News story

Fort Myers Plans Warm Welcome for 3rd Winter Nationals

March 1, 2004 – Jack Sirard contributing writer

FORT MYERS, Florida ˆ When much of the nation begins to brace for the chilly days of winter, Senior Softball players will be coming to this beautiful Florida city for the Third Annual Senior Softball Winter Nationals.

All men's and women's age groups are invited to play in the tournament from Nov. 12-14. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2005 season.

The Winter Nationals will be played on three excellent venues in Lee County: Cape Coral Sports Complex, Northwest Cape Sports Complex and the BMX/Srausser Sports Complex.

"The Lee County Sports Authority would like to take a moment to welcome the softball players to our community. We know that while you are here participating in our tournament, you will have some free time to get to know our area," said Gary Ewen, director of sports development for Lee County Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Our relationship with the Senior Softball World Championships has grown stronger along with the size of our tournament and level of play."

There's so much to see and do in this area of Florida that it's become a destination spot for softball players before and after the tournament.

The Florida of days long past, with unspoiled white sand beaches, exotic wildlife and lush subtropical foliage, still can be found on "The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel" as it's known in southwest Florida.

This area is known as Florida's tropical island getaway and is a favorite vacation spot for Floridians as well as visitors from around the world.

The best known spots are the Sanibel and Captiva islands that are connected to the mainland by an alluring three-mile-long causeway and, to each other, by a blink-and-you'll-miss-it bridge at Blind Pass.

Sanibel is known worldwide for its shelling where some fanatics attach flashlights to their heads in an effort to be first in the daily search for top picks of the more than 400 varieties of shells found littering the beaches.

On the way to Captiva Island, the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is home to many exotic species of birds and plants. A 4-mile drive with access to walking and canoe/kayak trails offers abundant opportunities for naturalists to witness a raccoon washing up before breakfast, an alligator snatching a quick bite or long-legged wading birds stalking their prey.