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Health & Fitness

A New Tradition

By: Samantha Marvy, Deerfield High School

For the first time, Deerfield Youth Baseball and Softball Association hosted the Warrior Classic, a fast pitch softball tournament.  Held June 7-9, participates included 34 teams from throughout the Chicagoland area, from Antioch to Chicago. Deerfield had five teams playing in the tournament, one at 14u and two each at 12u and 10u. The 10u Warriors Red team and the 14u Warriors both had a 4-1 record over the weekend, making it to the semifinals in their respective brackets.

Four different locations hosted the competition, 10u played at Clavey, 12u played at Maplewood, 14u played at Deerfield High School and Jewett Park.  Championship games for 10 and 12u were played at Jewett Park returning to the showcase for Deerfield baseball and softball.  In the 10u championship game the dominating Chicago Fireworks Blue, allowing one run in pool play, beat the Antioch Bordertown Bandits 5-0. After giving up two runs in the first inning to the Chicago Fireworks Blue, the Palatine Stingrays rallied to score 12 runs in the 12u championship. What looked to be a blowout in the first inning of the final 14u game after Antioch Bordertown Bandits scored ten runs in the first, turned into a battle with the struggling Libertyville Orange Cats coming back to win 11-10.

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The tournament committee of Nick Frisone, Steve Bulzoni, Dave Brenner, Lew Bricker and Greg Marvy worked for months, lining up volunteers and sponsors to make the inaugural tournament a success. When the umpires at Maplewood Park were asked about the tournament, in agreement they commented that they believed the tournament was going very smoothly, that there were no problems with coaches or fans, and that most of the games started early thanks to the dedicated tournament staff. Mark Miller, assistant coach of the 12u Palatine Stingrays, noted, “The fields are great, and it is organized better than other tourneys because the scores were posted right away.” Unlike most tournaments, DYBA used technology to keep teams up to date.  Not only were coaches and umpires impressed but bystanders from the community mentioned how amazing it was to see all the fields at Maplewood in use, with fans at each game.

The one thing that really stood out from observing at Maplewood was the mixing and comradery between the girls, not only of Deerfield but with opposing teams too. Deerfield players stayed at and visited each other’s fields long after their games ended to cheer on the other Deerfield teams, and bond with their own teams. Susan Johnson, Deerfield High School Varsity Softball Coach commented that many of her former players and their parents came back to “check out the tourney.”  One of the best things to hear was when the Palatine team was beating a Deerfield by quite a few runs, the Stingrays were cheering on the Warriors, and being respectful instead of running up the score. But what made this tournament so successful? Steve Bulzoni, co-director of the Warrior Classic, said, “I think the tournament was so successful because of the beautiful weather, high levels of competition, and most of all because of the awesome volunteers.” With another great weekend of softball in the books, a new tradition for the town has been born and as Greg Marvy, co-director of travel softball, says, “Nothing brings a community together like ball.”

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Together with the Wooden Bat Tournament played over Father’s Day Weekend, DYBA has brought more than eighty teams to Deerfield to play baseball and softball.  “It is great to see all the kids competing on the fields and then the families being together after the games,” said DYBA Commissioner, Lew Bricker.  He added, “The DYBA programs have been around for more than sixty years.  A few years ago we started Date Night in Deerfield, and this year we are proud to add another special opportunity for our girls.”

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