ISC II a Solid Success Says Survey The International Softball Congress (ISC) is pleased to announce the results of a recent survey of team managers, player representatives and other participants that point to the success of the ISC II division. “We will take these results and study them to see where we can continue to improve the experience of teams and players at the ISC II Tournament of Champions, but this tells us that we are clearly on the right track,” said ISC II Vice-President Bob McGowan. Conducted over a one-month period between Dec. 15, 2004 and Jan. 15, 2005, an invitation to complete the online survey was sent to a total of 107 people with 59 providing responses by the deadline. “We are thrilled with the quantity and quality of the feedback we’ve received with this survey,” said ISC II Commissioner Blair Setford, noting that all but one of the teams that participated in the 2004 ISC II Tournament of Champions responded, along with 25 teams that either competed at previous ISC II events or have played in other post season championships. Overwhelmingly, survey respondents declared the ISC II Tournament of Champions (ToC) as the top tournament for this caliber of play. A clear majority prefer the current ToC format, including the existing playoff schedule, although there is a substantial minority that would like the schedule to be compressed. Opinion is split on whether to reduce the number of allowed out-of-area players and pitchers permitted on ISC II teams as many were specific in their comments that ISC II should be preserved for local teams. Many respondents also want to see the ToC champion move up to the ISC World Tournament through the provision of an automatic berth in the following year’s World Tournament. Other highlights include: * Respondents definitely want the ToC championship game played on the final Saturday. * There is significant support for inviting international club teams to the ToC. * ISC II players spent a lot of time and money at the 2004 World Tournament site. * More needs to be done to promote the ISC II program, including a dedicated ISC II web site, state/provincial or regional rankings and increased commissioner contact. * Two-thirds of respondents say that having the ToC at the same time and place as the WT is very or extremely important. Click here to view the full results of the survey online.

Three respondents were chosen at random to receive an ISC Prize Pack consisting of official ISC apparel. The winners are: Frank Keating Jr., Wilkes-Barre, PA Keating’s Fitness Center Kim Fuerniss, Wichita, KS Athletic Club Jeremy Petersen, Walcott, IA Walcott Coliseum The fourth annual ISC II Tournament of Champions will take place August 14-19 at Casper Park in Chippewa Falls, WI. The tournament will feature 40 teams from across North America playing a four-game round robin schedule in eight pools of five teams each. The top three teams from each pool advance to a single elimination playoff bracket. The ISC is a non-profit corporation organized for the promotion and administration of men’s and boy’s fastpitch softball throughout North America. Athletes participating in ISC tournaments come from literally all over the world to play the game of fastball at its highest levels.

For more information, please contact: Blair Setford ISC II Commissioner 416.681.8803 mailto:blairjs@aol.com Bob McGowan ISC II Vice President 905.672.7473 mailto:jbob99@allstream.net Ken Hackmeister ISC Executive Director 801.447.8807 < mailto:iscken@comcast.net

The 2004 ISC II Tournament of Champions is featured in the October 2004 issue of Softball Magazine, dubbed the “Sports Illustrated of Softball”. The magazine has devoted several pages of coverage for the tournament, including a full color photo of pitcher Joe German of the ISC II Champion Harriston ON Mercurys, on the inside “fastpitch cover”, a feature story by ISC II Commissioner Blair Setford and a number of other photos taken at the tournament. Click here to see the issue in PDF format (Adobe Reader required).

If you don’t already subscribe to Softball Magazine, you can do so online (click Softball Mag link above). If you would like a complimentary issue of the October 2004 issue containing the ISC II coverage, send a postage paid, self addressed magazine size envelope to Jim Flanagan, Fastpitchwest, PO Box 961, Los Alamitos, CA 90720. (7 stamps for USA, 9 for Canada)