Moondance Recreational Tournament Draws 40 Masters Teams

Sept. 1, 2009 – Steve Simmons New England & North Regional Director, Clubs & Leagues

WALKER, Minn. – The SSUSA North Region held their fourth senior softball recreational tournament of the year here in August. The event was played on a Saturday and Sunday at the Moondance Softball Complex. Eight teams participated.

All four 2009 SSUSA North Region recreational tournaments have been unique to each other. The first was played inside three domes in February. The second was a two-day tournament played during the middle of the week. No. 3 was a one-day affair. This most recent tournament was held on the weekend to encourage younger teams to take part.

The desired goal was realized as two 40-&-over teams, a 50-&-over team, and a 55-&-over team were involved. These are teams that normally wouldn’t get a chance to be part of a weekday recreational tournament because of the days on which they are scheduled.

Technically the 40-&-over teams are considered Masters teams, not Senior teams. The SSUSA has an active Masters program and part of the intent of this tournament is to make the 40+ teams aware of the SSUSA and perhaps entice them to take part in a SSWC Masters tournament.

The eight teams that took part in this tournament were evenly split into two divisions with an upper and lower divisions.. The two younger teams were paired with Ancell, a 50ish team, and Rickers, a 60ish team. Since this was a recreation tournament, teams could have players of all ages on their rosters so a team may have been basically a 50+ team, for example, but could have younger players rostered.

The 40+ teams, Brad Hanson’s Foltz Buildings and the LL Warriors / Team Sasquatch, put together by Jules Fairbanks and Henry Harper, ended up on either end of the standings after the double round-robin competition. Foltz took first and the Warriors / Sasquatch team ended up fourth. The oldest team in this division, Ricker’s, finished second with Ancell third.

The Rochester Relics had a good performance in the Lower Division and edged out the MN Prize 55’s squad for the championship. The MN lumberjacks ended up third and Bobby & Steve’s took the fourth spot.