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SportsBreak SEPTEMBER 2009 E-NEWSLETTER FROM ISSA |
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BENFIELD ELECTRIC / DAN SMITH / MENOSSE / TEAM COMBAT
The Benfield Electric team played well and made it to the Sunday Championship final versus CIA/Bass Gloves Co. It was a winner take all final between the two teams for the ISSA 35+ Masters World Championship. The CIA/Bass Gloves team (Richmond, VA) was led by big-time player Jeff Hall and they quickly jumped out to a 21-2 lead. Having a lot of heart and led by big-time players like Rusty Bumgardner, Johnny McCraw, Scott Brown, Dal Beggs, JD Genter, Ryan Robbins and Jason Kendrick, the Benfield Electric/Dan Smith/Menosse team clawed their way back into the game. After getting the game close, Benfield Electric soon found themselves down big again. With the score 37-17 in the third inning, CIA/Bass Gloves out of Richmond, VA looked like they would be celebrating a World Championship. Timely hitting, a never say die attitude and the pitching of Mark Urbain and Scott Brown brought Paul Dressler's team back again. After four complete innings, CIA/Bass Gloves led by only two runs and they failed to score in the top of the fifth inning. Benfield Electric then scored twelve more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 49-39 lead. After a five run top of the sixth for CIA, Benfield Electric/Dan Smith/Menosse Team Combat scored seven runs on one out to finish the scoring via run-rule for a 56-44 final championship score. The championship victory was a team effort and showed the true meaning of "TEAM". Ever player tried to do the right thing and conserve the homeruns. Individual efforts in the final game included Combat Advisory Player, Rusty Bumgardner, going 7 for 8 on his way to being named the Offensive MVP. Another Combat player, Jason Kendrick went 8 for 8 and was named Most Valuable Player of the World Championship. The amazing part of the win and the fifty-six runs scored, it was all done with a ten homerun limit. All of the players on the team made a big difference as the bottom of the lineup rolled it back to the top again and again. Here is a team breakdown of the championship weekend for Benfield Electric/Dan Smith/Menosse Team Combat: Dal Beggs: .760 average with 7 HRs Scott Brown: .808 average with 5 HRs and great pitching Rusty Bumgardner: .897 average with 7 HRs and Offensive MVP JD Genter: .724 average and team leading 23 RBIs Jason Kendrick: .840 average and Tournament MVP Johnny McCraw: .724 average and team leading 9 HRs Ryan Robbins: .852 average with 7 HRs Steve Smith: .629 average with 3 HRs and great pitching Mark Urbain: .875 average with 3 HRs and great pitching Darrell Hardman: .800 average Chris Sweatt: .750 average with 3 HRs Justin Viar: .750 average with 2 HRs and amazing right field defense All World Team Selections were as follows: Scott Brown, Rusty Bumgardner, Jason Kendrick, Ryan Robbins and Mark Urbain When interviewed after the awards ceremony, MVP Jason Kendrick had this to say, “a special thanks goes out to Paul Dressler, Dan Smith, Eddie Menosse, Brad Camp and Don Cooper of Combat Sports for making it all happen. Without these special men, their time and sponsorship, no championship would have been achieved. In addition, thanks to our coaching staff of Pat Dalsanders, Hector Pagan and help from Paul Dressler and Dave McDonald for making the right moves all weekend. It doesn't always work, but the coaching staff and Paul Dressler found a way to pick several local players that played great and formed a good chemistry with the out of town big-time players to win a World Championship. All 35+, 40+, 45+ and senior teams that play should make plans to attend future ISSA events and World Championships. The association led by Executive Director, RB Thomas, Jr., is first class and they provided great fields, umpires and awards. They even had a Jostens rep on site with information on championship rings. Go to their website (www.seniorsoftball.org) for more information on the International Senior Softball Association.” THE ISSA WINTER NATIONALS AT "THE BEACH" NEXT MONTH
HUGE SOFTBALL PRESENCE AT SYDNEY WORLD MASTERS GAMES EXHIBITS SPORT’S GLOBAL POPULARITY Sydney, Australia - Softball teams from eleven countries around the world are putting their final preparations in place before heading to Sydney for the seventh World Masters Games, which start on October 10, further exhibiting the global appeal of softball to a wide range of age groups. Almost 2,500 male and female elite, competitive, and recreational standard softball players ages 35+ and 45+ will take part in the competition – the second largest event at this year’s Games. As well as the host nation Australia, teams are coming from Austria, Botswana, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and USA. BackSoftball Athlete Ambassador Danielle Stewart, a 2008 Olympic softball bronze medalist from the 2009 World Masters Games host country, said, “I’m delighted that such a prestigious softball competition will be taking place in Sydney and I am sure there will be huge crowds to support the event.