World Championship Tournament Draws 1,000 Players to Daytona Beach
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The International Senior Softball
Association (ISSA) is bringing its Winter World and USA Championship softball
tournaments to Daytona Beach Nov. 17-19.
teams of 16 players each are expected to compete during the three-day event on
professional fields throughout the area in age brackets of 50-75+ men and
54-55+ women. Ormond Beach Sports Complex, which has five full-size softball
fields will also be used for the tournaments.
Participants
and their families including Florida residents from Naples, Bradenton and
Tampa, in addition to senior players and relatives from 18 states. Division
Champions from ISSA tournaments at Valdosta, Ga., Auburn, Ala., Salisbury, Md.,
and Cincinnati, Ohio, will compete Friday for the USA Champions.
Hosted by
the Holiday Inn & Suites Daytona Beach On The Ocean, Thomas said hotel and
restaurant proximity to the playing fields was key for its association.
Greg
Thomas, ISSA deputy executive director said the family-run association, started
by his father, R.B. Thomas is in its 23rd year. Thomas said the
association’s membership has grown during the last four or five years. “We’re
seeing a 20 percent increase year over year and we’ll have 1,200 new entries
this year,” Thomas said.
Thomas said
hotel and restaurant proximity, entertainment options, hotel rates and ease of
reaching playing fields was a key reason Daytona Beach was selected for the
tournaments. “The rates have a big impact on getting people to come and
location is a big factor for us,” he said. “We have to find places that people
want to go, places that offer other activities besides softball.”
The
tournaments will be in town during a time when a number of activities, holiday
festivals and concerts are scheduled.
Entry to
the tournaments is free. For more information, visit www.seniorsoftball.org/issa-winter-world-championships.html.
For more information about Daytona Beach, visit www.visitdaytonabeach.com.
