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Sports

Madison, Chatham Fastpitch Adds Summit

League serves fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders; Registration open now.

Girls in fifth, sixth, seventh and eigth grades will get the chance to play against girls from neighboring towns. The fastfpitch softall league that includes Madison and Chatham has added Summit this season.

Chatham and Madison started this combination league last year to keep interest with the smaller number of post-Little-League-age girls on the teams. Summit joined during the off-season in an effort to "increase the level of play and advance the girls' skills," said John Calabrese, director of Summit Girls' Fastpitch Softball.

"Whenever you play outside of your own town there is a little bit more of a challenge because competitive spirit goes up a notch," said Calabrese.

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The three towns have had meetings to adjust the rules for 2010. Each team will play within its own town during the week and have matches against other towns on Saturdays.

Last year was very successful and well-received, said Adam Kaye, a coordinator for the Chatham Softball Program. One Chatham team was in the finals against a Madison team.

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"By merging first with Chatham and now with Summit we can offer a multitude of benefits for the girls," said Robert Welter, president of Madison Softball, Inc. 

The first benefit he spoke of was that the level of healthy competition was raised, spreading excitement within the teams. Also the girls had more opportunity to meet girls from other towns and develop lasting friendships.

Fifth and sixth graders are grouped together in order to ease the older elementary school students into a middle school setting, with sixth graders as mentors. The seventh and eighth graders play by a relaxed version of high school team rules to help train them for stronger competition.

"(This) breaks the monotony of always playing in the same field against the same people," said Kaye.

This merger comes at a good time with the financial limits of the current economy, said Welter. Players may still work to improve and continue to have fun even as registration numbers diminish.

The beginning of the softball season starts at the end of March and runs until the end of June. Registration is now open in all three towns.

Madison registration began Sunday, Jan. 10. It will continue on Tuesday, Jan. 12 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m, and Sunday, Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The enrollment is held in the Bayley-Ellard gym.

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