안전놀이터

Grown-up Softball A Mix Of Competition, Fun 안전놀이터

Each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening all through the fall, the Owensboro Parks and Recreation Department has its two serious grown-up softball groups on Kentucky Legend Fields at Fisher Park — the previous site of the KHSAA state softball competition, just as the current host for various summer youth competitions. 

With 11 groups contending in the co-ed division and 15 crews in the men's division, it's normal to see the recreation center brimming with softball players and onlookers — a pattern that long-term softball trainer and player Robert Thompson is appreciating. 

"The more youthful age is beginning to pick back up," said Thompson, who turns 53 on Thursday. "For quite a long time, it was seven or eight groups, and it wasn't genuine serious. They had a serious alliance and a rec association, however at that point you just had two groups who needed to play in the upper (class) and the wide range of various ones needed to play it lower. 

"Presently, everyone's only together in the middle class." 

Which makes for an intriguing dynamic. For certain groups, their first concern is winning. For other people, it's tied in with having a good time and getting exercise. Most crews fall some place in the center. 

That doesn't mean there aren't contentions, however. 

"It's laid back however aggressive," said Sean Warren, 32, who plays in a men's cutthroat group with collaborators from Owensboro Municipal Utilities. "There's a Kenergy group over here, and our objective is to beat them — there's nothing else to it." 

The unaffiliated OMU crew, which is in its first year of the association, rehearses one time each week. It's sufficient to remain serious, Warren noted, however not pointless excess. 

"All things considered, it's quite laid back," he said. "We need to win, however we're around here to have a great time." 

His partner, Michael Hayden, concurred. 

"Part of the gang we work with discussed having a softball crew, and I generally needed to play on one," said Hayden, 25, who played baseball growing up. "I thought it was a smart thought, and here we are." 

Story proceeds 

Then, at that point there are achievement loaded, veteran groups like Texas Roadhouse. The gathering, supported by the café, has played for a very long time — as long as the Owensboro area has been open. 

"The greater part of these folks are in their 40s, late 30s," said Thompson, who's trained and played in the group since its initiation. "A large portion of them's played for me 14, 16 years. It's to a greater extent something serious rather than anything. We don't prefer to lose, and we need to remain on top." 

Texas Roadhouse has won a few group titles in both co-ed and men's opposition, Thompson added, and he ascribes it to adding a strong revolution of players over the long run. 

"Throughout the long term, the group's been so cutthroat," he said. "As the 50-year-olds — the folks I played with in secondary school — they gradually dwindled off and we wound up getting children and cousins and nephews. Then, at that point throughout the long term, with simply the group name, we've had folks and young ladies come out and need to join." 

Scarcely any groups have the family that Thompson's crew does, he said, yet he's happy to see such countless individuals coming join the party the game he cherishes. 

"There's three truly cutthroat groups and presumably four or five that are not too far off," he said. "Then, at that point there's few who are attempting to get rolling." 

Seeing the players' pleasure on the field is obvious, and it's even a fun time for the onlookers in participation. 

"It's loads of fun," said Sherry Taylor, 38, who visited Fisher Park to cheer a few companions who were playing. "At the point when the climate's decent, similar to around evening time, it's great to bring a seat and simply hang out. It's simply a truly cool air."