First Pitch - September, 2006

By Irv Porter

It is hard to believe that it's September already. Where did the summer go?
Labor Day Weekend was unusually successful for Illinois teams with higher than normal finishes at the various national tournaments. First place finishes were turned in by the Miller 45's in the ASA Sixteen Inch Major program, with the Woodpeckers winning the national title in the ASA Class A sixteen inch national tournament in Iowa. In twelve inch softball KA Softball won the USSA Men's Class B National Tournament in Michigan while the Hooded Frogs / Bridgeview Sports Dome also brought home in a USSSA Men's Class C National title. In Rockford two Illinois teams brought home the first place gold with Blackhawk Athletic Club winning the USSSA Women's Class C national tournament while Chaos won the USSSA Men's Class E national tournament. Couple these first place finished with a long list of top eight finished at tournament's played over the map on Labor Day Weekend by Illinois teams and it was a very successful weekend for the teams displaying the Illinois colors and banners. It was without question one of the best if not the best over showing by Illinois teams over the Labor Day Weekend at national events ever.
The much maligned 'Elite' program that Mr. Mike Peura (Illinois USSSA State director) installed last year must be working because after the Labor Day Weekend results came in no one is bad mouthing his program on the twelve inch softball message boards anymore. I.S.R. understood what he was trying to accomplish with the 'Elite' program and has always believed that the program could be a good idea if used properly. The 'Elite' program worked as Mr. Peura said it would work with the results on Labor Day Weekend bearing him out. I.S.R. still believes that some fine tuning is needed in this program and hopefully that will be address over the coming 'off season' or winter. My hat is off to Mike Peura on sticking to his guns and bringing the program back this summer even though some people tied to bury the program with him underneath it.
Congrats to all the champions but even bigger congratulations to all the Illinois teams that qualified and participate at these tournament. It was your competition that drove these teams to play their best and prepare them to be able to reach their goals of winning a national title. Illinois Softball Report would like to wish all Illinois team that will be participating at the various national softball associations 'world tournaments' coming up later this month all the best of luck that they can possible have.
As the summer season draws to its close Illinois Softball Report would like to ask you, the readers of Illinois Softball Report what you would like to seen changed about this web site. In other words what can be done to make this site better for you in next year's softball season? Please feel free to drop me an e-mail at irv@ilsoftballreport.com with your ideas or suggestions on improving your softball web site.
August of 2006 was the first month ever to have more than 40,000 hits to this web site making August the twenty-fifth consecutive month that a new monthly record for hits to this web site was recorded. Couple August 40,000 plus hits with July's 38,000 plus hits giving this web site a great chance to have it first ever 100,000 hit quarter (July, Aug. & Sept.). I think back to the first year of being on the web and having a total of 48,000 plus hits for that year and how happy and excited I was that this site was that popular. I never dreamed that this site go grow so much and so fast. Thank you each and every one of the readers to this web site from the bottom of my heart. You are appreciated!
You read the word written on the Illinois Softball Report and so do hundreds and thousands of other softball players, fans and umpires. Ever consider advertising on this web site. Business cards (left side of the page) that rote positions cost only $150.00 per calendar year (12 full months). I.S.R. is a cost efficient way to put your name and product in from of a lot of people. Contact me at the above e-mail address for more details on advertising with Illinois Softball Report.
The next 'First Pitch' should be viewable on this web site around October 10th, 2006. Hopefully it will include some more congratulations to teams that had outstanding team success from Illinois at their chosen softball association's world tournament. Some players hang up the spike after Labor Day Weekend until next summer and if this is right for you than great. Other players will be hoping that their team and they individually peak at the world tournament. Until next time I hope only the best for you and your team if playing at one of those big world tournaments or even if you just are playing a little local fall ball. Its softball; the game we all love.

Your friend in softball,

Irv

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