LYNNFIELD – The Men’s over-40 softball league gears up with their final tournament, now that they have finished their regular season.
“In our league, we don’t do finals or playoffs. We do a final tournament which will have a separate winner from the regular season,” said Commissioner Kevin Geary. “ The league is for residents of Lynnfield who are over 40 years of age and we’re a social league so it doesn’t really matter who wins or loses.”
The League is meant to be a place for players who still like to play, but without a high level of competition, which is what Geary said it was all about.
“We’re not a really competitive league. If someone is overly competitive then we ask them to find a different league because we’re not about that,” said Geary.
The bond’s created between teammates are so strong that a majority of the players return to the team year after to year to play. Highlighting the strong community presence that the league has. “Some of my players are 70 years old and grandfathers,” said Geary. “I think all but two of my guys are returning players. Which is what happens when you build a community like this.”
Before COVID-19 the League would have events year-round to hang out with each other and have fun. “We have the Banquet in October but that’s really it until next season,” said Geary. “We used to get together throughout the year and hold some events but we haven’t done that in a couple of years. We are trying to revive that but right now it is just the Banquet.”
The league wouldn’t be the way it is without John Deluca. Deluca was the founder of the league who passed away due to Leukemia in 2008 at the age of 53. “Deluca was and still is an important part of this league. He was the founder and the reason this league is the way it is. So we play in memory and honor of him,” said Geary.
The first round of the tournament begins this Tuesday, August 30th as the players conclude yet another season with the friends that they have made by playing the sport they love.
Maddi Filip can be reached at [email protected]
