Seniors hit the sandlot every week

Posted on 29 September 2011 by LeslieM

Ft. Lauderdale’s George Deeb, 70, runs the South Florida Senior Softball Club in Pompano Beach. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

For three days a week, members of the South Florida Senior Softball Club hit the diamond in Pompano Beach. There are no set teams and it is inexpensive. However, the competition can be fierce.

Ft. Lauderdale’s George Deeb, 70, runs the club, which is an offshoot of the club that started in Deerfield Beach in 1962. Deeb started the Pompano Beach-based club three years ago when Deerfield began renovating Pioneer Park.

“We started here three years ago when we were left with one field and over 100 men,” Deeb said. “The older men stayed up there, and the younger men came down here. We created an Over-50 club and that became South Florida Senior Softball two years ago,” he said.

It costs $35 a year. The members get shirts and hats, plus they will go out once every other month during the season when the snowbirds are down, and they will also host a Christmas Party. Games are played Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning at 9 a.m.

“I make up all of the teams and assign the players to the teams based on who is there that day,” Deeb said. “It is the best thing we have ever done. It is also good for the guys who just turned 50, so they don’t have to play with guys who are in their 20s.”

Deeb said there are retirees, as well as firemen, police officers and EMS workers who can play multiple days based on their schedules. Players come from as far away as Aventura and as far north as Delray Beach.

Normally, the games are played at 4-Fields complex, but have been at Kester Park in Pompano Beach after spending some time at Blanche Ely High School. They should move back to 4-Fields in a few weeks.

“I retired when I was 65, and I am 70 now,” said Deeb, who had a hip replacement last year. “Many of the members in our club play on national championship travel teams. The guys are terrific, and we have made a lot of friendships over the years.” The players range in age from 49 to 76, and the average age is in the mid-60s. Deeb said the mission statement is to provide seniors, like themselves, who are retired, or on the verge of retirement, an opportunity to come and play ball at their leisure with no pressure.

 

Ely continues to roll

Darren Allen completed seven of nine passes for two touchdowns and returned a punt 55 yards for a score as host Blanche Ely throttled Coconut Creek, 56-8, to run its record to 3-1.

Robert Scott hauled in a 40-yard score from Allen and added a 3-yard run for another Tigers’ score. Also scoring for Blanche Ely were Edensky Loremues, Jordan Fields, Adrian Burton and Avery Johnson. Alex Edwards threw for two scores, while John Belfort added seven extra point kicks.

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