JUST A LITTLE LONGER...

June 1, 2010

By Paul Bodnar

It seems like not so long ago we were playing ball in a school yard or a sand lot in a pick-up game after school or weekends. Then came college, work, starting a family and the game started to change a little.

There were softball leagues for over 20-year-olds, then over 30-year-olds and then 35-year-olds. Yes, softball as we grew older always seemed to change a little but still a lot of fun for people nearing middle age. Sure coaching our kids and other kids through grade school sometimes gave you a little lift, but nothing like playing in a game yourself.

All of this seemed to work until the dreaded age of 50 comes. We can no longer play with the 35-year-olds, they seem to run around the bases like deer while we are looking for oxygen after reaching first base and the younger ones are hitting balls that look like they will reach the stratosphere. And now the game we love is becoming more frustrating. The injuries seem to last a little longer then before, so yes sad to say, retirement seems to be the only answer.

Not so fast, did someone say there are softball leagues for 50-year-olds, 60 and even more - get out of town! Yes there is another game to play. Hard to believe there are others in their 50s still willing to play.

Would you believe 30 teams with about 15 players per team, just in Morris County, N.J. alone? True though, the game is played a little differently to save us from injury. For instance, there are two first bases and two home plates to avoid collisions, and there still is an umpire to call balls and strikes even though there is a mat that covers home plate to denote a strike, but without an ump the arguments would last too long. You bet there are still arguments and there are close plays and calls that get bantered about. So you see one thing will never change as long as we play, we play as hard as we can despite our age and maladies. It is truly amazing the competitive spirit we all have. I can remember our first game a couple of years ago in early April. First it started drizzling, next hail and then snow flurries but we all still had fun playing the game we love and made memories that will last forever.

Most of the games are played at Lincoln Park under the lights after 9 p.m. So as you can see it takes a lot of dedication to play in this league. Work, come home, talk to the kids and wife, grab a bite, then get dressed to play ball and come home just before midnight. Repeat for about 20 games; post season could last another eight games. The league is called N.J. Senior Softball Association. In Morris County it is run by a husband and wife from Madison Tony and Jan Ciavatta. I’m not quite sure how they do it but they manage with some help to schedule games, fields, umpires, keep the league standings, pay the umps, and the towns where we pay to play, and I’m sure a lot more that I don’t know about.

I will always be grateful that someone has given us a chance to play the game we all love……. Just a little longer.