40s Men's Masters Looking at Solid Growth in 2009

Feb. 1, 2009 – Mike Williams 40 Master Director

FORTY’S ARE ON THE RISE! 2009 is expected to be better than ever for SSUSA’s 40+ division. Fifteen teams from all over the country, including seven teams from California, four from Arizona, three from New Jersey and Maryland and one from Washington participated in the 2008 Worlds Tournament in Phoenix. The competition was fierce and the new split division rules seemed to work well.

The new rules put in force in 2008 by SSUSA split the 40+ division into Masters Major and Masters Major Plus. Any team roster containing player’s who are currently on the ASA or USSSA Major Player List, automatically move to the Masters Major Plus bracket after seeding. All other teams are placed in respective brackets according to their seeding.

In addition to the division split, Masters Major teams are allowed eight homeruns a game wherein the Major Plus teams are allowed 10. Not only does this level the field, it gives the teams a little treat for playing Major Plus.

2008 WORLD’S RECAP

After the seeding games it looked like J&E Construction/Combat (CA), JK, Inc.(CA), OGR (CA), RMS (AZ) and Phoenix Tube (NJ) would be the strongholds in this tourney, BUT this is softball…anything can happen.

In Masters Major, Senior Millspec, after going 0-2 in seeding went through the Championship Bracket undefeated until they were double dipped by Team Braves losing 30-16 and then losing again 27-13 putting them in 2nd place. Third place went to Rimmer Consulting.

Team Braves was retired to the loser’s bracket early on in the tournament after losing their first championship game. However with endurance they went 5-0 in the loser’s bracket to make their way back up through the rankings to meet Millspec in the finals. Team Braves had one of the longest weekends in Phoenix playing 9 games AND taking the championship rings home with them.

The Major Plus division saw battles between JK, Inc., OGR (Old Guys Rule) and J&E/Combat.

OGR went undefeated until losing their 5th game to JK, Inc. They then went up against a tough J&E/Combat, winning 27-16 only to have to face JK, Inc. again. They eventually lost to JK, Inc. 29-22, taking second place. Third place went to J&E. JK, Inc. took first place with an impressive 6-0 record.

NATIONAL SOFTBALL SUMMIT - From January 23-25, 2009, the directors and officials of nine associations will be meeting in Phoenix, for their annual National Softball Summit. You can be rest assured during the Summit I will be doing my best to promote the 40+ division to those in attendance and will be working diligently to endorse the legitimacy of the division and encourage all associations present to include forty divisions in their senior association tournaments.

The word is out about the 40+ division and the interest is growing in our youthful senior softball age bracket. I’m hopeful that the 40+ division will continue to gain in popularity as we continue to grow into a strong and successful division within the senior softball arena. I sincerely believe that the 40+ division is the new foundation of Senior Softball and will add a new dimension in the sport.

If you have any questions or just need more information on the 40+ division, feel free to call me at 714/393-6453 or email me at oldschoolmasters@yahoo.com. ~See you on the field!