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Girls softball tournament to use draft
Softball players from the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization are being targeted by a fast-pitch league that is being formed in the hopes of reviving interest in the sport. (Jon Perez)
The planned inaugural girls softball tournament will be using a draft format similar to the ones used in professional sports leagues in the United States to evenly spread out the players.
This was what Northern Marianas Sports Association vice president Kurt Barnes, softball player Pina Magofna, and CNMI Sports Hall of Famer Tony Satur had agreed on during a recent meeting at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort.
They are trying to form a chore group with the goal of reviving fast-pitch softball especially at the grassroots level.
Satur said a players draft would make sure that no team would dominate the games and to avoid lopsided results.
“It is best to all the players and the teams that will be formed to evenly distribute those who already know how to play fast-pitch softball,” said Satur, who was inducted to the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame for his exploits in playing softball.
“The players will also have seedings. In that way, there won’t be only two teams that will dominate every game,” added Magofna, who also plays the sport.
Barnes also suggested that participating teams would first draw lots to know which will pick first and so forth.
“For example, if there are five teams they will pick 1-2-3-4-5 in that order and it will go in reverse where the last team to pick will get a chance to choose again. So they will get two players,” said Barnes.
It would also be the same for the next league or tournament where the last team in the standings, after the season, will be the first to choose from a players’ pool.
Satur also suggested that a one- or two-week clinic should also be held to all interested youth players.
“I am willing to facilitate the clinic. It is best to all interested players to undergo a clinic whether they already know how to play or if they are a beginner,” added Satur.
Barnes said they would invite more people to attend another meeting in January. “We want to also toss the idea to them. It is better to get more people involved.”
NMSA is hoping softball together with table tennis and weightlifting be revived. Table tennis and weightlifting has been a source of medals for the CNMI in the Micronesian Games.
