FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2006

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP THIS WEEK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
 Olympian Will Be On-Hand as 16 Teams Come to ISF’s Plant City Headquarters

With all due respect to Elvis – whose impersonator will “leave the building” at some point Thursday – one of the brightest lights is sure to shine on a two-time Olympic gold medalist at this week’s big event in Hillsborough County. From Thursday to Saturday (May 18-20), the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Division I women’s (fast pitch) softball national championship will take place in Plant City, Florida.

Being played in Plant City Stadium and the adjacent Randy L. Larson Softball Fourplex, the 16-team tournament will be taking place on the grounds of the world headquarters complex of the International Softball Federation (ISF), the sport’s world governing body. It’s fitting then that Crystl Bustos, who was on USA Softball’s 2000 and 2004 teams at the Games in Sydney and Athens, respectively, will be on-hand to usher in the national championship, which will also be held in Plant City in 2007 & 2008.

Before going on to success on the world’s stage at the last two Summer Olympics, Bustos played junior college softball at Palm Beach Community College, with whom she herself went to this same NJCAA national championship. Wednesday night she will deliver an inspirational speech to the athletes at a Welcome Dinner. The next day she will throw out a ceremonial first pitch. While she’s out in the circle getting ready to deliver the ball to home plate, she may be asked the musical question, “are you lonesome, tonight?” Widely known local Elvis (Presley) impersonator “Gary Elvis” will be in attendance on Thursday to pose for pictures with and sign autographs for fans.

Although games begin at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, formal Opening Ceremonies are scheduled to take place at 1:15 p.m., including Miss Jazz Tampa Bay 2005 Marissa Anastos singing the national anthem.

A total of 13 states will be represented in the tournament: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The teams and their seedings are at the end of this release.

Tickets will be sold on gamedays at the venue, which is three miles south on Park Road off of I-4 exit 22. Fans ages 12-64 can buy single-day admission for $10.00 or a three-day pass for $20.00, while seniors (65-and-over) and children under 12 will pay $7.00 for one day or $15.00 for the three-day pass.

Other activities at the event will include free rides on the seven-story RE/MAX hot air balloon (wind and weather permitting). Also, the Plant City Arts Council is supporting a giant 50’ “canvas” that will be set up for children to draw, color, or sign their name on. (A sketch artist will be on-hand to rough out softball images to guide the children’s interaction with the canvas.) Two well-known individuals, an artist and a composer, have put together a painting and accompanying music surrounding international softball. The artwork will be on display each of the three days. Fine Design Inc. will be on-site selling championship merchandise. Various other businesses from throughout the region will be set up on-site throughout the tournament as well.

Furthermore, the American Ideals Foundation has joined with the SkyDreams Foundation to bring to the games in Plant City two eight-year old girls with medical conditions, who have made a wish to see the event.

Whose wish will come true for a national title will be learned at the end of this week.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS
(listed in order of seedings):

  1. Temple College (Temple, Texas)

  2. Indian River Community College (Ft. Pierce, Florida)

  3. Gulf Coast Community College (Panama City, Florida)

  4. Pima Community College (Tucson, Arizona)

  5. Otero Junior College (La Junta, Colorado)

  6. Chattanooga State Technical Community College (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

  7. Eastern Oklahoma State College (Wilburton, Oklahoma)

  8. North Idaho College (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

  9. Odessa College (Odessa, Texas)

  10. Blinn College (Brenham, Texas)

  11. Southeastern Community College (West Burlington, Iowa)

  12. Jefferson College (Hillsboro, Missouri)

  13. Darton College (Albany, Georgia)

  14. Lake Land College (Mattoon, Illinois)

  15. Central Alabama Community College (Alexander City, Alabama)

  16. Louisburg College (Louisburg, North Carolina)

For more information, please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com or (813) 864-0100, ext. 229.

 
 

 

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