GALLATIN, TENNESSEE– For the third straight year the SPA Women’s 70’s National Championship title is heading north across the Canadian border to Southern Ontario province’s SPORTACULARS.
Not only have the Canadian ladies won three straight championships, they have yet to be beaten in bracket play. In 2009 it was 4-0, 2010 3-0 and this year 3-0 for a10-0 record in the championship double elimination bracket contests.
“Regard less of how old you are or how many championships you win you never get tired of it,”2011 SPA Women’s 70 Division Manager-of-the-Year Sylvia Mengl said, “We all liketo compete and as long as we can still compete you never get tired of playingand winning.”
Winning has become a rite of passage for the Sportaculars ever since they were formed asa 50’s team more than twenty years ago. This year has been especially fruitful. In addition to the SPA Nationals they have won the SPA Columbus, Ohio Heart of Ohio tournament; another three-peat at the Huntsman games, the United States Senior Olympics in Houston and a second in Phoenix.
“We love coming to the States to play,” Mengl said, “Actually we don’t have anyother options since the only other 70’s team in Canada is in Vancouver (3,000miles to the west) and the Canadian tournaments do not have an age division for us unless we want to play in the 35-40 group.”
Mengl also said, “It is no contest as to who has the best run women’s tournaments inthe States and that is SPA. We just wish there were more of them a little closer since we are a self-sponsored team.”
Mengl was also proud of the fact that five of the original Sportaculars who took to the diamond 22-years ago are still playing. That quintet is Mengl, Adeline Rosmus, Jean Mills, Jackie Crawford and Earlene Fogal., Mengl and Rosmus have also been inducted into the SPA Hall of Fame.
The secret to the team’s success is simple; keep in shape.
“We all love to compete in anything during the off season be it curling, bowling,badmitten or tennis,” Mengl said, “I just love to play tennis, almost as much as softball, Well, not really but I do like tennis.”
Being in shape helped the ladies go 5-1overall in Gallatin losing only to Freedom Spirit of Florida 8-1 in the final pool game. In bracket play it was over quickly as the champs defeated the Golden Girls 14-4 and the Tennessee Senior Stars twice by a 16-7 and 15-10count.
In an unusual MVP selection, the girls decided the MVP was the entire team and the team received the bat.
“Itdidn’t surprise me thatwe all thought everyone contributed equally so as a team we were our own MVP,” Mengl explained.”We all respect each other and thereis never anything negative said, it is always positive reinforcement.”
“That is part of our secret for winning,” she continued, “That and teamwork and a strong passion for the game and always wanting to compete at the highest level of play possible.”
Nextyear the Sportaculars will get that wish because they will compete as a major meaning opponents will be able to use an extra player in the field during the game.
“Wetreat that as an honor being moved to major,” the Hall of Fame manager said, “It took us 22 years to get to this point and we don’t want teams staying away from tournaments because they don’t think they would be able to compete with us. Whatever it takes to level the playing field to make the games competitive, we are in agreement.”
GallatinAll-American selections for the Sportaculars went to Delsie Clayton, Arlene Johnson, Lil Baughman, Nean Bohn and Mengl. Other members of the team are Rosmus, Mills, Crawford, Mary Cole, Helen Edwards, Doreen Garrett, Barbara Keller, Arlene Marshall, Claudia Wasik, Judy Bolton, Mady Szumlinski, Mary Lynne Patterson, coach Dave Keller and scorekeeper Lucy Parker.
Despite being moved to majors, the only big problem the ladies may face in 2012 is getting anymore championship hardware back across the border. The border guards have got to start being suspicious soon.