The Villages - September 2016 - 13

F ind ing a p l a ce to p lay When the softball program first started, Villagers simply went to the field, found their neighbors and started playing. Now, with such a large program, the Recreation Department has organized the process so that residents can get assistance finding the perfect team to match their skill level. To get engrossed in the sport, first you're placed in a division and a field to call home. That is where Fran Nencetti and his band of volunteers come in. Nencetti is the evaluations commissioner, meaning he is in charge of running the entry point to the softball program in The Villages. Before anyone can join a team, he or she must visit Nencetti and his evaluators to be placed in a division. Nencetti is adamant about one thing - these are evaluations to place you where you will be safest. "I always want people to know that this is not a tryout," he said. "You aren't trying out for a team. You are being evaluated for where you will best fit from a safety perspective. That is what we do here. We want everyone to be safe and have fun." Evaluations are held at Buffalo Glen Softball Complex every Tuesday during the season, and some Tuesdays during the offseason when the field isn't shut down for maintenance. Three evaluations are required to be placed in a division. They test fielding, throwing, hitting and the ability to run the bases. Once a player has been observed and graded by different volunteer evaluators on three separate days, he or she is placed on the list for one of the six divisions for men or one of the two divisions for women. Nencetti has more than 70 volunteer evaluators made up of players from every division in the recreational softball league. He has the utmost confidence that they will put you where you need to be. That doesn't mean that you never can change divisions. "After you play for one season in the division we place you, you can apply to move up or down one division," Nencetti said. "We have guys who have taken two seasons to go from Division 3 to Division 1 right after we placed them... You can always choose your division later, but we want to make sure no one gets hurt playing above their heads right out of the gate." n e v er sto p h av i n g F un With the fall season just beginning, it is a time for new friends to be made at the field as players join teams and meet their teammates. "I'm really looking forward to it," said Judy Clapp, approaching a decade of play with the Diamonds, a Division 2 recreation league. "It keeps me active. We are all very friendly and our league is there to have fun and keep in shape." Score Keeper Jan Couturier wants to remind players to bring a positive attitude like Clapp's when they step onto the field. "Don't take the game so serious, and enjoy the game and teammates," Couturier said. "Be humble and remind yourself often that this is senior softball. No big contracts will be awarded." Division 5 Manager Wayne Meyer added, "Have fun. Encourage others and they will return the favor 100 times over." Jo i n a te am Follow these steps to find the right softball team for you. 1 Go to Buffalo Glen Softball Complex, 305 Tatonka Terrace, at 8 a.m. on any Tuesday to take part in evaluations. Weather or maintenance can cause cancellations, so call Fran Nencetti, 753-4709, to confirm that they are meeting. 2 Take part in three separate evaluation days in a six-month period. 3 The evaluators will place you in one of the divisions depending on your age and skill level. 4 Contact the representative for the division you were placed in. 5 Get drafted onto a team, or play as a substitute until the next season begins. Questions? Contact Danny Jacobs, sports coordinator for the Recreation Department, at danny.jacobs@districtgov.org, or call Fran Nencetti, head volunteer for the Evaluation Program, at 753-4709. MAGAZINE 13

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