Glen Ellyn Girls' Softball Swings into Action

The Glen Ellyn Girls' Softball Association certainly has come a long way since it was formed in the mid-1980s as a way to help the Glen Ellyn Park District run the program.

Working together, the Association and Glen Ellyn Park District have seen organized softball in Glen Ellyn grow, now welcoming 20 teams to the 2011 season.

In addition to league play, the all-volunteer Association conducts softball clinics free of charge periodically throughout the year. The GEGSA’s next clinic will be held from 6-9 p.m. Monday, April 25 at .

The clinic is geared toward youngsters who want to learn softball fundamentals, but is open to anyone interested in attending. Monday’s clinic will be conducted by Glen Ellyn Phillies 18 Blue Elite travel team coach Sarah O’Malley-Fisher and assistants Tom Lux, Cassie Slechta and Kayla Kramer.

Another big event involving Glen Ellyn softball takes place Saturday, May 7, when village softball and baseball teams take part in the annual opening day parade. The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. starting at the Crescent/Glenwood parking lot.

Summer tourneys

The Association also helps host two major travel team tournaments held at Ackerman Park during the summer months:

• The Glen Ellyn Invitational—a 10U-18U American Softball Association A/B Northern national qualifier tourney hosted by the Park District and the Association—involves 72 teams, mostly from the Chicago area, but also from downstate and surrounding states. That tournament, which is the Association’s biggest fund-raiser of the year, takes place over Father’s Day Weekend (June 17-19). It is run by GEGSA president Steve Hitzemann.

Leagues

All of the Park District’s softball teams compete in either the House League or Travel League. House league teams play a 15-game schedule and playoffs from the last week in April through the first week of June.

The House League is divided into six divisions:

• Pixie, for girls in kindergarten through first grade. This is a beginner league where players hit an 11-inch safety ball off a tee.

• Pigtail, for first- and second-grade girls. Hitting a pitched ball and fundamentals are emphasized.

• Ponytail, for third- and fourth-grad girls. Players are introduced to fast-pitch softball at this level.

• Bobtail, for fifth- and sixth-grade girls. Players in this league are introduced to a 12-inch softball.

The Travel League is broken down into three categories: The Glen Ellyn Phillies, which features 11 teams ranging from age 10 to 18; the Phillies All Star Travel 10 Gold and 12 Gold teams; and the High School Summer Team, whose season begins toward the end of May/early June and continues through the middle of July.

The 11 Glen Ellyn Phillies teams are as follows: 10-year-old Blue, 12 Blue, 14 Gray, 14 White, 14 Blue, 16 Gray, 16 White, 16 Blue and the 18 Gray, 18 White and 18 Blue Elite squads.

Most of the travel teams begin their seasons in mid-June when high school seasons conclude, and continue for six to eight weeks. Teams usually play one game during the week and are involved in tournaments nearly every weekend (a minimum of four games per tourney) throughout this stretch. The 18U Blue Elite squad also plays a fall season, which starts Labor Day weekend and extends into late October.

“The Association is doing very well,” Steinhilber said. “We’re starting to branch out with our House League and our travel program is strong. We’ve got something that we can offer girls from Glen Ellyn.”

The number of travel league players and teams has remained stable. However, Hitzemann notes that the Association is trying this year to boost the number of House League participants in 2012, particularly at younger age levels. 

Hitzemann, who’s been president of the Association since last October, says participation in softball and baseball among 10- to 12-year-olds is down across the country—due in part to the economic downturn and more sports (such as lacrosse) being available to kids.

“It was pretty big three or four years ago, but we have seen a decline in the last two years,” he said.

Hitzemann said the Association also needs additional adult volunteers, and wants to add more board members. Currently, there are nine Association board members, but ideally, that number should be 15.

“We have a few (board members) retiring, and a lot of our board members are doing two or three jobs,” he said. “We just really need a lot more help.”

Those interested in either volunteering or becoming a board member should visit the Association’s website: www.gegsa.org or call (630) 858-2462.

“We’ve been putting out some flyers and asking people that are interested to join the board,” Steinhilber said. “We’re trying to get more involvement, especially with younger adults.”