By David Myers

Southwest Kansas Register

Approximately 15 parishes provided teams for the Seventh Annual Diocesan Youth Council Sponsored Softball Tournament, Sept. 23 in Dodge City.

It was a day of backward batters and reverse runners. Different rules were set up for each inning; batters would bat with their opposite hand, or might even run from home base to third after getting a hit.

It wasn’t your average softball tournament; it was all about fun and fellowship -- and a lot of laughs.

The day was open to all youth, as well as any adult who wished to play. Among them was organizer Steven Polley, Director of the Office of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Dodge City, who took to the diamond as pitcher, and even hit a few line drives.

There were no winners or losers, no record kept of who won; the day was all about fun, Polley said.

"We didn’t give awards this year," Polley explained. "The youth council decided that it didn’t serve a purpose."

After the initial games were played between different parishes, everyone was invited to participate in the "jackpot games," in which players from all teams lined up and were counted off to play on a team with players from different parishes.

"Most of the teams, if they had 20 kids on their team, they placed 20 kids in the outfield," Polley said, laughing.

"It was a good turnout. We were trying to celebrate our faith in a relaxed atmosphere. Hopefully for some, it will stir a desire to come to a TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) or a high school youth rally or other diocesan event that has a deeper spirituality than what the tournament provided."