MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA - Senior softball's United States Championships will be hosted at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on September 23-25, 2011.  Teams from throughout the United States are expected to enter the inaugral event at one of the Nation's premeir beach resort cities.  This National Championship event will utilize the new state-of-the-art synthethic turf fields recently built in the area and provide the players an opportunity to visit one of the Nation’s favorite vacation spots. Players and fans are surely to create unforgettable memories in this South Coast paradise.  RB Thomas, Jr., ISSA Executive Director had the opportunity to visit with local organizers and inspect the available softball complexes recently (see photos on the ISSA Website home page). "Players and their family members and friends should really enjoy this new tournament, great fields and a fantastic host hotel ready to serve the ISSA participants."   

The United States Senior Championships will be a "ring" tournament and berths will be awarded for the ISSA/ISF World Tournament of Champions to be held next January at Tampa, Florida.  Additionally, the tournament will allow teams who had previously qualified for the WTOC to requalify their roster since the WTOC will play by 2012 rules.  The event will play by the ISSA Senior Rules including their equipment rules (senior bats allowed) and 2012 rosters. 

Myrtle Beach has been a favorite spot for golfers for many years particularly in the Spring and Fall.  Now softball players will have the same opportunity (some may want to do both.)   The Host Hotel will be the Sand Dunes located on the ocean at 74th Street in Myrtle Beach.  The ISSA room rate for the event is $49 per night for ocean view rooms and $59 for ocean front.  Also a number of other hotel discounts and ameneties await our visitors including free golf (green fees) at the hotel's golf course for those players that might want to come early or stay after.  Spirit Airlines offers unbelievably low cost flights from many major airports.

Next year the ISSA will be working with local organizers to bring Masters and Senior teams to tournaments at the resort city in April, September and October.  (Check the ISSA Tournament Calendar for 2012 soon to posted on their Website.