on Troy this weekend

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

There’s one thing the city of Troy won’t be in a shortage of this weekend and that’s softball.

With a total of 25 softball teams converging on the Troy Sportsplex in a pooled fastpitch, a round robin slowpitch and a junior varsity fastpitch tournament, the Troy Park and Recreation Department, which is putting the 2000 Trojan Classic on, will have their hands full.

As busy as she might be, however, tournament director Pam Nix is happy with how well things have gone in preparation for the tourney. She feels that there is going to be some excellent talent on the diamond today and tomorrow with all the teams having a chance to show what they’ve got.

"We’ve got some great teams from all over coming to the tournament," Nix said. "It should be a really great weekend, a lot of softball to be played.

"The hardest thing is putting the fastpitch teams all in pools," she continued. "I try to keep the 1A through 3A teams together, then keep the 5A and 6A schools together, but I’ve only got a couple that are under 3A this time, but that’s where most of your fast-pitch teams are now."

Starting tomorrow the Charles Henderson High Lady Trojan team will join 15 other teams in pool play where afterwards each team will take a spot in the single-elimination tournament to be held starting at approximately noon on Saturday.

This type of tournament is a very popular formate for most teams and coaches says Nix because there’s not much chance of a short weekend.

"I’ve guaranteed each team at least four games with the way the whole thing is set up," Nix said. "They’re all excited, these coaches love this tournament. We try to offer them a lot, put up a good hospitality room and really pet them because we want them to come back next year. It’s bigger than it was last year so I’m trying to increase it a little bit every year."

As far as the Lady Trojans are concerned, Nix, like many, is interested to see how they will fair without their star pitcher Betsy White. She feels they will be tested by some of the talented teams coming in, but that they have a great chance to shine.

"I think they will do alright without Betsy," Nix said. "I think he’s (CHHS head coach Steve Haug) excited about hopefully getting in there and playing five or six games without her and seeing how they do. I think there will be some exciting games before it’s all over with."

There are four pools in the fastpitch tournament. Pool A will feature Enterprise, Escambia County, Clay Chalkville and Wetumpka. Pool B has Tarrant, Opelika, CHHS and Hartselle. Pool C holds W.S. Neal, Tallassee, Theodore and Northview. Pool D features Colliersville, Tn., Monroe County and Thorsby.

Luverne, Houston County, Geneva, Ashford and Beulah are all playing in the slowpitch tournament. Hartselle, Escambia County, CHHS, Enterprise and Opelika all play in the JV fastpitch tournament.