MGOC sticking with slow pitch softball

The Micronesian Games Organizing Committee has decided to stick with its decision to feature slow pitch softball instead of fast pitch softball for women in the 6th Micronesian Games this summer.

This according to Sports Committee chairman Tony Rogolifoi, who brought up the issue during last Thursday’s monthly Northern Mariana Islands Amateur Sports Association meeting at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium conference room.

The MGOC had earlier informed all delegations from the region that the Micro Games will feature competition in athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, canoeing, golf, tennis, Micronesian all-around, men’s and women’s slow pitch softball, men’s fast pitch softball, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, underwater fishing, indoor volleyball, and wrestling.

“We decided that there would be men’s fast pitch and men’s and women’s slow pitch,” said NMASA president and MGOC chairman Michael White during the meeting. “The original justification of this was that number one, we didn’t have enough fields to allow all four competitions and still build in some slack time in case of rain. The second consideration was for the CNMI…the same people that would play fast pitch are ones going to play slow pitch, so we were either [going to] have to double up or weaken one or both teams. So we decided we’re just going to go with women’s slow pitch and not women’s fast pitch.”

White explained that the decision provoked a reaction from the other delegations.

“They’re coming back to us and asking to reinstate fast pitch instead of slow pitch,” said Rogolifoi.

While the issue was up for discussion, White also questioned if changing the sport at this point in time will be good for the CNMI.

“I don’t know how much of a fuss making the change is going to cause, but it doesn’t seem to me it would be very great, but it would be a change at a fairly late date which in and of itself, doesn’t look great for CNMI…like we cant make up our mind. [But] those are just some of the considerations,” he said.

“I’m happy with keeping it where it is. It’s our Games and we decide what sports we want. On the other hand, if you want to recognize the fact that fast pitch softball is what ought to be played from an international standpoint, from a standpoint of developing women in sports, that’s certainly in consideration, but this is our Games and we decide,” he added.

Rogolifoi had earlier informed the MGOC that eight teams had expressed interest in fast pitch softball, while five were interested in slow pitch.

After all was said and done, Rogolifoi said the MGOC will stick with the original move of having slow pitch softball for women.

Meanwhile, fellow MGOC official Rose Igitol informed those at the meeting that she had a conversation with the CNMI softball coach, who she said explained to her that the strength for the CNMI in women’s softball is slow pitch.

The Micro Games will be held from June 23 to July 2 on Saipan, with about 1,300 to 1,500 athletes and officials from the CNMI, Guam, Marshall Islands, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Yap, Kosrae, Palau, Kiribati, and Nauru expected to compete.