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.
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