GREENVILLE – The Greenville Girls Softball Association (GGSA) held its Summer Smackdown USSSA National Qualifier tournament at Stebbins Field this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“I think everybody in Greenville was looking for something to do so you have seen people pop in that don’t even have kids playing,” said GGSA President Eric Fellers. “They are just sitting in the outfield watching a game. It’s been good to let people get out of the house and do some things out here.”
“Jim Buchy has been out here watching some games and grandpa Newland is out here watching some kids play – even the younger kids,” Fellers added. “It’s been fun to sit around here and watch some softball.”
Nearly perfect weather greated 44 teams from around the area the the Treaty City’s six softball diamonds at Stebbins Field, home of Lady Wave Softball.
“Beautiful weather, nice and cool today,” said GGSA President, Eric Fellers. “We had a little bit of rain Saturday but we played through it and kept on schedule with a lot of teams here this weekend.”
The many family and friends taking in the weekend games at Stebbins Field were respectful of soscial distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have 44 teams here and you have people spread out all the way around the field watching the games making sure they keep their distance,” Fellers noted. “Wolf Tent gave us some extra tents to extend dugouts to give the kids bigger area to have their equipment and things so that was a plus.”
Teams taking to the local softball diamonds included:
10U: Richmond Jazz 10U, TC Force Fastpitch 10U, Focus Fast Pitch 10U, Miami Valley Express 09, Southwest Outlaws 09, Ohio Wave 10U, Southwest Outlaws 10 and Valley Storm 10U.
12U: Ohio Wave – Brubaker, Ohio Wave – Cromwell, Firestorm 12U, Darke County Rebels 12U, Roadwarriors 12U, Miami Valley Lady Prospects 12U, TC Force Fastpitch 12U, DC Flyers 12U, Outcast 07, Miami Valley Express 07, Springfield Heat 12U and Focus Fast Pitch 12U.
14U: Firestorm 05, Firestorm 06, Covington Cannons 14U, Valley Storm 14U, TC Force Fastpitch 14U, Strikers 14U, Miami County Blaze 14U, Sting/Home Field Elite 14U, Focus Fast Pitch 14U, Springfield Heat 14U, Legends 05 and Lady Irish – Gold.
16U: DC Flyers, Firestorm – Davis, Firestorm – Chastain, Springfield Heat 16U, Montgomery County Hammers, Ohio Wave 16U, Ohio Attack – Roop, Cap City Force 16U, Freedom Elite 04, West Liberty Force 16U, Focus Fast Pitch 03 and Valley Storm 16U.
“Jason Christman (Tournament Coordinator) has done a phenominal job at building this tournament up,” said Fellers. “We added the two new fields this year from donors around town but he has done a phenominal job from 28 teams last year to 44 this year. Parking has been kind of crazy this year but we will get that ironed out for the next big tournament in July.”
The Stebbins Field was well represented by the Stebbins family for which the complex is named.
“We have some Stebbins kids playing and my wife (Stacy) is a Stebbins,” Fellers noted. “We have some of the older kids but now we have Jason and Mindy’s younger kids, Tim’s grandaughter is out here playing so it’s kind of nice to see – we saw Tim (Stebbins) out here, we saw Steve (Stebbins) out here watching his grandkids … kind of nice to see all these Stebbins family come out here and watch some kids play ball.”
GGSA receives a large amount of support from local businesses as well as bringing dollars to community businesses.
“We have supported some of the local businesses, Teafords Pizza, Dairy King, Beanz Bakery,” Fellers said. “People have loved having those local companies in here and buying some of their products.”
