Under-14 (age) girls participate in Saturday's first-ever softball Tee Ball Tournament in Greece.

SOFTBALL CONTINUING TO GROW IN GREECE
2006-02-28

It could be said that the competition at the 2004 Olympics in Athens really helped put softball on the map in Greece. But despite the Games being gone from there for a year-and-a-half now, the activity in softball is still carrying on.

This past weekend, led by one of the Olympians from the host country’s 2004 softball team, the first-ever softball Tee Ball Tournament took place in Greece. On the Hellenic Softball Federation’s field, 40 under-14 (age) girls (see photo below) gathered for an event supervised by Joanna Bouziou, the captain of Greece’s 2004 Olympic Softball team, and Dennis Horafas, a club team head coach. The tournament was organized by Evriali Glyfadas Softball Team and had an event sponsor as well.

The group was divided into five teams and played during the day on three diamonds. Bouziou, now the coach of an under-14 club team, said that, “With the help of volunteers … the tournament was a huge success. Everybody – children, parents, spectators, and volunteers – had a lot of fun and at the end the girls left the field with gifts … and large smiles on their faces. ”

While that event will be something that the youngsters won’t soon forget, another opportunity to make memories might soon take shape.

The Hellenic Softball Federation is hoping to host a Balkan Championship at the Olympic Softball Stadium in Athens. Earlier this month a meeting was held regarding the formation of a Balkan Softball Association, which would promote development of the sport in that region. Such a championship, organized by this new confederation, would kick-off efforts led by the likes of Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro, Turkey, and others working to grow the sport in the Balkan region.

The tournament participants pose together, with 2004 Olympian Joanna Bouziou (left end, green shirt).