For the second consecutive year, the ISSA Eastern Shore Championships made its way back to the Eastern shores of Maryland. Wicomico County and Ocean City were dual hosts this September when 37 teams traveled to Eastern Maryland for the Championships this year. “Wicomico County was very proud to host the ISSA Eastern Shore Championships again for a second year,” said Elle Marks, Sports Marketing Representative for Wicomico County Recreation, Parks, & Tourism. “After a successful tournament last year, we wanted this year’s tournament to be even better!”
Visiting teams came from Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and even as far as Ontario, CA to compete.
The International Senior Softball Association holds multiple tournaments and championship events across the United States every year. The winning teams in each division of the Eastern Shore Championships received a berth in ISSA’s 2016 World Tournament of Champions in Tampa, FL.
The Eastern Shore Championships provided another opportunity to showcase the strength of MAASA (Mid-Atlantic Amateur Sports Alliance). MAASA is a joint initiative between Wicomico County, Worcester County, and Ocean City which encourages cooperation and planning between the neighboring three counties to efficiently and effectively host sports tournaments and events in the Eastern region of Maryland. Wicomico County and Ocean City came together to provide top-notch facilities and create a fantastic sports driven atmosphere for the tournament.
“Hosting and providing a venue for events like the Eastern Shore Championships give us opportunities to showcase Wicomico County’s strengths as a first-class, reliable sports destination for any kind of tournament,” says Marks.
Ocean City and Wicomico County split the responsibility of hosting this year, with different divisions competing at separate locations. In Wicomico County, teams in the 60+ AA, 65+ AA, and the 65+ AAA-Major divisions played their games at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury. In Ocean City, teams competing in the 50+ AA, 50+ AAA, 55+/60+ Majors, and 55+ AA – AAA played at the popular tournament venue Northside Park.
“We were incredibly excited about the ISSA Eastern Shore Championships returning to Ocean City again this year,” said Donna Abbott, Director of Ocean City Tourism. “It was fantastic to see the players and their families enjoy their time in Northside Park, in addition to the rest of the amenities of Ocean City!”
The Eastern Shore Championship came to a close following the final game on Sunday afternoon, September 27th with an entertaining awards ceremony to celebrate all of those who participated in the event.
For more information about the ISSA Eastern Shore Championships and their other tournaments, visit their website. To learn more about MAASA visit the webpage.
