The Olympic Games of 2008 in Beijing, China, will mark what many hope is a only temporary end to the sport of women's softball on the premier world stage. Many local coaches, fans and players are speaking out for its reinstatement into the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Softball is gaining more and more popularity, with youth leagues, high school teams, minor leagues, professional players and international teams all growing in numbers.
What has created a hubbub of interest, particularly this year, is that in July 2005, softball was "voted off of the island" of the Olympic Games, and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will not have softball in its lineup.
In the immediate future, this puts the pressure on for teams competing this year in what may possibly be the last gold medal for softball at an Olympic Games. The specific reasons for its removal from the Olympics will remain hazy, but its reinstatement, if it happens, will be through voices of those who believe in softball's importance.
There is an air of wanting to make a greater impression on the world during these games to create a louder public voice in softballs favor.
Why softball? In a country that sings the praises of baseball, softball is a game suited to the masses in more ways than one. Softball, men's and women's, slow pitch and fast pitch, youth, senior and professional players, is a sport that readily adapts itself to the situation.
There are a growing number of converted, once-diehard baseball fans who find softball more dynamic for both players and fans. With fastball pitches clocking in at the same speed as major-league baseball pitches, the game of softball is far from being a softer version of baseball.
The smaller field of play necessary for softball and that fact that out-of-the-stadium hits are rare has players concentrating more on skill and strategy rather than just brute strength. Another push toward softball's popularity has not quite as much to do with softball but rather, baseball.
The reoccurring history of bad behavior and corruption from obscenely overpaid athletes and the corporations that oversees the sport has greatly tarnished baseball's appeal.
The Afton Central School girl's softball team is one team that created a picture of team unity, a picture that shows health, strength, training and awareness. Softball coach Cindy Bostelman is no stranger to state titles, for her team and her coaching abilities reflect a devotion to the sport and her players.
Afton's Athletic Director Kathy Decker said that Bostelman's life revolves around softball. Decker and Bostelman will travel to Amherst this weekend to enjoy and study the American Softball Association women's fast-pitch tournament.
With such a strong interest in softball, competitors against Bostelman's team may wonder just how good this team can get.
Bostelman said she is hopeful that the Olympic committee will vote to bring women's softball back into the Olympic arena. The number of girls who become inspired to try softball after watching the Olympic Games on television is tremendous and it is a great example of how these international competitions positively influence youths, she said.
Afton junior-to-be Jessie Winans is spending a lot of her summer participating on a traveling softball team. Winans, a three-time recipient of The Daily Star's Player of the Year award, this year's state Class D Player of the Year, and three-time first team all-state player, expressed the same desire as many other talented school players: "My dream would be to go to the Olympics," she said.
The thought that softball will no longer be a part of the Olympic theater is discouraging news, but Winans said she hopes the decision will not be held up for any longer than the 2012 Olympics. The game of softball is exciting for everyone, and a scan of players on the field, players on the bench and all the fans shows involvement and enthusiasm throughout the entire game.
It is not necessary to look too far back in time to trace the history of softball. The late 1800s marks its beginnings, with a crowd waiting to hear the results of a football game, the celebrations that followed involved strapping together a boxing glove and hitting it with a broomstick. It immediately gained interest and rules for play were established with a key feature being that the game could be played indoors or outside. Since 1951, the International Softball Federation has governed the worldwide softball competition. The first women's fast-pitch world championships were played in 1965 in Australia. The host team won the five-team competition that year, but subsequent years had the United States team taking the lead. The first men's world championships were played a year later in Mexico City. Since 1970, softball world championship tournaments have been played every four years and this is a much-anticipated tournament year.
Speculation has it that women's softball was voted out of the Olympics due to one single country (the United States) so forcefully dominating the sport, but other sports such as baseball seem to have the same pattern of one country taking leadership. The belief is that the challenge for other countries to capture the gold medal becomes less and less likely, leading to its fall from the Olympic stage.
Delhi resident and former high school and college player Diane Oles said that softball is an important team sport for women because its image is that of health, strength and mental acuity.
Similar to soccer, softball is reaching into countries and regions of the world that have previously not allowed women to participate in sports. The Olympic Games bring sports into an international limelight and women's sports in particular can certainly use as much promotion as possible.
Softball is among seven sports (golf, baseball, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports) under consideration to be a part of the 2016 Olympics. The final decision will be made in October 2009 during the International Olympic Committee assembly in Copenhagen, Denmark. This committee is faced with selecting a cap of 28 sports, meaning there will be room for only one or two additions. The IOC will also select the 2016 host city during the 2009 meeting, with Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro among the leading contenders.
Playing girl's softball in high school is where interest levels peak for the majority of participants, with the college-level teams being more demanding and rosters more competitive. For those who do go on to play with focused conviction, the Olympic Games would seem the pinnacle of an athlete's success.
The Beijing games may be the last year softball is seen at the Olympics, but the sports inherent versatility and inclusive nature will keep it far from fading into obscurity. If you have never watched a softball game, it is time to acquaint yourself with this exciting, fast-paced sport that will leave no question as to its importance and popularity.
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