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SSUSA Develops Face Shields forGame Play
Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA) Newsletter: Volume 6, Edition 11
Senior Softball-USA <[email protected]>Wed 6/3/2020 4?31 PMTo: Info At Senior Softball <[email protected]>
Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA) Newsletter: Volume 6, Edition 11
June 3, 2020 - In This Issue:
SSUSA Develops Face Shields for Game Play
From the Dugout: New Game Standards to Debut at Missouri Open
SSUSA International Tour Pushed Back to 2021Backyard BP
SSUSA Player Featured in the Wall Street JournalLS Warriors Go to Bat for Two High School Seniors The Show Me State is set to host
the first SSUSA tournament inthree months.
From the Dugout: New GameStandards to Debut at
Missouri Open
By Terry HennessySSUSA CEO
On Thursday, the first wave of 61 teamswill compete in Columbia, Missouri – thefirst SSUSA Qualifier in almost threemonths.
The Missouri Open has created nationalfocus on seniors playing softball during thepandemic because of an article in TimeMagazine last week.
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SSUSA National Director and Manager, Doug Robbins,shows off the SSUSA Face Shields
Senior Softball USA today announces the development ofsoftball face shields, as well as SSUSA face masks andgaiters designed for senior softball players.
The SSUSA face shield, a plastic shield attached to thebrim of a ball cap, was initially developed by KateHennessy in Minnesota for use for first responders andother public workers in her area.
Ironically, the idea for the face shields started with TerryHennessy, SSUSA’s chief executive officer, cleaning out acloset full of old softball caps at the beginning of thepandemic.
“When I heard about the excess caps,” said KateHennessy, Terry’s sister-in-law, “I remembered an ad Isaw for a baseball cap with a shield attached. I knew frombeing a former intensive care nurse that the shield wouldprovide better protection than a mask, but the shieldswere much harder to get.”
SSUSA sent about 100 new, but dated tournament caps toKate (the caps from Terry’s closet had been worn), andshe and husband Pat developed a simple method toattach a plastic shield to the front of the cap.
“We made enough to supply the local fire department and
In this tournament, SSUSA Director WillRogers and UIC Donna McGuire will berolling out our new rules andrecommendations designed to make thetournament as safe as possible.
We ask players and spectator alike toobserve the new standards.
Our directors and umpires will be wearingface shields, catchers will be wearing facemasks, managers are asked to keep thegame balls and disinfect them betweeninnings, players are asked to spread out inand out of the dugout to maintain socialdistancing – and spectators are asked todo the same in the stands. When notplaying, players are asked to wear facemasks and maintain social distancing.
Click here to read the full rules andrecommendations.
These procedures are for the safety ofeveryone at the complex.
SSUSA – and all other national softballorganizations -- want to be able to openthe sport throughout the nation in the nextfew months. If players and their friends andfamily follow these pandemic rules, it willgo a long way in showing the sport can beplayed without spreading the virus.
We respect the fact that some willdisagree. But those who do not agree anddo not want to follow the procedures willmake it difficult to re-start the sport welove.
Therefore, if you do disagree and do notwant to follow the new rules, stay home. You will be more than welcome to returnwhen the pandemic is under control andhopefully we will be able to relax the newstandards.
This is for the good of the game, yourfellow players and their families.
Thank you!
Terry Hennessy is chief executive officer ofSenior Softball USA and can be reachedat [email protected].
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city workers, as well as friends and family,” said Kate. “Itfelt good to do it.”
SSUSA took the design and modified it slightly for use byumpires and officials. Doug Robbins, manager ofTimberworks, helped modify the design and tested it onthe field.
“We like the design because it allows umpires to breathemuch more easily when they are on the field whilemaintaining personal protection,” said Fran Dowell,SSUSA executive director.
“We believe players will like the shields for the samereason,” she said.
The shields are initially being developed for umpires anddirectors, but will also be available for players in about twoweeks.
In addition, SSUSA is introducing thin face masks andgaiters for players. The face masks are intentionally verythin to make it easier to breathe and the gaiters aredesigned to pull down easily when a player is on the fieldand back up when they come off the field.
Masks and gaiters will be available next week. Masks are$10 plus shipping and gaiters are $15 plus shipping.
SSUSA face mask
The SSUSA office will be open forphone calls at 916-326-5303 from
SSUSA International TourPushed Back to 2021
Senior Softball USA will be postponing theJewels of Eastern Europe Tour, withtournaments in Prague and Budapest, untilnext year.
“The reason is the uncertainty of thepandemic, international airline travel andthe potential restrictions in the CzechRepublic and Hungary,” said TerryHennessy, SSUSA’s chief executive officer.
The 32nd annual SSUSA International Tourwas originally scheduled for early May2020, but was moved back to October2020 when the pandemic struck Americaand Europe.
