An old sport is growing in popularity as the the baby boomer’s of America grow older. That sport is Senior Softball. Softball has been an American sport that is played by everyone. In recent years, one area that of the sport that has flourished, is with Senior citizens.
Senior Softball got it’s start in the 1930’s by Evelyn Brown Rittenhouse. She was a retired stage actress from New York. She moved to St. Petersburg, Florida to work at a retirement community. After she arrived, she decided to establish the game of softball in an attempt to keep Seniors active.
Today there are 1.5 million Senior Softball players in the US. And that list is growing by about 500 quarterly. It is the number one Senior sport for men with about 21 percent of the male population either playing or involved with the sport. Today there are at least 1500 teams in each state and Canada. Men must be 50 plus and women 45 plus to qualify as a Senior Softball player.
The main goal of Senior Softball is to provide each Senior with an opportunity to play. The SSUSA (Senior Softball USA) governs the game and its regulations. It is the fastest growing sport in popularity in the nation. The web site Seniorsoftball.com lists tournaments and results from all over the US. It has links to many state associations, too.
Many countries have modeled Senior Softball in the US as way to help keep their aging populations active. Japan has five times more people in critically care facilities and are working to keep their Seniors active in their later years. Senior Softball has helped to do this. They found that not only does it keep them active, but it provides good camaraderie and helps to build self confidence in the individual.
Senior Softball has also provided a way in which Seniors check on each others well being. They help each other in keeping Doctors appointments, eating right, running errands, and other social activities. It has helped to make Seniors more independent from their children. It encourages Seniors to do things that their children would do for them such as chores around the house.
The rules of the game are basically the same as regular softball. However, tournaments may vary. Some games start with a batter having a 1 and 1 count before the first pitch. This helps to speed up the game. Some games have a 10 run rule after the 5th inning. A team leading by 10 or more is declared the winner after 5 innings. Most teams field 5 men and 4 women as starters. However, some tournaments and leagues vary at this, too. The main goal is participation.
Senior Softball even has their own World Championships. There are some tournaments that are set up for individuals over the age of 65 and those in the 70 to 75 age category. This shows that Senior Softball just isn’t for the younger Senior Citizen players.
The SSUSA sets the rules that are basically the same for all teams throughout the US. As the governing body, they try to keep the rules of the sport as uniformed as possible. When joining this association, states, leagues, teams and individuals agree to the rules that are established and governed by this association. Senior Softball isn’t just Co-Ed either. There are all mens and womens teams too.
There are many Senior Softball teams that go on tour to different countries. A lot of Seniors that are retired enjoy the idea of travel and play. It gives them a chance to visit other countries, meet other people, and play the game that they love with them. Many leagues and teams in the US will also host a Senior Softball team from a foreign country that is doing the same thing.
As the baby boomer’s grow older, so does their desire to play and maintain their fitness. Senior Softball has provided a vehicle for Seniors to share experiences with each other as well. It is helping to keep the rising costs of hospitalization down.
