Summer Fun for Senior Softball Players

The temperature in Southwest Florida during the month of August is scorching HOT and very humid! On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you are likely to find 30+ crazy old geezers playing softball on Winterberry Athletic Field. The Winterberry Athletic field is home to the Marco Island Senior Softball League for players aged 55 and older (no age limit).

For these “super-agers,” playing softball with their teammates is a personal goal to ward off that health dilemma of “use it or lose it.” During the regular season, each player wants to win for their team, but the summer pace is slower and has its own “fun rules.” You’ll hear a lot of bantering and laughter, but NO bat throwing or foul language is allowed!

The primary mission of the League when it was first chartered in 2005 was to “provide men in their senior years an opportunity to play competitive softball within an organizational structure that encourages and fosters the principles of sportsmanship, collegiality, and physical fitness.”

According to Tom Polston, Commissioner for the League, “We are looking forward to a great 27th season in 2026 and are beyond blessed to be here in Marco Island and still playing senior softball at a competitive level. Currently, we have about 235 registered players.”

Don Schwartz has been with the League for twenty-one years and enjoys playing midfield. He was one of the first players Charlie Lamb met when he joined 15 years ago. Lazaro Ferro is very new, and he commented that he was welcomed by all the players he’s met this summer.

Matt Evangelista shared that he stopped playing thirty years ago, and he thought he was never going to play again. “I am in my third year and I love it.” Kevin Smith writes pirate novels in his spare time and was a corporate marketing executive. Retiring to Marco Island, he joined the League six years ago and shared, “There is nothing better than playing senior softball with a great bunch of guys.”

Sitting on the beach waiting for his turn to bat was Glenn Davis aka G. Bradley Davis, a celebrated local author who just finished his third book. “This is my eighth year and I love the camaraderie.” Mike Puskar, a player for 16 years added, “The League is an extension of our social life with great people and it becomes your family.”

The players even have clever names for each other, Bob “Sexy Man” Armstrong, and Jimmy “Brooklyn” Cuevas. Todd Stigall is a new player; Ed Seery is a seventh-year old-timer along with Joe Lazzarotti. Bruce Denlinger is enjoying his second year, and Dave O’Brien was proud to be a pitcher in the Travelling Team for the Over 70 age group that WON the Championship.

Players used the word “family” while referring to their interaction with each other. They cheer each other after a good play and lift each other’s spirits during challenges and losses. For health experts, an active lifestyle and a strong social group are a recipe for healthy aging.

In Memoriam. In 2025, the League had their share of tough personal losses and will always remember their teammates Buff Morris, Ernie Famiglietti, John Hollerbach, Jim Vitas, and Herman Griffith.

For the 2026 season, Polston added that they are looking forward to the second annual Powder Puff Challenge, Dinner Dance, and End of Season picnic. He’d like to thank the board members for a successful 2025 season and “let’s not forget our summer umpires, Tom Fisher and Jeff Hultgren.” And a big thanks to Bill Cookson and Lucy Crabtree for keeping the field in great condition!

According to Polston, “We have 54 Military Veterans who are registered players. The League has applied for a grant with the Home Depot Foundation Veterans Project to improve the Winterberry Athletic Field. In mid-October, we are looking forward to the Home Depot team to come and complete the field project. The Home Depot and the Home Depot Foundation have a long history of giving back to the heroes who have selflessly served our country.”