Rejuvinating Softball

[Al Doran]

From: "Michael Samways" <msamways(at)softballontario.ca>
To: <fastball(at)pmihrm.com>
Subject: Rejuvinating Softball
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 09:15:00 -0500


Rejuvenating Softball

Softball is dying.  I'd bet my life 99.9 percent of everyone who is reading 
this has heard that phrase uttered at some point over the past couple of 
years. Over and over I hear softball is dying. I have resigned myself to 
the fact that the all-knowing people who make this claim are not going to 
be proactive for the cause. These people are waiting for a magic cure, a 
quick fix miracle that will suddenly jolt softball back to the nation wide 
glory-days of old. Unfortunately, it's going to take more than an eighteen 
year old kid coming out of Rimouski to revive our sport. That's not to say 
it can't be done. On the contrary, it can be done, just not by 5 people, or 
10 people, or even 50 people, and certainly not by people who are content 
to just cross their arms and write off the sport with 3 simple words. 
Softball is dying.

Softball is alive. Contrary to popular belief softball isn't even on 
life-support. I've seen the tournament crowds. I've seen small towns get 
behind their teams. I've seen some of the best athletes on the planet 
battle for nothing more than the love of game. Softball has given so much 
to so many and now it's time to give something back. If all the softball 
players out there take a minute and think of the opportunities, 
experiences, laughs, and life-long friends you have been afforded by being 
able to play this game, I think you would agree it isn't too much to ask.

Which raises the question, how exactly do I go about "giving back" to the 
sport? Well, there isn't a single answer for that. I realize that everyone 
is extremely busy and it seems we have less and less personal time each 
year, but there are many things that can be done and none of them take 
massive amounts of effort or time. You can volunteer to be a minor softball 
coach, assistant coach, or even just an occasional helper. Softball Ontario 
is offering free Introduction to Coaching Clinics across the province this 
spring and anyone and everyone can come. We are also going to try and 
organize an "Adopt-a-team" program, where senior teams adopt a team of 
youngsters and help out at their practices and games. Softball Ontario is 
always looking for volunteers. We have the resources available to do many 
great things but we are constantly short on manpower and there is only so 
much a few people can do.

Do you know of any events in your community? From festivals and fairs to 
trade shows and parades, Softball Ontario is happy to partner with softball 
teams and associations to set up a booth and promote the game. Do you know 
of any schools in your area? Do you know any teachers? Softball Ontario has 
programs designed to get softball into schools, but there is only so many 
we can reach on our own. Tournaments are always summer highlights, but we 
need to start worrying more about attracting kids to watch the games, and 
less about attracting people to the beer tent. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy 
a beer or five in the tent as much as anyone, but let's take a few minutes 
to figure out what we can offer and how to promote a tournament so that 
non-softball kids and their parents come out to watch these great games. 
Talk to schools, talk to camps, talk to kids, talk to your community, talk 
to tournament organizers, but most importantly, talk to us. To make a 
difference we need to work together.

The bottom line is, in order to revive the sport of softball, we have to be 
visible. Kids and parents have too many options for us to just sit back and 
hope they choose softball. We have to get into communities, into the 
papers, into the public conscious in order to fully resuscitate our sport. 
If people truly think it would be a shame for our sport to wither away, 
then everyone should band together and take control of the situation. A few 
people alone cannot make the significant changes needed to raise our 
profile, but if everyone just does their small part, there is no limit to 
what can be accomplished. After all, considering what softball has done for 
all of us, don't we owe it just a little bit?

For more information on any of Softball Ontario's programs and services, 
please give me a call or shoot me an email 416 426 
7150   <mailto:msamways at softballontario.ca>msamways at softballontario.ca .

Mike Samways, Participation Program Coordinator

Softball Ontario





Mike Samways
Participation Program Coordinator
Softball Ontario
1185 Eglinton Ave East
North York, ON
ph  416 426 7150
fax 416 426 7368
msamways(at)softballontario.ca
<file://www.softballontario.ca>www.softballontario.ca

  Als Fastball List
*Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com
    fastball at pmihrm.com
http://www.AlsFastball.com/
NEWS: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball
    eScribe is down, but may be back soon escribe.com

Our New Condo: http://www.rpt.ca/hunt/ for Sale or Rent