(release date - July 25, 2008)

Top Senior Softball Teams Compete in Eastern National Championships in Raleigh


RALEIGH, NC - More than 1,000 visitors, including players, coaches, families, and officials, will be flocking to Raleigh for the 8th Annual Senior Softball-USA Eastern Nationals from July 29- August.3, 2008.

More than 50 senior softball men and women's teams qualified for the Eastern Nationals and represent some of the best teams - and players -- in the sport.  The event is estimated to bring in more than $400,000 in direct visitor spending to the Greater Raleigh area.

Teams will be competing at the beautiful Walnut Creek Softball Complex, considered one of the premier softball facilities in the nation.

"We are very excited about working with the City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau to make the 2008 Eastern National Championships a successful - and memorable - premier championship tournament for the players, Raleigh and Senior Softball," said Terry Hennessy, Chief Executive Officer of SSUSA.

Teams will be competing in the first step of the coveted Triple Grand Slam of softball.

Winners of the Eastern Nationals receive a free berth to the US National Game (against the winner of the Western Nationals, played in Salt Lake City, in their division). Teams that win the US National Game and the World Championships win the Triple Grand Slam.

Winners of the Eastern Nationals will be invited to the Tournament of Champions in Florida in January 2009.

More than 2 million men and women over the age of 50 play softball in the United States according to the latest survey by the National Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.  Senior slow-pitch softball is the second fastest growing segment of the sport, after girls fast-pitch.

Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA), the largest of the 10 national senior softball associations, is headquartered in Sacramento. SSUSA sanctions National Qualifying tournaments in 40 cities in addition to the Championship Tournament series in 20 cities. 

SSUSA also promotes softball worldwide through International Sports Holidays, a division of SSUSA, which has brought teams to more than 20 countries over the past 21 years to play exhibition games and tournaments.

SSUSA also publishes Senior Softball News, the oldest and largest senior softball newspaper, which circulates to all 50 states and Canada. For more information, see www.seniorsoftball.com.