Jun 26, 2008 - 04:07:25 CDT
McQuade Tournament director Mike Wolf added a different spice to Friday's festivities.The 33rd annual McQuade tournament has always featured slowpitch softball teams. Those who attend the tournament Friday will get a flavor of fastpitch softball.
A girls youth exhibition game will be played at the Clem Kelley Diamonds at 4 p.m. If enough players are available, two games will be played.
"We are hoping to have a little crowd there to watch them," said Wolf, whose daughter plays fastpitch softball. "The interest level is starting to pick up."
The teams playing Friday will be created by splitting the local 14-under traveling squads.
"They will be playing a little early, but people will start mingling in,"Wolf said.
Bismarck-Mandan has been building a summer fastpitch program for three years. Former fastpitch player Brian Neuhardt, of Bismarck, has been instrumental in generating interest and teaching the sport.
By having a game on the opening day of the tourney, Wolf and Neuhardt are trying to showcase fastpitch softball.
"McQuade has the name,"Neuhardt said. "It gives some out-of-towners and parents in town a chance to see that this is a program their kids can play in."
The North Dakota High School Activities Association voted to sanction fastpitch softball for the upcoming school year. Twelve schools have committed to fielding a high school team this spring. Schools that will sponsor softball are Bismarck, Devils Lake, Enderlin, Fargo North, Fargo Shanley, Fargo South, Grafton, Grand Forks Central, Grand Forks Red River, Minot, Minot Ryan and West Fargo.
Wolf wants the McQuade tournament to be as accepting at the NDHSAA. He would like to add a fastpitch bracket in the upcoming years. Games would be played all day Friday.
"It would have to be Friday because of restricted diamond space," Wolf said. "There's an avenue for girls to play this sport. They get weeded out of baseball."
Wolf said the summer fastpitch league has already generated interest from those who pass by the ball diamonds on the city's walk paths.
"People have stopped and watched for one, two or three innings," Wolf said.
Wolf said almost 100 local girls are now playing fastpitch softball. Neuhardt sees the sport growing as girls learn how to play the game.
"We have 2,000 kids in Bismarck playing baseball,"Neuhardt said. "There's no reason we can't have that same amount playing.
"Pitching is a big part of it," Neuhardt added. "We are trying to develop pitchers, and they're getting better at it. They are throwing strikes and changing speeds. We are finding that the better athletes are coming out."
Jackson wrote on Jun 26, 2008 1:37 PM:
softball freek wrote on Jun 26, 2008 8:47 AM:
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