On any given afternoon, one can usually see a group of ASU students swinging bats on local softball fields as if they were still in little league.
The students are playing slow-pitch softball. Unlike in fast-pitch softball, which features long and straight pitches, the ball comes to the plate in a slower, rainbowlike arch.
It appears to be a juvenile sport, but slow-pitch softball is a coed sport that can be enjoyed by people of any age. Even men and women over the age of 18 can compete and sweat together in local organized leagues for adults.
For some students, like business junior RJ Brady, the sport is appealing because it allows athletic men and women to play a team sport together in a relatively casual format.
"I like that I can be a part of a team without being at the collegiate level," Brady said.
Nearly one million high-school football players and about 550,000 basketball players hit fields and courts throughout the United States every day. Only about 250 of the aspiring athletes get to the NFL, while about 50 find a spot on an NBA team.
With a lack of spots on more organized teams, as well as the pressure of competition, some students may find that club softball is their only way to play.
But Julie Clinton, an education freshman, said she often attends the games that her boyfriend plays in just to enjoy the atmosphere of the games.
"It's fun to come out here and support my friends and boyfriend," Clinton said. "It's kind of a social event."
Kelsey Havens is a freelance writer for the Web Devil. Reach her at at kelsey.havens@asu.edu.
