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DISCOVER! | AUGUST 13, 2016
12 | Sports
RYLAN HOWE | STAFF WRITER
At a Glance:
WHAT: University of Okoboji Slow
Pitch Softball Tournament
WHERE: Milford Memorial Softball
Complex
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, Aug.
20-21
COST: $150 per team
CONTACT: 712-330-1134
ONLINE: www.facebook.com/uofosoftball
A few rules:
Here are some of the rules
and regulations for teams participating
in the tournament. To
read the full form visit the tournament’s
Facebook page.
Rain: If we cannot play Saturday
due to rain, we will attempt to
have a single elimination tournament
on Sunday. The decision will
be at the director’s discretion.
Bats: Up to date ASA and USS-
SA bats only, no other bats allowed,
if caught with an illegal bat
it is an automatic out. We will use
the latest sheets from ASA and
USSSA for discretion on bats.
Count: Each batter will come to
the plate with a 1 & 1 count, with
no courtesy foul.
Slow pitch softball
University of Okoboji hosts marquee tournament
The word “slow” may be in the
name, but there will be plenty
of action in the games of the
39th Annual University of Okoboji
Invitational Men’s Slow Pitch Softball
Tournament next weekend.
“You’ll see some very big home runs
and amazing defensive plays for sure,”
tournament director Brett Groen said.
“This is probably the top tournament
in N’West Iowa and it draws some of
the best players from some of the best
teams.”
Though it’s his first year organizing
the tournament, Groen is no stranger
to softball or tournaments in general.
He’s played in the University of Okoboji
tournament many times in years
past, ran a Pioneer Days tournament
at one point, and traveled with his
own softball team in addition to organzing
the Winter Games volleyball
tournament.
This year he takes over a tournament
that has been going on for
nearly four full decades.
“I’m not playing as much anymore
and so I had the opportunity to step
in and eventually we’d like to do some
things to grow and expand the tournament,”
Groen said.
About 20 teams have registered so
far this year, including the three-time
defending champion squad from
Spencer, which includes players from
Spencer, of course, as well as Sheldon,
Sioux Center and Estherville. Groen
said he sees a lot of teams registered
from when he was playing, which
speaks to the long standing tradition
of the tournament.
At least one team from Minnesota
has signed up so far in addition to several
from Iowa, Nebraska and South
Dakota. And now they’ll be kept
up-to-date on all things tournamentrelated
through their computers and
mobile devices.
“We started a Facebook page and
through doing some things on social
media we can spread the word
quicker,” Groen said. “It will be a
great way to keep people updated on
the tournament as well as during the
tournament with things like weather
updates, results and photos.”
The web presence adds another
element to a tournament that has retained
its popularity over many years.
The two main reasons Groen sees
for that popularity are the facilities
and the setting around them.
“The facilities are great at the softball
complex in Milford. We’ve got
three fields almost identical in size,
distance and shape,” Groen said. “And
probably the biggest draw of all is the
Iowa Great Lakes itself. A lot of teams
make it a ‘staycation’ tournament and
stay for a few days whether they go 0-2
or win the whole thing.”
Trophies will go to the first, second
and third place teams after a doubleelimination
tournament set up at the
discretion of the director.
“I always try to make the sure the
brackets are good and balanced and
the best teams will rise to the top,”
Groen said.
Many will try, but only one will
be able to claim the title of “Best in
Okoboji.” Find out who takes home
the trophy next weekend as University
of Okoboji nears the end of its summer
sports season with the slow pitch
softball tournament. F
Milford | Iowa