With the creation of the Chardon Softball League, parents will have to make a decision where to sign up their daughters.
For some Chardon parents it’s never too early to think about softball, the city’s spring ritual after a season of heavy snow.
Registration began last week both in-person and online for Chardon’s recreation teams, where girls ages 5 to 14 learn the sport at area fields.
Greg Jahnke and Paul Gerstner are talking a lot about softball these days, and the new Chardon Softball League, created last fall. Jahnke is president, Gerstner is a trustee.
What they don’t want to talk as much about is Chardon Girls Softball Inc., the city’s rec league for more than 50 years.
“We want to stay very positive with what we are doing,” said Gerstner.
The Chardon Softball League is a new league made up of parents from the old. While the leagues names are similar, the differences have spilled out on websites and handouts.
According to its website, the Chardon Softball League was started because “many good coaches and girls leave the Chardon girls recreation softball program for various reasons.”
Between 300 and 400 girls participate in Chardon’s recreation softball league each summer, said Jeffrey Campbell Sr., the president of the original league.
“When I was growing up, we got together in the neighborhood and had a game in the street,” Campbell said. “Kids don’t do that anymore. We hope to provide an outlet for them.”
Campbell is in his first year as president, taking over from his wife, Joyce, who held the post for more than 20 years.
On the new league’s website are posted the reasons for the new league: the desires to team up with the Chardon High School program and to provide parents and the general community input into the league.
The Chardon Softball League reports it has developed a partnership with the Chardon High School program, with former high school and John Carroll starting pitcher Kristin (Platz) Soltis providing instruction and clinics.
Max McCrone, varsity coach for the Hilltoppers softball program in his second season, couldn’t be reached Monday to confirm this, though a photo of him is on the new league’s website.
What can be confirmed is the division puts McCrone in a difficult spot.
But Campbell stresses a summer league should be recreational, and worries that the new league will become a feeder system for the high school.
The high school varsity squad has 12 or 13 girls, he said, and “the pyramid gets really steep at the top there.”
“If the new softball league is going to be a feeder system for the high school, I’m sort of afraid they’re going to leave out kids who are never intended to play high school softball,” he added. “We hope to teach you things if you decide you’ll take that with you. If you want really serious competition, there are other avenues for it, like travel teams. That’s where the serious girls end up going anyway.
“We’re trying to serve the people.”
Another fear Campbell and the board of the original league have is that the Chardon Baseball League, started in 1986, will control the new softball league.
The Chardon Softball League’s website states: “The Chardon Baseball League and Chardon Softball League will work together to share resources and knowledge when appropriate.”
While neither league speaks negatively of the other, a letter to the parents after last season in September wanted “to make it perfectly clear that Chardon Girls Softball Inc. is NOT Chardon Softball League,” it said. “We are the organization that provides girls the opportunity to play softball in the area for over 50 years and will CONTINUE in that tradition.”
There were two meetings this summer about merging the two leagues. After meetings, it was determined the two could not reconcile the differences.
About 155 girls, 30 coaches and 18 sponsors have signed up for the upstart league already in January, according to a news release.
“We are thrilled with how many parents, coaches, and players are joining the Chardon Softball League, as it shows how many people believe in what we are doing,” said Jahnke, who is also a coach and has two daughters playing in the league. “We are looking forward to an amazing season, and we are excited to be part of Chardon’s strong softball community.”
Gerstner’s daughter, Anna, 11 years old, has played softball since kindergarten.
Will parents be confused come signup time, particularly in February? Probably. There is more information below:
The Chardon Girls Softball Inc. is online at www.chardongirlssoftball.com; the new Chardon Softball League is at www.chardonsoftball.com.
A previous version of this story misstated when the Chardon Baseball League was founded. It was founded in 1986.
