Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Olympic and Youth Softball: Thursday's the Day

Coincidence or fate?

On Thursday, the 2009 Little League Softball World Series will begin in Portland, Oregon.

Also on Thursday, the fate of softball for the 2016 Olympic Games will likely be decided in Berlin at a meeting of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee.

From the USA Softball website:

The list of seven sports up for consideration to be included in the 2016 Games will be narrowed down to two. Competing with softball for inclusion in the Games are baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby and squash. The IOC's rule-making body will shortlist two finalists during the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. executive board session at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin on Thursday. Those sports will then be put forward by the 15-member Executive Board to a vote by members of the IOC on October 9.

Before the opening pitch is thrown in East (West Point LL, Greensburg, Pennsylvania) vs. Latin America (Soraida Juliana LL Willemstad, Curacao), and friendly competition has begun in their beloved sport, a group will decide if there will be Olympic Softball when they are at their prime playing age seven years from now.

You can help support this vibrant and vital sport:

**go to Back Softball and read about the efforts to bring Olympic Softball back for the 2016 Summer Games; join their Facebook group and check out the USA Softball website, also.

**visit and support the Little League Softball World Series -- show the world your love of softball and send a message of its importance in your life and your daughter's life

**email your support to ESPN and media outlets that cover softball

And finally, we are so lucky to have Michele Smith, the Chair of the BackSoftball Athlete Ambassadors lobbying campaign, at Alpenrose to provide commentary for the three ESPN2 broadcasts. Enjoy those games live, the atmosphere, and maybe tell Michele in person THANKS for her actions and efforts for the future of the sport and the future of our girls.

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