Parks and Rec. to host ASA National Fast Pitch Softball Tournament

The City of Rolla’s Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees the maintenance and operations of over 310 acres of park land, 33 parks, Ber Juan Sportsplex, Ber Juan Tennis Complex, Skate Park, and Rolla Cemetery, was instrumental in brining the prestigious ASA Boys 10U-18U and Mens 23U Fast Pitch Softball National Tournament to be held Aug. 4-8 at the Ber Juan Sportsplex in Rolla.

I think I speak for our Parks and Recreation Director Ken Kwantes, when I say it is a tremendous honor for our City to be hosting this National Championship Tournament, which will provide a rare opportunity for the residents of Rolla, Phelps County and the surrounding Meramec Valley Region a chance to be part of a very exciting National Championship Tournament. Hosting a tournament of this magnitude on a national level is a reflection on how well maintained and operated the Ber Juan Sportsplex has been over the years by the Parks and Recreation staff. And anyone who has participated in any number of softball leagues held throughout the year at the Ber Juan Sportsplex knows that the well manicured and maintained fields, expansive grandstand seating, batting cages and concession stands provide a very unique and welcoming experience for all who utilize the facility.

I encourage the entire community to attend the five-day ASA national tournament, which should provide some very exciting and entertaining fastpitch softball, and also provide a warm welcome to all of the players, coaches, and staff (and parents, grandparents, family and friends), who will travel hundreds of miles across the U.S. to participate in the tournament.

The national ASA softball tournament comes on the heels of the highly successful and well attended Licking Summer Camps (eight weekends of girls’ basketball and girls’ volleyball team camp competition) that have been held over the last few weekends at The Centre, Rolla’s Health and Recreation facility, located in Ber Juan Park. Hundreds of athletes, and their coaches, and families and friends partake in the Licking Camps. The Licking Summer Camps started in 1993 under the direction of David Almany, Camp Director, and former Athletic Director and Boy’s Basketball Coach at Licking High School. Coach Almany began the event in Licking, but over the years, other communities including Rolla, St. James & Houston also hosted camps. This year over 900 teams and 15,000 athletes are expected to participate in the Licking Summer Camps.

While the campers are in town competing they and family members and friends are typically staying at area hotels/motels, visiting restaurants, grocery stores, shops, retail outlets and purchasing fuel for their vehicles. The impact this has on Rolla and St. James and our local economy is quite significant. In addition to the use of SplashZone and The Centre, a lot of the teams will also come into town early on Thursday evenings or stay over on Sunday to take a float trip on one of the many popular floating streams in the area. For an up-to-date schedule and extensive camp information on the Licking Summer Camps, please visit www.lickingcamps.com. And if you happen to be planning a work-out or a swim at The Centre or SplashZone this weekend, I hope you’ll have an opportunity to stop by and watch some of the Licking Summer Camp basketball games at The Centre (located at 1200 North Holloway Street) this weekend and next weekend in Rolla.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that today is the final day of the four-day Phelps County Fair, which is being held at the Phelps County Fairgrounds located on Hwy. 63 South in Rolla. For a complete list of events, hours and activities at the Fair, please visit http://www.phelpscountyfair.com.