“ Softball is popular with all generations because it’s simple to learn and inexpensive to play and is immensely popular in Australia. The fact that so many people are traveling here to compete says a great deal for the progress the sport has made in recent years.” Shane O'Leary, Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney 2009 World Masters Games Organizing Committee said, "Softball is one of the largest sport competitions on the World Masters Games program and we are pleased with the large numbers of softballers who have registered for the Games. “With over 200 teams competing in the Sydney 2009 World Masters Games it will arguably be the largest softball competition ever held in Australia, if not the world.” Open to people of all abilities and most ages, the World Masters Games are the world's largest multi-sport event, with organizers expecting 29,000 athletes from more than 100 countries competing in 28 sports at more than 70 venues throughout Sydney. The World Masters Games, which have been held every four years since they began in Toronto, Canada in 1985, are open to people of all abilities rather than just elite athletes, with the emphasis on participation. The World Masters Games official website is http://www.2009worldmasters.com. Softball was first featured in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and last year’s competition in Beijing was very successful with a total attendance close to 180,000 and a continuation of the sport’s excellent record of no positive doping tests at any of the four Summer Olympics that the sport has been a part of. 2008 ISSA World Championships Is Nominated for a SportsTravel Award “Events such as this one are a prime example of the achievement of excellence in the organization and management of sporting events,” said Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine, which organizes the TEAMS Conference & Expo. “SportsTravel readers are the leaders of the sports-event industry and they know what it takes to execute a high-quality event,” said Schneider. “The SportsTravel Awards program is an opportunity for them to honor their peers for a job well done.” Official ballots are available in the August and September issues of SportsTravel magazine. Readers may also find more information and vote online at http://www.SportsTravelMagazine.com. The ballot includes nominees in amateur, collegiate and professional categories. Awards in those three categories will be given for best single-sport event, best multi-sport or multi-discipline event, and best sports event series or circuit. Voters will also pick the best new sports event and an overall Sports Event of the Year from among the nominated events. The ballot is also linked to the ISSA website at www.seniorsoftball.org. Voting will conclude on September 14, 2009 so vote today, vote for the ISSA World Championships. SEACREST MAVERICKS LAY CLAIM TO NUMBER ONE RANKING
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The Senior Softball Capital of the World, Manassas, VA, was the site for the ISSA World Championships. The 15th Annual ISSA championships were held over the weekend of August 14-16, 2009. Competition ranged from the senior men at age 50+, 55+, 60+ and 70+, as well as the Master's divisions for the 35+, 40+ and 45+ men's teams. The men's Master 35+ division crowned Benfield Electric/Dan Smith/Menosse - Team Combat the 2009 World Champions. Paul Dressler of Manassas, VA managed and assembled the team with help from Brad Camp, Pat Dalsanders and Hector Pagan. Paul put together a team of local players that mixed well with the few out of town players from his major travel team. 
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA – Many players on Masters and Senior teams got the chance to experience playing softball at the beach at the ISSA Winter Nationals last October. Again in 2009 the senior players will get to Experience the Fun at Virginia Beach, on and off the field when the Winter Nationals return on October 2-4, 2009 City officials, the ASA Tidewater District staff and the ISSA staff will again team up to host this exciting event. 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. 
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA - When the Seacrest Mavericks 50 Major Plus team boarded their plane at LAX Airport in Los Angelos they knew what they had to do.......win the ISSA World Championship and solidify their claim to be the Number One team in Senior Softball. The all-star team from Huntington Beach, CA includes the outstanding players from the West Coast who have turned 50 including Hall of Famer Ron Parnell and have established themselves as the team to beat in the 50 Major Plus Division this year. In Manassas they opened the double elimination competition with a 24 to 16 win over Hendricks Sports Management, managed by Randy Hendricks from Spring, TX. They followed the opening victory with a win over Damon’s Grill from Pittsburgh, PA 21 to 9 to reach the finals undefeated. Hendrisks then defeated Gekle Builders from Lansing, MI 42 to 29 and then eked out a 35 to 34 victory over Damon’s Grill to get the rematch with the Mavericks. However, this was the Seacrest Mavericks weekend as they handily defeated Hendricks 29 to 8 to take home the 2009 ISSA 50+ Major Plus World Championship and the bragging rights as the Number One team in Senior Softball. Seacrest Manager, Ken Lipinski was named the ISSA Manager of the Year. The 50 Major Plus All World team included Sal Formosa (MVP), Paul Salow (Outstanding Offensive Plaver), Gary Springer, Howard Copeland and Dave Meggison from the Seacrest Mavericks.