A cure for the winter-time blues ?: Du Quoin hosts winter indoor girls softball tourney

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[While temperatures are forecast to barely reach 40 degrees-and there's certain to be a few spots of snow still left on the ground-things will heat up inside the Southern Illinois Center this weekend.

The inaugural Southern Illinois Indoor Fastpitch Softball Tournament is Saturday and Sunday with all proceeds from this unique event going towards Special Olympics Southern/Area 15.

21 teams will compete in three different age divisions-10U, 14U and 16U-with each team guaranteed at least three games.

Squads from as far away as Chicagoland, Hopkinsville, Ky. and the St. Louis metro area have entered.

Action begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with each team playing a "warm-up" game. A huge opening ceremony is planned for 12 noon.

"Dennis Bastien and I kicked around the idea of having an outdoor tournament," said tourney founder and organizer Bill Asbury of Du Quoin. "Then one of us mentioned about trying an indoor tournament at the Southern Illinois Center. We checked the place out and discovered there's a lot of room in there. Enough to have two fields. That's what got things rolling."

Asbury and Bastien began officially planning the event back in early April, but an event to benefit Special Olympics has been on Asbury's mind for several years.

Brenna Asbury, Bill's daughter, is the 2009 Gold Medal winner in the softball toss for Southern/Area 15. She's competed in Special Olympics events since a young age.

Another of Asbury's daughters, Emily-and eighth grader at Du Quoin Middle School-will pitch this weekend for her Dad's Southern Explosion team in 14U play.

"Being around the game for so long Brenna just loves softball," Asbury said.

"She's always been involved and I've looked at a big tournament as a way to give something back to Special Olympics. We know Brenna can't find her glory through particpating (in competitive softball) but she sure loves the game."

Approximately 240 players are expected to compete this weekend and each team will re-enter the S.I. Center through a smoke tunnel as opening ceremonies begin.

Special olympians Brenna Asbury and Kaylin Lynch of Tamaroa will toss out first pitches at each diamond with corporate sponsors Josh and Steve Carter from Knight Hawk Coal-along with Special Olympics of Illinois President Doug Snyder-being introduced to the audience.

Du Quoin High School's Marching Indians and "Trash Can Band" will perform with colors presented by a local color guard.

Mike Crow, a longtime area motorsports announcer, will serve as emcee.

Double elimination bracket play in all three divisions begin a few minutes after the opening ceremony with the 10U event finishing up early Saturday evening.

Games will run to at least midnight with play resuming by 7 a.m. Sunday.

Asbury hopes the title games can be decided by 9 o'clock that night.

Bastien-who built and developed the sparkling GrassRoots Complex north of Elkville-will layout two regulation-sized diamonds on what is now one of the country's fastest indoor auto racing ovals.

Du Quoin State Fairgrounds workers will level the 1/6 mile surface for Bastien, Asbury and a team of volunteer workers later this week.

Each field will be 150' down the foul lines and around 185' to centerfield. Divided by safety nets, the diamonds will feature temporary backstops and dugouts-with labor and supplies donated by Du Quoin Home Lumber-and makeshift scoreboards.

Seating will be in the existing 1,000 seat bleachers inside the S.I. Center with the race track retaining fence serving as the home run barrier for both.

Food and concessions will be available.

The S.I. Center lobby transforming into a gigantic "softball vendors alley" for the weekend.

There will be at least nine tables-four tables alone and a merchandise trailer- all coming from Sports Direct.

Tee-shirt sales, tournament souvenirs, equipment airbrushing and information on Special Olympics will fill the other tables.

Glovesmith from St. Louis is donating 100 game balls with Sports Direct giving a $300 state-of-the-art bat to the tournament's raffle.

Chances are also being sold on autographed balls from Jennie Finch and Amy Harre, as well as footballs signed by Arena1 League quarterback Nick Hill of Du Quoin.

Ten Pin Alley of Du Quoin is raffling off a $50 gift certificate.

"I am not sure we could pull all this off without the financial support of Knight Hawk Coal," Asbury said. "A lot of sponsors, big and small, have really stepped up and the support has just been great. We've had volunteers pounding at the door wanting to volunteer."

Speaking of volunteers, the event will benefit from a supporting cast that totals about 100 people. Certified ocal umpires-coordinated by Jake Emling and Aaron Wright-are donating their time to officiate the 50-plus games played.

Asbury's wife Jill enlisted help from local sororities and the Junior Women's Club. The Du Quoin First Baptist Church Youth Group, local law enforcement (donating event security) and the Du Quoin Ambulance Service (first aid responders) will provide valuable services.

Hotels in and around Du Quoin are filling fast for the weekend, which could bring several hundred visitors to town.

Admission is $5 (single day) and $8 (all weekend). Parking is free.

In addition to Knight Hawk, principal sponsors for the tournament include Ward Chrysler Dodge and Kia and Banterra Bank of Du Quoin.

A long list of additional sponsors and donators include Du Quoin Jaycees, Kuhnert Farms of Ava, Old National Bank of Carbondale, Du Quoin State Bank, H&R Block, B&D Machine Works, Paradise Pools and Spas, Roland Machinery, Zimmerman Chiropractic, Du Quoin Home Lumber, Egypt Trophy, Steve Tanner and Designs Unlimited of Pinckneyville and Pepsi.

"I just hope we haven't left anybody out," Asbury said. "We have so much help on this thing. Jo Dodd (Special Olympics Southern/Area 15 director) has taken over a lot of the administrative duties and allowed me to just work with the teams on setting this up."