The Special Olympics World Summer Games sotball mascot.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
2011-05-02

The big event in international softball this year is the IX Jr. Women’s World Championship. While it’s the 19-and-under category, which is great in terms of the promotion of young athletes participating in the sport, it is, after all, still a fast pitch tournament, which seems to get most of the attention.

But the International Softball Federation is working hard to continue the promotion of all disciplines in the sport so as to show that options exist for boys, girls, men, and women no matter their age, ability level, geographic location, or any other classification that an argument might be made for in terms of hindering participation.

In five-and-a-half weeks the 10th ISF Senior World Cup gets underway in Salem, Virginia (USA). The annual slow pitch event regularly attracts 60, 70, even 80 teams, made up of age 50-and-over participants, some of them even over 70.

Later that month, the Special Olympics World Summer Games will take place in Athens, Greece, with softball among the 22 sports to be contested. The ISF has worked with Special Olympics International with regards to the rules that govern play in those events. The venue used for the 2004 Olympic softball competition will be used for the June 27 – July 2 games.

Yet another non-fast pitch example will be seen June 28-July 3 in Aruba when men’s teams will participate in a modified pitch tournament. 2011 will be the fifth consecutive year for the Champ of Champs tournament. Confirmations have already been received on teams from seven countries: Curacao, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Holland, USA, and Venezuela, plus, of course, Aruba. A total of 12 spots are available.

Besides fast pitch – in addition to slow pitch and modified pitch – the ISF also promotes wheelchair softball, arena (indoor) softball, and beach softball.