| On May 3, 2003,
a 55s team from the Chesapeake Region competed in Lebanon, Pennsylvania
in a five team pool at the YMCA. The pool consisted of teams in the 50+
range with a few younger players, and we were pretty evenly matched. We
came out first in pool play with five wins and three losses. There was
a tie for fourth place so the fourth and fifth place teams had a one game
playoff while we cooled off. Alas, we lost to the fourth place team in
the playoffs.
Saturday, May 10, there was another gathering
of senior women players at the East County Recreation Center. Competition
was close again. I don’t remember who won or lost—it doesn’t really matter.
For many of us this was a tune-up practice for USAV Nationals in Minneapolis
and the Senior Games in Virginia Beach.
At USAV Nationals, there were only five teams
competing in the women’s 55s (fewer than last year), and no competition
at the women’s 60s level. Four of the teams were composed of mostly California
players. Our team (SWVC Code Blue) was all from this region, and we placed
fifth. In the 50s, another all regional team (Vertical Challenge) placed
sixth out of eight.
At the Senior Games in Virginia Beach, the
SWVC 55s, a Maryland team, took the silver medal home again, beating out
about 15 teams. After winning 15 straight games, we lost the last two games
to Texas who played better than we did that match. I think the third game
of the match should have gone to 25 instead of 15 since it was the gold
medal match. Maybe we could have pulled it out! The Maryland 50s placed
seventh out of 22. The Maryland 65s (Spikettes) came in fourth out of eight
teams.
In June, SWVC was disbanded by its creator
Adrienne Lees. Hopefully, former members of the club will regroup. Volunteers
please step forward!
A Brief Word about the Men’s Seniors
The Men’s 70s convened a conglomerate team
for the Nationals held at Minneapolis, Minnesota over Memorial Day to win
the Silver. Despite a somewhat poor start winning only one match out of
three, this team ended up competing for the Gold but came up short by just
four points. In the finals, the team lost the first game, then won the
second game, and won the third game. But, because the opposition team from
North Country had won one more game in the tournament than had the CHRVA
team, one more game to 25 had to be played in the two-hour session to determine
the overall winner. CHRVA simply wore out. One player ripped his shoulder
nearly out of its socket, and a second player could not be there at all
due to a death in the family. Consequently, CHRVA should be proud of the
eight players who went to the finals.
Players living in the region were: Dean Shumway,
Donald Lees, Donald Hyson, Paul Winkel, and Richard Stillman (who could
not attend). The three other members were Michael O’Hara of California
(an All Era, 50 years of playing, All American, and a Hall of Famer); Frank
Bartholow of Ohio (damaged his shoulder); and, Cyril Irish of Indiana.
The team did, however, win the Silver. All
American selectees were O’Hara and Irish. Players from CHRVA played in
the Senior Games on various teams. The Maryland 65s team, captained by
Richard Stillman came in fifth out of 13. The Delaware 65s team, captained
by Phil Klabunde, came in first and
won the Gold. Silver was claimed by the Michigan team, the same team
that won the Silver in the 65s at the Nationals in Minnesota.
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