SSUSA'S WEST DES MOINES, IA "SPRING TRAINING" RECREATIONAL TOURNAMENT HAS DOUBLED IN FOUR YEARS

June 1, 2010 – Steve Simmons New England & North Regional Director, Clubs & Leagues

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The SSUSA North Region Recreational Tournament Circuit began in December, 2006 with a dome tournament in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.

In April, 2007 the circuit’s first outdoor tournament was held at the Raccoon River Softball Complex here. The circuit has continued to hold a “spring training” tournament here every April.

The tournament has experienced steady growth, doubling the number of teams involved. In 2007 there were six teams in attendance. Eight teams were present in 2008, before the tournament got washed out after only one round of games were played. Last year nine teams showed up and this year 12 teams took part, which marks the start of outdoor play for most teams in this part of the country.

Tom Spear, who this year played with the Central 70’s (IA) in the tournament, has to be proud. Spear entered a team, the Iowa Tigers, in that first dome tournament and offered to coordinate efforts for an April outdoor tournament. Spear, who is involved in the West Des Moines senior softball program, suggested the use of the Raccoon River Softball Complex, a beautiful and well kept up five-field complex, and helped recruit three West Des Moines area teams for that first tournament.

Teams from several senior softball clubs & leagues were represented, making this the SSUSA North Region recreational tournament that draws the most diverse cross section of teams. The clubs & leagues programs that sent teams to this tournament included the West Des Moines Senior Softball League, the Omaha Senior Softball League (NE), the West Metro Senior Softball League (MN), the East Metro Senior Softball League (MN), the Rochester Senior Softball League (MN) and the North Central Minnesota Lumberjacks Senior Softball Club.

One of the West Metro teams, the MN Prize 55’s, defended their 2009 tournament title but it wasn’t easy. Bruce Torgerson, manager of the MN Prize 55’s, assembled the tournament’s largest roster, 16 players, and it took contributions from all of them to capture another spring training championship. The MN Prize 55’s played four seeding games on the first day of the tournament on April 15, and split those four games which landed them in the third seed position for championship play in the five-team “Younger Division”.

The next day, the MN Prize 55’s faced their fellow West Metro team, the MN Prize 60’s, in their first championship round game. The Prize 55’s had lost to the Prize 60’s by a score of 15-9 the day before. This time the Prize 55’s turned-the-tables, thanks to a bottom of the seventh, two out, bases loaded game winning single by Doug Pike that broke a tie and gave the MN Prize 55’s a 15-14 win.

That win put the Prize 55’s in the championship game against an East Metro team, John Orf’s MN Masters 60’s – Red team. Again the Prize 55’s relied on bottom of the seventh magic to secure their victory. Down one run, with a runner on first, Greg Wilson smoked a drive to right field that was misplayed. The speedy Wilson flew around the bases to score the winning run in a 19-18 thriller.

The beauty of a SSUSA recreational tournament is that steps will be taken to allow all teams and players, both tournament team players as well as recreational players, to participate. Bobby & Steve’s, playing in the Older Division, was a case-in-point. They had a roster of just eight players present and one of those was injured and could not play. Bobby & Steve’s borrowed players from other teams for their first five games which allowed them to compete. When it came to their last game of the tournament most teams were heading home so they did have to forfeit that one contest but the seven players present were able to play five games, over the two days, and several other players were awarded the opportunity to play a bonus game.

Another West Metro team, the MN Prize 65’s managed by Ken Koch, won the Older Division. They emerged undefeated, from seven-team round-robin play, with their key win coming over Midwest Express (IA/NE) in their next to the last game of the tournament. Midwest Express was last year’s Older Division champion and the MN Prize 65’s knocked them off 19-14.

The MN Prize 65’s completed Friday’s action by defeating the Central 70’s 25-13. An exclamation point was served up by Jack “Showtime” Guldberg who finished off the scoring for the Prize 65’s with a home run.

This is the 18th SSUSA North Region Recreational Tournament that has been played since the circuit began in 2006. With each tournament a mention has been made of the oldest and youngest players who participated. What is special about this tournament’s tale of the two extremes is that the difference in their ages constitutes the widest gap yet experienced, 33 years. The oldest player was 80-year-old Roy Fredrickson who played for the Central 70’s and the youngest was 47-year-old Joe Wech who played for the MN Prize 55’s.

The next SSUSA North Region Recreational Tournament will take place in July. For information on any of the circuit events contact Steve Simmons, SSUSA Clubs & Leagues North Regional Director, at (H) 952-470-9250, (C) 952-239-7674 and (E) stnlsimmons@aol.com.

Here is the remaining 2010 tournament schedule:

➢July 20; VanValkenburg Fields, Edina, MN; Ken Brown / Chuck Lindgren Memorial One-Day Tournament

➢July 21; VanValkenburg Fields, Edina, MN; SSUSA 60+ MN State Tournament

➢Aug. 4; VanValkenburg Fields, Edina, MN; SSUSA 65+ MN State Tournament

➢Sept. 7; McQuillan Fields, Rochester, MN; Rochester One-Day Tournament

➢Dec. 9-10; Twin City Domes, Twin Cities, MN; December Dome Tournament