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Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 140 anonymousDiscussion: Since when???
| Posted | Discussion |
| Sept. 13, 2020 Mikelmart 150 posts | Since when??? Can someone please explain to me when a forty year old softball player is considered a " senior"? I'd like to know who and why made this decision. Was it a financial thing? Was it to generate players into the pipeline for senior softball earlier to insure its long term existence? I've never seen a 40 year old team play but I can only imagine the exit velocity of a batted ball with the bats and balls that my much older counterparts are allowed to use. |
| Sept. 13, 2020 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | got news for you.. most of the guys in major plus 50 and 55 still hit as far as they did in their 40s... and a good portion of the 60s too! |
| Sept. 13, 2020 Mikelmart 150 posts | Swing I'm 24 years removed from 40 and believe me if those 60 somethings are hitting bombs now they were definitely monsters back then. I cant speak for anyone else but at 55 I could drive the ball with little effort, now turn back that clock another ten years and obviously you get my point. A forty year old needs no help to accomplish what I took for granted so long ago. |
| Sept. 13, 2020 SSUSA Staff 3483 posts | No sinister Oliver Stone style plot involved here, Mike ... When SSUSA created the 40-Masters division, it was called that because the conventional wisdom everywhere was that "Seniors Start at Fifty" ... And many of the 40+ players weren't, in our view, ready for that "label" earlier than necessary ... Economics were not a driving factor, with entry fees being the same as all other ages/division of play ... It was simply a two-pronged approach ... [1] to provide players an alternative to the, for lack of a better description, aggressive non-family-friendly macho-driven attitude younger ball and [2] to provide a phased transition to the senior rule set for when these players reached 50+ ball ... As for your generalizations about the skill set, they DO hit the ball hard AND also have excellent reaction times and eye-hand coordination skills many of your older associates no longer possess ... Historically, the first SSUSA Men's 40-Masters World Championship bracket was three (3) total teams ... Times have certainly changed! |
| Sept. 13, 2020 Mikelmart 150 posts | Maybe the SSUSA should have have a different association called the MLUSA (Mid Life USA). |
| Sept. 13, 2020 DieselDan Men's 75 600 posts | With the Western's and next weeks World's in my back yard, I'm looking forward to watching the younger seniors play with three outfielders, with many of the OF throws reaching the IF, and defensive calls by the OF. Opponent knowledge of what they've done in previous games, even if it was months ago, is impressive. Oh yeah, haven't seen a CR used yet. |
| Sept. 13, 2020 Dbax Men's 65 2100 posts | I believe is was a financial thing. 40’s using senior bats is ridiculous. |
| Sept. 13, 2020 VegasBob 66 posts | So the 40's using senior bats are going to play on the short fields in Kingman? Better use Nerf balls. |
| Sept. 13, 2020 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | my buddy Billy 50 plus just won 40s world.. end of point! |
| Sept. 14, 2020 bkb555 301 posts | Biggest difference is speed...especially in outfield...40s usually play a lot of 5 men infield and have guys who can cover all kinds of ground in OF...hitting is still the same but singles easily turn into doubles and so on....arm strength is also a big part...younger arms can keep guys to singles and throw guys out much more in younger leagues....it's just a faster game but they ill all catch up in the higher ages, then the cycle begins again when new 40s come into play |
| Sept. 14, 2020 DRB22 Men's 50 58 posts | I am along the point that there is really no need to have the 40's guys swinging SR bats. I wish the group I play in, FHC, would hold some tourny's that were U-Trip bats, no SR bats. I really don't think it would effect the HR count to a detrimental point. I actually carry a U-trip bat in my bag as a back up, being 50+ I still have no prob with the HR using that bat as I have seen so many other 50+ guys as well |
| Sept. 14, 2020 HAT MAN Men's 50 229 posts | Mike Here is my take. With all respect this post/ seems to be outdated so comes across to me and me only like WTH/why now? I play 40s and have been since i was allowed to. 8 years now. I for one am so glad SSUSA created the division. Based on the numbers over the last 5 years I think many other 40s players are too. To address some thoughts, here are mine: Are we seniors? no but its getting more and more challenging playing with the young kids. Do we need sr bats? no, we could do just fine without them. Do we use runners, all the time. simple I'm 6'4" 260 my 5'9" 175 will always be faster then me lol. Why the division? We asked for it. More and more we asked for it. SSUSA made it happen. I would say at least on the west coast only 35% of 40s still play utrip and usa. The rest have just quit,coach or play benefits. Why do we use sr bats? I think for uniformity. No separate set of rules, no well hes 50 playing 40 so he can use a sr bat. Added to what you said as a way to get used to the new program. To me the rules work, the divisions works and everyone wins. SSUSA wins, bat companies win and 40s win. Most of all, at least for me. The SSUSA 40s has revitalized the love I had for the game that was being lost with the younger generation of trash talk. It is the single most spoken reason I tell guys to start playing SENIOR ball. We play hard, tip the cap to the pitcher on middle shots, give props to a piss rod and share a beer after a great battle on the field. This game has brought too many good things into my life and I am beyond glad to be able to now play it as long as my body lets me. Mike if you make it out to come watch, hit me up and we can share some stories! Vinny SBOB/VOODOO SPORTS |
| Sept. 14, 2020 Dbax Men's 65 2100 posts | Hat Man, well said. |
| Sept. 14, 2020 Benji4 Men's 55 289 posts | Vinny You got me convinced with everything you said except your weight being 260. haha Hope you are well brother. |
| Sept. 15, 2020 ONYX SOFTBALL BATS Men's 50 13 posts | Vinny, You took the words right out of my mouth. I'm 55 and still love playing 40's Major Plus. Playing with such amazing talent, up's my game. Playing against and beside some of the best players in the nation is a memory I will not forget. As a side note, there are some organizations that allow 35+ to play senior ball. Kevin Bourgeois #swingonyx |
| Sept. 15, 2020 Mikelmart 150 posts | Hat Man thanks for the concise reply, I guess the term SENIOR is what got my dander up a bit.SSUSA stated that it's actually Masters division but run by Senior Softball. With all that being said I'm all for softball flourishing under any name/banner. I hope all of you do well and prosper until you get your first AARP mailing, by the way those guys are relentless, like a dog with a bone. |
| Sept. 15, 2020 DaveDowell Men's 70 4312 posts | Mike ... A (damn-near-ex) friend of mine turned me in to AARP when I was 43 years old (25 years ago!) ... I had to endure an extra seven years of relentless mailings, emails and calls from them ... I'm still not quite ready to forgive him ... Ha! |
| Sept. 15, 2020 HSquared Men's 60 147 posts | I am all for the continuance of any form of competitive softball and agree with all that has been posted. I am not completely familiar with any 40 division rules, but did I understand correctly that the 40 division players CAN use senior bats? |
| Sept. 15, 2020 Booyah30 5 posts | Why does it matter? Yes it is another division. Yes, the balls fly off the bat, but we choose to play. I am eligible for 50s and I love pitching in 40s. So glad we get to play Senior Ball. It is competitive, but also a chance for us to play with guys we have not played with since we were younger. Why are you guys even worried about what we are doing. |
| Sept. 16, 2020 grayhitter59 Men's 60 345 posts | Booyah, i guess he is jealous because when he was forty they did not have this division. My son is 33 and wants to swing my bat all the time. I can't blame him. good luck to all in worlds. |
