receives hospitality award

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

Nov. 30, 2000 10 PM

The Troy Parks and Recreation has received prestigious recognition.

Receipt of the James Farrell ASA Award of Excellence for conducting two of the highest rated Amateur Softball Association National Championships in 2000 was presented to Pam Nix this week.

"We’re so excited about this we can’t breathe," said Nix, who is the Parks and Recreation Department’s adult sports coordinator and manager of the Sportsplex.

Since the recognition is voted on by the teams who participated in the tournament held Sept 1-2, it’s virtually unheard of to be honored on the first try of hosting a national tournament.

Nix said other park and recreation departments who had hosted national tournaments warned her not to expect too much on the first go-around because the "long sheet" often gives teams free reign to offer complaints.

That was not the case for Troy.

"We had such a good tournament," Nix said.

She and the others involved worked hard to make that so and it was obviously worth it.

"It was stressful to the point of no return," Nix said of the planning and making sure all those plans worked.

Some of those Nix credits with the tournaments success are Raymond Sexton and Sheila Jackson who "went way beyond the call of duty."

Lisa Hartman and Heather Adams were the ones who got help from the community through food donations for tournament officials.

"We got such a big response, we couldn’t take it all," Nix said of those businesses that opened their kitchens to feed hungry umpires.

"You couldn’t stop them from doing enough."

Ernest Downing, Donald Kelly and Lee Potts, who were quick to get the fields in shape after each game, played a major role in the tournament’s success, Nix said with pride for her crew. Although Judy Tillery couldn’t help during the tournament because she was umpiring, she also helped get everything together before the teams took the field.

"They (those involved in the tournament) told us how wonderful everyone was," Nix said.

Such words have significant meaning when one considers members of the 13 teams were from all over the United States, including Michigan, Louisiana, Tennessee and North Carolina.

"They went on and on about how they’d never been treated so well," Nix said, adding those statements also included area businesses, such as motels and convenience stores.

"I can’t wait to have another one, but it will probably be a couple of years," Nix said of hosting another tournament.

Bidding for tournaments is done a year ahead of time and, although Troy did bid on the ASA tournament, part of the reason it was here was because Dothan had to give it up because of other tournaments the city was hosting.

But, Troy residents can be sure the Parks and Recreation Department will bid for another national tournament.

"We had one of the happiest tournaments," Nix said with pride in her voice when she talked about no major problems arising.

"This department rallied. I told them what I needed and I got it."

Park and Recreation director Dan Smith commended Nix on her efforts.

"We always want to put our best foot forward," Smith said.

Nix said the mayor and city council were also supportive.

"The whole city put it on," she said of the ASA tournament and for that support and encouragement, she gratefully accepted the award delivered to her on Wednesday.