The Big Peach Softball Tournament, held over Memorial Day Weekend at Atlanta's West Metro Atlanta Softball Complex, featured three days of gay competitive action in three divisions.
The annual event is hosted by Hotlanta Softball. Atlanta Genesis came away with first overall in the "B" division, Atlanta Menace claimed "C" divison and the LA Thunder Bolts rounded out the winners by claiming victory in division "D."
It’s hard to deny LGBT acceptance in sports is growing right alongside acceptance in society at large.
Professional basketball player Jason Collins recently came out as a gay man. Former professional soccer player Robbie Rogers came out in April. Straight allies in sports, like NFL players Chris Kluwe and Brendon Ayanbadejo, are paving the way for other gay athletes to come out, as well.
When basketball player Britney Griner came out earlier this month following her selection as number one overall in the WNBA draft, it was welcome, albeit not earth-shattering, news.
Three gay-inclusive Atlanta-area softball leagues will soon kick off their fall seasons and all are currently pre-registering players.
The Decatur Women’s Sports League will play on two fields on Fridays this fall due to league expansion. Twelve teams will each compete at two different fields, Blackburn Park and Kelly Cofer Park, Friday evenings from Sept. 3 through Oct. 26.
Teams will be selected based on skill level and distance from the two playing fields.
Coaches from the DWSL will be on-hand at Savage Pizza (115 Laredo Drive, Avondale Estates, Ga. 30002) for registration Friday, Aug. 3 at 6:30 p.m. To register, visit www.decaturwomensports.com
Several gay Atlanta sports leagues will kick off their Spring seasons in the coming weeks, including three softball leagues, a flag football league and a soccer league.
The Decatur Women’s Softball League, an all-women’s league, returns to the diamond March 16 for its sixth annual Spring season. This season, the action will take place at a new field, the fields at Blackburn Park off of Ashford Dunwoody Road. The league previously played at Kelly Cofer Park but has moved locations for the season due to field repairs.
Games will be held at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. from March 16 through the end of May. The League will take Friday, April 6 off to mark Good Friday.
The Hotlanta Softball Leagues hosts its annual Big Peach softball tournament July 2-3 at the Southside Sports Complex and it’s sure to be a sizzler. With 41 teams signed up to compete in the annual event, there will be plenty of action on the diamond.
Action will take place off the field, too, beginning with a bar crawl on Saturday night, July 2, including stops at Woofs and the Atlanta Eagle. We asked Kyle Miller, a player with the HSL HitMob team and co-director of the tournament along with Rick “Kitchen” McCracken, to give us some insight into the tournament and his most embarrassing moment on the field.
Annual Big Peach softball tournament continues today at Southside Sports Complex