From OttoInFocus:
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WINSTON, MO – Some men would just throw up there hands and say, “enough’s, enough, it just isn’t meant to be.â€
But you won’t hear that from Eric Lewis of Winston, Missouri. The father of two fastpitch-playing sons is determined to keep the boy’s fastpitch game alive – at least in his part of the country – northwest Missouri.
Though denied participation in the 2010 ASA Boy’s National Tournament in the 10-under and 12-under age divisions because of a lack of teams to offer competition in the two brackets, Lewis is undeterred for the 2011 tournaments to be held in Mankato, Minnesota.
And even though his teams couldn’t play at Rolla in the 2010 event, his boys played non-the-less.
“I stayed home and played a fantastic game between my two boys teams,†said Lewis, who is the principal, athletic director, and boy’s softball coach at Winston High School. “I had nineteen little boys age 12 and under play a scrimmage game….we had uniforms, umpires, PA announcing, etc. Great time was had by all.â€
And as for the ASA national in Mankato next year?
“I am planning on going to Mankato and taking a 10-Under and a 12-Under team. I am also talking to a couple dads about putting a 14-Under team together. And I’m sure my brother-in-law, Greg “Skipper†McQuinn will have at least an 18-Under
and 23-Under (this year he had those two and a 16-Under).â€
Lewis added that it’s possible that northwest Missouri will have a team in every division of the ASA boy’s and young men’s tournament.
And he sees a glimmer of hope that he and McQuinn aren’t alone in the push to revive the boy’s and young men’s sides of the sport.
“I saw some of the younger boys division dads and coaches playing fastpitch in Des Moines in the NAFA World Series tournaments,†he said. “They spoke very confidently of taking teams to Mankato (and) some spoke of taking multiple teams.
“Let’s try and reverse the tide and have a tournament with more teams in every age division.â€