“We will be moving the Jewels of EasternEurope Tour back to April 29- May 11,2021. These are the equivalent dates tothe original time of the tour in 2020,” saidHennessy.
SSUSA will compete in an annual HeavyHitters Tournament in Prague, which is abenefit tournament for schools, and atournament in the wine village ofSzendentre, near Budapest, along withhistoric site visits, shopping and diningduring the Jewels of Eastern Europe Tour.
SAVE THE DATE - SecondAnnual Caribbean Classic
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8 am-noon Pacific Time Monday-Thursday beginning Monday, June8.
Tournament Updates: MissouriRe-Opens Sport;
So Cal Champs Officially Movesto Yuma
Following a three month hiatus caused by theunprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, SSUSAtournaments officially return to the diamonds this week inColumbia, Missouri.
The Missouri Open will kick-off tomorrow, Thursday, June4, with the Men’s 65 and 70 age divisions. The Men’s 55and 60 divisions will play this weekend, June 6-7; whilethe Men’s 40 and 50 divisions will play the followingweekend, June 13-14.
The Midwest appears to be a solid starting point to re-launch the sport, as the Oil City Classic in Tulsa,Oklahoma, June 18-21 is also currently scheduled to beplayed.
Along with the Midwest, Arizona and Florida are also ontrack to host SSUSA events.
The Southern California State Championships, June 16-21, will be extending its border a bit, as the entiretournament has officially been moved to Yuma, AZ. Themove was done because the original locations of Hemetand Cathedral City will not be open in time to host.
If your team is interested in participating in the SouthernCalifornia State Championships in Yuma, please [email protected] as soon as possible. We willneed to know by noon tomorrow, June 4.
Although some SSUSA tournaments are beginning to getthe go ahead, others have been grounded.
The Western Classic in Las Cruces, June 27 – 28, whichlast week was expanded from a Women’s onlytournament to include Men’s 40 – 60, was cancelled thisweek. SSUSA was informed that the facility would beclosed through the end of June.
Also, be sure to save the date for thesecond annual Caribbean Classic in theDominican Republic, February 17-22,2021. For more information on this trip,please contact Jim Goff,[email protected].
Backyard BP
Art Eversole's backyard BP setup
By Art Eversole
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Other tournaments that have been cancelled include theOld Line State Showdown in Maryland, the NorthernCalifornia State Championships, and the KC MonarchQualifier in Kansas, which was scheduled for August 13-16.
As a reminder, SSUSA will be determining the status ofupcoming tournaments two weeks prior to the scheduledstart date of each respective tournament.
The two weeks are needed so that SSUSA and teams canprepare for the tournaments.
Many states, counties, and cities are continuing throughtheir respective phases of re-opening. We thank all ourplayers and teams for their continued patience as we workto bring the sport back.
STATE-BY-BY STATEBREAKDOWNHere is where SSUSA tournaments, scheduled throughthe end of July, currently stand. All tournaments belowremain on as scheduled.
ArizonaJune 16 - 21: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STATECHAMPIONSHIPS Yuma, AZ
Interested teams for the Southern California StateChampionships should contact SSUSA [email protected] by noon tomorrow, June 4.
July 15 - 19: Ernie Jones Memorial/Western StatesChampionships Prescott, AZDeadline July 3
July 25 - 26: 40s Mountain Madness II Flagstaff, AZDeadline July 10
Interested teams for the Western States and MountainMadness should contact tournament director RickSeifman, via email: [email protected] or phone: 623-776-2143.
OklahomaJune 18 - 21: Oil City Classic Tulsa, OKDeadline June 4
Interested teams should contact tournament director WillRogers, via email: [email protected] or phone:816-916-7891.
Senior Softball News Contributor
As the moratorium on ball field usage inour area continues, I decided to do somehitting in my backyard (dry swings got old).
I devised a home BP setup using tennisballs and carrier, a battery operated soft-toss machine, along with a piece of astro-turf. Personally, I do not like hitting off thetee because hitting the lower half of theball can meet the tee hardware.
This soft-toss machine is adjustable for ballheight. I use the 6-second ball releasedelay (uses 3-AA batteries). The processuses gravity to send the ball down to theawaiting batter and suspends in midair tostrike at the height you have set themachine to.
The tennis ball coming off the senior batoffers a solid feel and travels ~150 - 200 ftunless you are Bret Kreuger or SteveLeighton… then lookout neighbors.
The two bats displayed are:Yellow ONYX, 27oz two-pieceOrange 27oz Dudley Lightning one-piece,Mike McCarren model
Art Eversole, of Washington, has played onMajor and Major Plus teams with W.E.Ruth Realty. He is the NW Senior SoftballWebmaster/ SoftballCommunications/Hitting Club Admin/NWLeagues internet coordinator. Eversole canbe reached via email [email protected].
