For Immediate Release
Slo-Pitch Ontario is proud to announce that the Association has entered into a partnership/agreement with the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA). This agreement will provide Slo-Pitch Ontario teams the opportunity to participate in tournaments throughout the United States and World Series Events, most of which are hosted in Florida at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. The agreement will also give Slo-Pitch Ontario the opportunity to branch out into other sports if the market warrants it.
"This is great news for Slo-Pitch teams in Ontario!" declares Tom Buchan, CEO of Slo-Pitch Ontario. "It will provide our teams the opportunity to play at an international level in all divisions. The USSSA are definitely leaders in the game and have proved that with their tremendous success. The leadership and expertise of Mr. DeDonatis and the USSSA in the sport of slo-pitch softball, as well as other sports, will do nothing but improve our programs and services." says Buchan.
"It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we welcome Tom Buchan and Slo-Pitch Ontario as the exclusive representative of the USSSA in Canada for slo-pitch softball and all of our other sports." stated Don DeDonatis, CEO of the USSSA. "We are excited to have the opportunity to host the Ontario and Canadian teams into the USSSA events. We are also looking forward to bringing some of our events into Ontario."
Although 2009 will be a transition year in many ways, it is the hope of Slo-Pitch Ontario and the USSSA that a number of teams will participate in the 2009 USSSA World Series Events.
After months of discussion and research, SPO has decided to follow the lead of the USSSA and adopt their bat policy. As well, after months of research and development with Worth and discussions with the USSSA, SPO has developed a new softball program for our Association that will be launched mid-summer 2009.
"We are extremely excited about this arrangement which will provide the players within the SPO program the ability to compete internationally, plus the unique combination of USSSA bats and the new Worth softball line up will provide players enhanced performance on a level playing field. We look forward to 2009 and beyond as this arrangement will bring a new enthusiasm to the sport of Slo-Pitch in Ontario." says Randy Beatty, GM of Worth Canada.
With the changes to the bats and balls, as well as our affiliation with the USSSA, it should be an exciting year for SPO!