Northeast Makes Strides Towards a "Half Century" Tournament Circuit

Jan. 1, 2009

By Steve Simmons

Softball News Report

Three years ago New England hosted its first senior softball qualifying tournament when a SSWC qualifier was played at the Sportsplex in North Branford, Conn.

Last year New England introduced a second qualifier to the area when the first Rhode Island SSWC qualifier was played in Warwick, R.I. This year the SSUSA returns to Syracuse, N.Y., with a SSWC qualifier. That marks three SSWC qualifiers that will be played in New England and Eastern New York in 2009.

Huge supporters of these tournaments are the clubs and leagues in the Northeast. The three largest senior softball leagues in New England (RISSL, EMASS and Cape Cod) have entertained the idea of developing a Half Century style circuit in the Northeast. Many have witnessed the very successful Florida Half Century association at work. They are also aware of the successful Northern California Senior Softball Association’s tournament circuit and they have seen the Texas Half Century program get rolled out last year.

Now, with the help of the SSUSA, a Northeast Half Century program is close to becoming a reality.

The major difference between the Northeast circuit and the aforementioned “Half Century” style programs is the length of the season. In Florida, California and Texas, a tournament circuit can be nine to 12 months long. In the Northeast, the season would be realistically five months. With the Connecticut T SSWC qualifier in May, the N.Y. SSWC qualifier in June and the R.I. SSWC qualifier in August, the circuit is 60 percent of the way home.

The opportunity was there for a fourth SSWC Northeastern tournament this year. The CT Sportsplex had available dates on the last weekend in September and this could have been used as a season ending tournament for the senior teams from this area. But that is also the weekend that the SSWC Northeastern Championships will be played in Cape May, N.J., so, due to the schedule conflict, the late September weekend at the CT Sportsplex will not be used.

In 2010, however, with enough advance notice and planning, that late September weekend at the CT Sportsplex could be scheduled. All that would leave to be done would be to find a location for a July tournament (maybe a Massachusetts SSWC qualifier) and the Northeastern Half Century Tournament Circuit would be complete.

A telling factor will be how well the three Northeast SSWC qualifiers are attended this year. If those tournaments draw sizable numbers, then it will be quite likely steps will be taken to fully develop the Northeast Half Century program in 2010.