What image does slow pitch softball conjure up for you? Is it long lazy summer evenings at Henderson Park with good friends?
If not, then clearly you鈥檝e never played slow-pitch softball in 麻豆社国产(or perhaps anywhere else.)
鈥淚 grew up playing ball sports, and my wife played competitive fast pitch, so playing slow pitch together just came naturally,鈥� says Daryl McCullough about the 麻豆社国产Slo Pitch league. He鈥檚 a transplanted North Carolinian, who moved to 麻豆社国产for love, then fell in love with the area. A big part of that social experience locally was with 麻豆社国产Slo Pitch.
鈥淚t used to be the unofficial rule that we all went to the Legion for a beer afterward,鈥� said McCullough, who has been playing in the league since 1994, and estimates it dates back to the early 80s. 鈥淚t was before my time, but some of the original players are still playing,鈥� said McCullough, who besides being a veteran player with the league is also the senior umpire.
Even league president, Paul Dosanjh, is unsure of the exact date of the league鈥檚 inception, and he鈥檚 been playing since 1989.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure, but the league has been around a long time,鈥� said Dosanjh. He鈥檚 been president for the past six years and says the social aspect of 麻豆社国产Slo Pitch, and slow pitch in general is tough to beat.
鈥淲e have a May long weekend tournament that is open to teams from the Lower Mainland, we already have 20 teams signed up, it鈥檚 a very popular tournament for teams from all over, to come up here and play,鈥� said Dosanjh.
Slow pitch is a coed league, with teams fielding a minimum of four women, explained Dosanjh. Although he adds, there鈥檚 no rule against playing more than four women.
鈥淪ome teams go with five and five, and even though it鈥檚 a pretty social league, we are competitive.鈥�
McCullough echoes that, saying, 鈥淲e definitely want to win more games than we lose, and in my humble opinion usually, it鈥檚 the ladies who make the team, if you have strong women players you鈥檙e competitive.鈥�
Slo Pitch Softball is a national association, and again McCullough stresses, while the games are fun and the atmosphere laid back, they are competitive.
鈥淎ll of our umpires are trained and registered [with the national association]. The skill level is broad, which is why we have three divisions, A, B and C. A is the top division, C is novice.鈥� He added that the two top teams in the lower divisions move up at the end of the season.
That would be the spring season, which runs from April to July, followed by a more informal fall season that runs from August to late September.
鈥淲e started the fall season to get more people playing,鈥� said Dosanjh. 鈥淲e wanted to get new teams started, and most people who try it out in the fall, usually stick with it and come back in the spring.鈥�
But finding ways to attract players to the league was not always necessary.
鈥淭here used to be 40 teams locally [down to 27 this year], which was the maximum number we could field, and there was a waiting list to join,鈥� said Dosanjh.
McCullough puts the decline in local engagement with the league down to changes in the town鈥檚 makeup.
鈥淲e took some hits when BC Rail closed down, and with Interfor and Woodfibre closing our numbers started to come down.鈥� But he says, the league has staying power, noting that two teams, the Rebels, and the Brewjays have been around since the early 90s.
Dosanjh puts the decline in Slo Pitch League numbers down to changing priorities.
鈥淎 lot of families are really committed to their kids鈥� sports and that takes up their time. Then there鈥檚 mountain biking, pretty much everyone up here owns a mountain bike, and there鈥檚 lots of scenery to see.鈥�
Still, both men note, the league has broad appeal, with players鈥� ages ranging from 16 to 60 鈥� the league mandates players be a minimum of 18 years of age, but allow for a certain number of underage players with parents鈥� permission.
鈥淲e had one team that all started when they were 17 to 18, they鈥檙e still playing, and they鈥檙e all in their 20s now,鈥� said Dosanjh, who estimates the average age of players in the league at mid-30s.
He adds that the decline in numbers over the years, the league is still very active in maintaining local infrastructure.
鈥淲e raised $160,000 for lights at Henderson Park,鈥� said Dosanjh, which allows them to play almost every night rain or shine. Saturday is their only non-playing day.
If you鈥檙e interested in becoming a player, or just want to check out slow pitch, they play Monday to Friday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m., and all day Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
鈥淪ome teams are still looking for players, and you鈥檒l probably get picked up pretty quick if you鈥檙e interested,鈥� said Dosanjh.
The more traditional way to get involved with slow pitch is to form a team and apply, but to do that you鈥檒l have to wait until August and the start of the fall season.
But both welcome people to come check out slow pitch, meet new people and perhaps try a sport that doesn鈥檛 involve going down a mountainside fast. That, plus there鈥檚 beer.
If you want to find out more about 麻豆社国产Slo Pitch, you can check out the league鈥檚 Facebook page.
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Slowpitch vs. Fastpitch Softball
鈥� Slow pitch uses a larger, softer
听听听 and heavier ball
鈥� In slow pitch, the pitcher doesn鈥檛
听听听 use the听 windmill motion听听听听
听听听 common in fast pitch
鈥� Bunting is not allowed in slow
听听听 pitch
鈥� There is typically less freedom to
听听听 steal bases in slow pitch
鈥� Innings are typically longer and
听听听 result in more runs in slow pitch
~听 from www.gogglesnmore.com
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