ISSA Posts 2014 Tournament Schedule

MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA - The 3rd ISSA U.S. Open National Championships concluded with 74 senior teams competing in 15 divisions for the National Championships.  The game results and most of the tournament photos are now posted on the ISSA Website at www.seniorsoftball.org.  The players on the Division Champion teams are eligible to purchase championship rings designed by Jostens.  Players can order their ring by contacting the Josten's ISSA representative, Scott Miller at 540-786-0110, 4121 Plank  Road #504, Fredericksburg, VA 22407 or email   scott.miller@Jostens.com.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - The III ISF/ISSA World Tournament of Champions will get underway on January 24-26, 2014 at various venues in the Tampa Bay Region.  Over 250 senior teams have qualified for the 2014 event and the list of eligible teams is posted on the ISSA Website .  Also, additional senior teams may qualify by winning other association's National Tournaments.  The organizers are encouraging all championship winners to enter the event to "crown" the best of the best.  The ISSA staff is working on field assignments and will post the venues for the various divisions with nearby hotels soon on the Website.  All eligible teams that plan to enter the WTOC should immediately submit the Online Entry Form to assist in the planning process.

MANASSAS, VIRGINIA - The 2013 ISSA Winter Nationals which was rained out at Virginia Beach earlier this month has been rescheduled for April 4 & 5, 2014 at venues in Northern Virginia.  Recognizing that some of the entered teams may not be able to participate in April for the make-up tournament, the ISSA will also provide the teams a $300 credit toward any of the ISSA tournaments on the 2014 schedule.  The event was the first senior tournament the ISSA has ever had to reschedule due to weather in its 19 year history.

PLANT CITY, FLORIDA -  At the 26th International Softball Federation World Congress in Cartagena, Colombia, the ISF Hall of Fame Commission  elected 18 people from nine countries in five different categories to join the ISF Hall of Fame.  The newly elected members were:

     PLAYER: Exiquio Jesus Echarte Leiva (CUB), Oria Wood Knowles (BAH), Luisa Maria Medina Gonzalez (CUB), Mike Piechnik (CAN), Michael White (NZL), Hayley Petrie (AUS) and Brooke Wilkins (AUS)

•      COACH: Bob Crudgington (AUS), Carlos Caro (PUR), and Eduardo Ramon Sabate (ARG)
•      UMPIRE: Santos Vazquez Ortiz (PUR)
•      ADMINISTRATOR: Miguel Acosta Serrano (CUB), Enrique O. Alcarez (ARG), Joseph Chejne Janna (COL), Romell Knowles (BAH), Antonio Morales Arrieta (COL), and R.B. Thomas, Jr. (USA)
•      MERITORIOUS: Javier Anaya Lorduy (COL)

RB Thomas, Jr. becomes the sixteenth individual from the United States to be elected to the ISF Hall of Fame.  RB has served as ISSA Executive Director for 20 years and also been the ISF Director of Senior Softball since 2002.  He is a resident of Northern Virginia where he also serves as the ASA District Commissioner.  He was inducted in the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 1996 and the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame in 2009.   Headquartered in Plant City, Florida (USA), the ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee and SportAccord (formerly the General Association of International Sports Federations). Softball (women’s fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 127 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.