USA Softball Recognizes Council Members at 2022 Wilson Awards Luncheon

SHREVEPORT, La. – USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, honored council members and tournament hosts at the Wilson Awards Luncheon, presented by Wilson Sporting Goods. Held during the 2022 Annual Council Meeting in Shreveport, La., awards were given in multiple categories, including excellence in conducting 2022 USA Softball National Championships and dedicated years of service to USA Softball as well as the 2022 USA Softball Complex of the Year, Benchmark Awards and Communications Awards. 

2022 JAMES FARRELL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 

Named in honor of former USA Softball of St. Louis Commissioner and National Office staff member, James Farrell, the James Farrell Award of Excellence recognizes cities that do an outstanding job of hosting USA Softball National Championship Finals.

TWENTY-TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Burlington, North Carolina

FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Johnson City, Tennessee

THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Canton, Ohio; USA Softball of Southern California; Evansville, Indiana; Loudoun County, Virginia; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Worcester County, Maryland 

TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Brick, New Jersey; Houston, Texas; Mandan, North Dakota; Medford, Oregon; Prairie Island, Minnesota; Richmond, Virginia; Salem, Virginia

ONE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

Drifton, Pennsylvania; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Everett, Washington; Fargo, North Dakota; Frankenmuth, Michigan; North Mankato, Minnesota; Polk County, Florida; Salem, Oregon; South Bend, Indiana

2022 USA SOFTBALL YEARS OF SERVICE 

Members of the USA Softball National Council were also honored at the luncheon with USA Softball Years of Service Awards.

FIVE YEARS:

Walter Babcock – USA Softball of Massachusetts

Don Bartsch – USA Softball of Montana

Dan Boyce – USA Softball of New Hampshire

Darrell Chancey – USA Softball of New Mexico

Dave Krug – USA Softball of MD-DC-DE

Chris McGee – USA Softball of Mississippi

Nathan Nagle – USA Softball of New York 

Rebecca Pexton – USA Softball of Wyoming

Joe Ribar – USA Softball of Alaska

James Stemetzki – USA Softball of New Jersey

Josh Warner – USA Softball of West Virginia 

Terri Warren – USA Softball of New Hampshire

Eurby White – USA Softball of Arizona

10 YEARS:

Tom Bye – USA Softball of Minnesota

Mike Giinthir – USA Softball of Minnesota

Traci Mayberry – USA Softball of Kansas City

Jeff Mielke – USA Softball of Florida

Michelle Moultrie – USA Softball of Florida

15 YEARS:

Michael Byerley – USA Softball of Houston

Dwayne Hale – USA Softball of Tennessee

Ken Kwantes – USA Softball of Missouri

Mike Rabin – USA Softball of Seattle

Steve Riswold – USA Softball of South Dakota

20 YEARS:

Tommy Groce – USA Softball of Georgia

Mike Schuck – USA Softball of Southern California

25 YEARS:

Rodney Cobb – USA Softball of Texas

Al Dattolo – USA Softball of Georgia

Dan Duffy – USA Softball of Portland

30 YEARS:

Joe Huff – USA Softball of Tennessee

Hank Koritkoski – USA Softball of Connecticut

Dennis Troshak – USA Softball of Detroit

35 YEARS:

Bill Cary – USA Softball of Maine

Jeff Dubchansky – USA Softball of Sacramento

Don Meinel – USA Softball of Hawaii

Bob Savoie – USA Softball of MD-DC-DE

40 YEARS:

Don Aselin– USA Softball of New York

2022 COMPLEX OF THE YEAR

North Softball Complex | Fargo, North Dakota

Also recognized at the Wilson Awards Luncheon was the 2022 Complex of Year, North Softball Complex. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, the complex consists of eight-diamond championship rings with four fast pitch fields and four slow pitch fields while featuring two five-diamond pods of slow pitch fields. 

2022 BENCHMARK AWARDS

The Benchmark Awards are presented for increases in the number of registrations of adult teams, youth teams and umpires. An association needs to have an increase of at least 10 percent and/or a total registration of more than 100 teams or umpires on average over the last five years.

BENCHMARK AWARD RECIPIENTS:

USA Softball of Central Virginia – John McPhail

USA Softball of Colorado – Nik Mead

USA Softball of North Dakota – Dick Gulmon

USA Softball of South Carolina – Chad Greene

USA Softball of Texas – Rodney Cobb

DOUBLE PLAY (INCREASES IN TWO OF THREE CATEGORIES):

USA Softball of Alabama – Tracy Morgan

MOST JO TEAM REGISTRATIONS:

USA Softball of Texas – Rodney Cobb

3,651 JO Team Registrations

MOST ADULT TEAM REGISTRATIONS:

USA Softball of Texas – Rodney Cobb

1,646 Adult Team Registrations

MOST UMPIRE REGISTRATIONS:

USA Softball of Pennsylvania – Andrew Loechner, Jr.

845 Umpire Registrations

MOST TOTAL REGISTRATIONS:

USA Softball of Texas – Rodney Cobb

6,033 Total Registrations

2022 COMMUNICATIONS AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Communications Awards are presented by the Communications Committee in combination with the National Office Communications Department. The Best Website Award will go to the association with the highest website average who finished the year with a 100 percent rating. The Most Improved Website Award is presented to the association who has improved their website review score the most from the previous year. The Best of Social Media Award is presented to the association that best promotes and engages with their USA Softball community through their social media platforms.

MOST IMPROVED WEBSITE:

USA Softball of Kansas – Chuck Hawke

BEST WEBSITE:

USA Softball of Illinois – Bob Adams

BEST SOCIAL MEDIA:

USA Softball of Dallas/Fort Worth – Dave Devine

USA Softball congratulates all council members, administrators and tournament hosts and looks forward to continuing the celebration of success in the 2023 season and beyond.