Softball ... Kauai Style
By
Tim Dake (Mr. Dake is the ASA Colorado JO Commissioner and Co-National JO
Commissioner)
It
started with a Luau, and ended with teams playing for the championships asking
to have their pictures taken together after receiving their awards.
In
between there were pool games, pool parties, snorkeling, beach time, and a dance
for all the players. As a player,
coach and ASA official, I have been to a lot of softball tournaments over the
last 30 years, but none quite like this one.
It
all starts with "The Invasion" … 1,500 people, players, coaches,
parents, family and friends all landing in a two day period at the airport in
Lihue, Kauai. When there are that
many people all coming to the island for a softball tournament, believe me they
are noticed. Every rental car on
the Island was rented, most of them Mustang or Camaro convertibles … and you
could see them all running up and down the one major (two lane) highway from
Hannalei to Waimea. Go into a
restaurant, and the first thing they ask you is if you are here for the softball
tournament. The Entire Island is
aware of the tournament, and goes out of their way to make you feel welcome and
appreciated. They call it the
spirit of Aloha.
The
start of the tournament is the Luau. There
were over a thousand people enjoying:
1.
The food,
(roast pork, chicken and long rice, and other Hawaiian food.)
2.
The
entertainment, (a band, Hawaiian dancers, and hula lessons.)
3.
The
friendship (old friends you came with the new friends you made there.)
It
was a fun night for every one there.
Pool
play started the next morning, in the town of Waimea, on the "dry
side" of the Island. While
only 15 miles away is the "wettest spot on the earth", a spot that
gets 500 inches of rain a year, Waimea gets only about 2 inches of rain a year.
They don't worry much about rainouts here.
The fields are grass … not high grass…short Bermuda grass that gives
a fast true bounce. After playing a
little on it, the players like it, better bounces and it is much cooler than a
skinned field.
The
softball was good. Some excellent
teams from all over the country… Hawaii, California, Iowa, Colorado, Oregon,
Washington, New Jersey and Alaska to name a few. But what makes this tournament different is the attitude of
everyone involved. Teams want to
play good ball, and they want to have fun, and that is just what they do.
Teams go on the field, play their hearts out and then go and spend time
at the beach, sometimes with the players on the team they just played.
Some players even wore their swimsuits under their uniforms knowing they
were going directly to the beach after their game.
It
is a beautiful Island, and there are all kinds of things to do…swim, surf,
snorkel, site seeing, helicopter rides into the volcanic crater, eating great
food (burgers at Bubba's is a "don't miss") and best of all, relaxing
with friends.
I
tend to talk to a lot of people during the course of a tournament, and at this
one I did not find one person that was not having a great time.
No matter how the team was playing, good or bad, everyone was having fun,
both on and off the field.
It is good softball, great scenery, a lot of things to do, and most of all, it is softball in the spirit of the Islands. Everyone involved gets in the spirit, from the players and coaches to the umpires and tournament organizers and directors every one has the "spirit",,,,,the spirit of Aloha!!!!!
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