First Time TD...
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!

"No, I wasn't nervous; I was just extremely excited." That's what I told the pitchers who came up to me and said my hands and legs were shaking during the opening announcements of the first St. Clair Shores Horseshoe Club sanctioned tournament. I do get excited about our great game for many reasons. It was the only game that my Dad approved of and played with me and my brothers. It is a game that anyone can play until your health absolutely won't allow it, and you can participate many ways whether you pitch or not.

Many people are responsible for our first successful tournament, starting 10 years ago when the St. Clair Shores recreation department decided that horseshoe pitching should be part of the recreation program.

A few charity tournaments and a senior Olympics tournament were held in the beginning years. In the last four, club membership has doubled and tripled, a shed was built, the pits and stakes were brought up to regulation and the courts got sanctioned.

Many people are responsible for this. To name a few club members: Claude Shannahan, Ted Kowalski, Roberta and Warren Kolosiek, Darrell Miller, Mike Reece, Chuck Ashmore, John Thomachefski, and John Zadick. John was also the first to volunteer his services when the Mount Clemens Indoor Club got started. Four city workers did an excellent job preparing the grounds: Nino, Joe, Greg and Bill. The cabinet shop near the courts provided space for RV parking, and the police department took time to patrol the area.

During the tournament, many others made it a success. Jean Zadick, (John's wife) and their daughter Kathy, and Jean's sister Judy, cooked and served the food. Roberta was assisted by new WSHPA/NHPA member, Priscilla Mavros, in selling raffle tickets. Steve and Paula Summerlin always help out at a tournament and kept the stats on Saturday while I was learning the procedures. Dan and Debbie Markley always assist Steve and Paula and keep score whenever needed.

I got many ideas about running a tournament observing and attending tournaments the past three years. I knew eventually that I would run a sanctioned tournament some day. I took ideas from Ron Kohn who always displays the flag and plays the national anthem. It is not easy to go into a store and buy a vocal copy of

the national anthem. John Zadick recorded a version off the TV that we could have used, and then my daughter-in-law, Maryanne, found a great version by the Navy Band and Choir that we used. Ron has always impressed me by talking to visitors who are curious about the tournament. He makes everyone feel at ease and welcome.

We had a display board with about 10 handouts that visitors and pitchers could grab. We had one new member join our league Monday night because of it. Others have information now that will inform them about our great game. The local newspaper sent a reporter and photographer.

This was Bob Miley's second tournament, and he finished first in his division. New WSHPA/NHPA members Dean Watson won second, Priscilla Mavros and Dave Phillips placed third. There is a place for all pitchers in WSHPA/NHPA sanctioned tournaments.
Many nice comments were given to club members by pitchers. Ken Moore, who joined the WSHPA this year, said. "I don't understand why these nice clay courts were never used before in a sanctioned tournament." Ken learned how to keep score Saturday. Because of his schedule on Sunday he couldn't pitch, but came back to keep score in the morning. I told Ken we have some good workers now in the club who are willing to put on a tournament and it is pitchers like you (Ken) that made it a success.

I got a call from the Free Press after I sent in the results to seven newspapers. The reporter didn't understand why there were results for both Saturday and Sunday. After explaining the tournament procedure, WSHPA, NHPA, round robins and averages, he was satisfied. We got seven new club members after newspaper and notices were read in local papers.

The next SCSHC sanctioned tournament is September 8-9, the weekend after the state tournament. We hope to have another good turnout. After all, the majority of our participants were members of the SCSHC and MCIHPC. I believe you have to grow your membership locally and then get them to join the WSHPA.

This is a sport where we gain many new friends, but on the court we definitely like to beat each other, and then afterward we are friends again to help promote our local clubs together and the great sport of horseshoe pitching. I will always be excited when it involves horseshoe pitching.

June 2001