SSUSA Player Featured inthe Wall Street Journal
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FloridaJune 19 - June 21: Sunshine State Showdown Ft. Myers,FLDeadline June 4
Interested teams should contact tournament director TimMcElroy via email: [email protected] orphone: 301-514-2676.
WashingtonJune 25 - 28: Inland Empire Classic Spokane, WADeadline June 11
July 25 - 26: Smash It Sports Invite Enumclaw, WADeadline July 10
For more information on the Spokane tournament, pleasecontact Washington State Director Butch Jones, via email:[email protected] or phone: 360-791-3862.
For more information on the tournament in Enumclaw,please contact director Tom Israelson (206-841-9955 [email protected])
MichiganJune 27 - 28: Holiday Classic Sturgis, MIDeadline June 19
July 11 - 12: Bobby Chapp Memorial Lansing, MI (NEWDATES)Deadline July 3
The state of Michigan lifted its stay-at-home order onJune 1, and groups of up to 100 people can gatheroutside a long as they practice social distancing.
For more information, please contact tournament directorMike Dembicki, via email: [email protected] orphone: 586-202-8376.
New YorkJuly 7 - 12: NORTHEAST CHAMPIONSHIPS Syracuse,NYDeadline June 23
SSUSA will confirm that this tournament will be played twoweeks before it is scheduled to commence. For moreinformation, please email [email protected].
ArkansasJuly 7 - 12: MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS Rogers, ARDeadline June 23
Dave Weinman on the SSUSAInternational Tour in Nice, France in
2019.
Senior Softball player, Dave Weinman, 66,of New York, was recently featured in theWall Street Journal.
The article, Softball Alone? If That's theOnly Choice, He’s Game, was written byJen Murphy and appeared in the WSJ onMay 31.
CLICK HERE to read the article.
LS Warriors Go to Bat forTwo High School Seniors
Estero, Fla. – The Louisville SluggerWarriors recently sponsored two deservinghigh school seniors, Lauren Hobbs andAshlee Lykins.
The duo will be given a chance to becelebrated, by experiencing a senior classtrip, prom and graduation. Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic that forced springsemesters across the country to becompleted remotely, the class of 2020missed out on many of these annualmilestones and right of passages.
Hobbs and Lykins are model students whohave excelled both academically andathletically. This fall, Hobbs is headed to
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SSUSA will confirm that this tournament will be played twoweeks before it is scheduled to commence. For moreinformation, please email [email protected].
TexasJuly 7 - 12: Aggieland Classic College Station, TXDeadline June 23
For more information, please contact tournament directorKeith Parker, via email: [email protected] or phone:903-315-6374.
OregonJuly 14 - 19: JIM SHERMAN MEMORIAL/NORTHWESTCHAMPIONSHIPS Salem, ORDeadline June 23
SSUSA will confirm that this tournament will be played twoweeks before it is scheduled to commence. For moreinformation, please email [email protected].
IllinoisJuly 14 - 19: Quad Cities Classic Rock Island, ILDeadline June 30
For more information, please contact tournament directorKenny Chard, [email protected] or 309-721-9633.
MarylandJuly 17 - 20: Bert Bennett Memorial Westminster, MDDeadline July 3
Interested teams for the Bert Bennett Memorial shouldcontact tournament director, Tim McElroy, via email:[email protected] or phone: 301-514-2676.
AlabamaJuly 18 - 19: Cullman Qualifier Cullman, ALDeadline July 3
SSUSA will confirm that this tournament will be played twoweeks before it is scheduled to commence. For moreinformation, please email [email protected].
KansasJuly 23 - 26: Wes Weddle Classic Shawnee, KSDeadline July 9
For more information, please contact tournament directorRandy Rowe 816-718-3221 [email protected].
Stetson University in Deland, FL andLykins is off to Furman University inGreenville, SC. Both student-athletes willbe on softball scholarships.
CLICK HERE to read the press release.
Ashlee Lykins
Lauren Hobbs
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CaliforniaJuly 28 - August 2: WESTERN NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIPS Sacramento/Placer Counties, CADeadline July 7
Reminder that this year teams do NOT have to play in aqualifier to compete in the Western Nationals.
SSUSA will confirm that this tournament will be played twoweeks before it is scheduled to commence. For moreinformation, please email [email protected].
VirginiaJuly 28 - August 2: EASTERN NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIPS Loudoun County, VADeadline July 7
Reminder that this year teams do NOT have to play in aqualifier to compete in the Eastern Nationals.
SSUSA will confirm that this tournament will be played twoweeks before it is scheduled to commence. For moreinformation, please email [email protected].
IndianaJuly 31 - August 2: ISA SENIOR WORLD SERIESColumbus/Shelbyville, INDeadline Juy 7
For more information, please contact Amy Jackson at309-267-8324 or [email protected].
Contact Information:Senior Softball USA
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