and sometimes international locations) find this event to be a preferred destination to compete in senior softball. With excellent softball facilities surrounded by many historical sites that were significant to the growth and development of the Country, some players schedule in additional days to visit area attractions including our Nation's Capitol.
BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA - The Burlington Recreation & Parks Department is proud to be hosting the 2008 ASA Men's Senior Nationals Softball Tournament August 29- Sept.1. As the previous host in 2005, 2006 and 2007, this event has a proven track record with the senior teams who enjoy the North Carolina hospitality. Tony Laws and his staff look forward to serving as the "official host" for the tournament again this year. Mark Cryan, City Athletic Director will serve as Tournament Director and is very excited to have the seniors coming back to Burlington and looks forward to a great senior tournament.
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA – City officials are excited to have won the right to host the first ISSA Winter National event which is planned for October 3-5. This world-class resort city recently completed a new 8-field state-of-the-art softball complex which will supplement other nearby quality fields to accommodate the Senior and Masters teams expected to participate. The ISSA has partnered with the local ASA Tidewater District to bring this event to the Fun City.
PLANT CITY, FLORIDA -- The game schedule for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition was announced recently. The International Softball Federation (ISF) has unveiled the 32-game slate that spans August 12-21 at Fengtai Softball Field in Beijing, China.
In 1995 Herb Oliver’s dream came true, he successfully established the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame designed to recognize the outstanding players that had earlier moved up into the senior division of the sport. The new Hall of Fame set about to honor those senior players who had excelled in competition at all the association’s National Championships. In 1999 Herb retired from administering the SPA and turned the management of the Hall of Fame over to a new Board of Directors consisting of Ridge Hooks, Executive Director, Winky Blackman, Secretary-Treasurer and RB Thomas, Jr., President. In 2006 the National Office was moved to Oklahoma City, OK. 
The 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport in Jordan concluded recently with a strong action plan. The IOC reported that the more than 600 participants from 116 different countries agreed unanimously and committed themselves to a future strategy which focuses on actions in five specific areas:
MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA – Softball Magazine first went into production in the year 1996. In the years since, players, manufacturers, coaches and associations in the sport of softball have dubbed this award winning publication the “Sports Illustrated of Softball.”
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Ed Rose plays softball with an intense desire to win, which sets him apart and makes him the kind of guy you love to hate when he is in the opposing team's lineup. But, there's a world of difference when he's on your team. "He is the one guy you want to have as a teammate," said Mike Walker, Ed's long time friend," you have to feel good about your chances with him on your side. He's not only a powerful hitter and a very good fielder who can play any position, he is, without question, the best clutch hitter of all time." 
WASHINGTON, DC -- At the 28th Anniversary Celebration and Induction Ceremony on March 15, 2008, five of the nine inductees were senior players. This year’s class included Toni Letaw, John Powell, Frank Tomlinson, Bucky Wicklein and Randy Moses, all of whom have made a big impact on the senior softball programs in the Washington metropolitan area for many years.
LITTLE CANADA, MINNESOTA – One of the favorites in both the 50 and 55 Major Divisions at this year’s ISF Senior World Cup will be Doc’s Grayhounds from Minnesota. Doc’s Grayhounds will be fielding two teams in the upcomng 2008 season. Coach Don Bowman will be aiming for another World Championship in the over 55 Major division while handing the 50 Major team over to Coach "Flash" Feldbrugge. 
MECHANICSVILLE, VIRGINIA – Don Clatterbough is known throughout the softball world as “Clatta”. To many people who know him, the name Clatta brings to mind “Home Runs”, and he has hit a lot of them- approximately 4590. He also hits for a high average which is estimated to be .790 for a lifetime average. He should be able to hit. His work ethic is unsurpassed. Year round, he takes batting practice four days a week with each practice consisting of at least 100 swings. Home runs are not his only focus in practice; he works on spraying the ball-especially on the left side which he quickly uses when teams shift on him. On “off days” he lifts weights to stay strong enough to hit the long ball. 
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – Gary Tryhorn was born in Oakland in 1944 and reared in Berkeley, California. This was when Berkeley was a small, blue collar town of low income housing, light industry and of course the college.