2009 Tournament Planning, Team Ratings

Joseph Chevrolet's 60 year old senior softball team is in transition in 2009. Ten of the (18) roster players are now eligible for 65+ age division. In 2010, five additional players on the current roster will be eligible for 65+.

So. . . in 2009, the plan is to play in (3) 60+ national tournaments and (3) 65+ tournaments, including two nationals, SPA and ISSA Winter Nationals.

Player/Manager Roy Hern has managed to keep virtually the same roster of Ohio/KY based players together for the past four years, dating back to their first tournament in November, 2005. Only a handful of guys have been replaced since then, but the core of the team remains the same. Those core players, still with the team today are: Bob Bostick, Marty Emerman, Dave Neiheisel, Dewey McVicker, Bob Bosse, Tom Snyder, Evan Francis, Dave Beamer, Rey Moore, Larry Oliver, and Joe Mazie. Other key players, added since 2005 include Frank Krawzyk, Vince Melograno, Billy Winar, Bob Williams, and Wayne Wightman. Six of these Joseph Chevy players are in various Halls of Fame. Two more have been nominated.

In 2009, the Joseph team starts the season in Salem, VA in the ISF National Tournament on June 12th. After traveling later to Columbus, OH, Detroit, Manassas, VA, Dalton, GA, and finally VA Beach, the team hopes to wrap up another successful senior softball season with several tournament victories. To date, since 2005, this team has won nine national "ring" titles which is an amazing accomplishment for any single team.

In 2008, the Joseph 60+ team was elevated to the highest division in senior softball, major plus. However, the team in 2008 only participated in one major+ tournament, the SS-USA Winter Nationals, Ft. Myers, FL. The team finished dead last in a strong field of major+ teams.

The Joseph team has protested this higher rating after playing its first three years in the lower "major" division. So far, the team rating committee has denied the protest, but the Joseph team is hopeful that individual tournament directors will recognize that the rightful team rating for this Joseph team is "major", not "major plus". At the core of the Joseph protest is the fact that some senior softball sponsors spend a lot of money recruiting players and paying their premier players' living and travel expenses. Naturally, these teams employ the best players in the country, taking unfair advantage of those legitimate amatuer senior teams. The Joseph management does not subscribe to this "play for pay" policy, and therefore cannot and will not compete at this level. More news later in the year . . .