Men's slow-pitch softball tourney to benefit the Special Olympics

For the last four years, Bill Asbury and Special Olympics Illinois have hosted a very successful Girls Winter Indoor Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament with all proceeds benefiting Special Olympics Southern Illinois. In fact, this tournament has raised over $191,000 for Special Olympics Southern Illinois since its launch in 2010. This year, in addition to the 5th annual Girls Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament fund-raiser, they will host the first annual Men's Slow-Pitch Softball Tournament fund-raiser because let's face it, guy's want to play too. Twenty-one Men's slow-pitch softball teams will compete at the 2013 Southern Illinois Indoor Slow-Pitch Softball Tournament Dec. 14-15 at the Southern Illinois Center at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit Special Olympics Southern Illinois/Area 15.

This year's committee includes new additions Jimmy Dimitroff from the Du Quoin Jaycees, Trent Waller and Darren Lindsey from the Illinois State Police, as well as mainstays Bill Asbury and JIll Asbury, Paul Melzer and Linda Wunder from Special Olympics Illinois, Jenny Schneider, Kelli Boss, Jacob Emling, Doug Baue, Beaver Rice, Keenan Rice, Jody Goetting and Natalie Melzer.

Competition will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday evening and continue through Saturday evening with each team playing a minimum of three games in this double-elimination tournament.

Proceeds provide support to over 840 athletes in Special Olympics Southern Illinois/Area 15, which serves individuals with intellectual disabilities in the following counties: Alexander, Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pulaski, Randolph, Union and Williamson.

Current sponsors include: Hicks' Trading Station Inc., Du Quoin Jaycees and Alongi's Italian Restaurant.

The entry deadline for this tournament is Sept. 16 or until the tournament is full. Registration forms have already started arriving.

Sign up today to secure your spot in this year's only Men's Winter Indoor Softball Tournament in Southern Illinois. For more information on sponsorship opportunities or information on how to register, please contact Paul Melzer, Special Olympics Southern Illinois Director at (618)457-2969 or pmelzer@soill.org, Bill Asbury at (618)357-1897 or indoorsoftball@hotmail.com or Trent Waller at (618)318-7309 or trent.waller@yahoo.com.