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Softball team offers both friendship and competition
With a youngest player of 71-years-old and the oldest in her 80s, the Lady Loons provide a team that offers competition as much as camaraderie.
SOUTH ST. PAUL (FOX 9) - Some of them are old enough to be great-grandmas, but they can hit the ball farther than most people younger than them.
The Lady Loons are a 70-and-over women’s softball team from South St. Paul, recently returning home from the National Senior Games where they were crowned champions in the 70-74 division.
"We’re pretty good," said 81-year-old Jo Rolling with a laugh. "We’re not the greatest. But we’re alright."
The team was formed 23 years ago after some women met while playing tennis.
"One of the gals had been at the National Senior Games playing tennis," recalls founding member of the Lady Loons Cheryl King. "She said, ‘I think we should play a team sport.’ We looked at each other and said, ‘How about softball?’"
With only one other women’s senior team that they know of in the Twin Cities metro, the Lady Loons get their competitive juices flowing in the South St. Paul recreational softball league. The opposing teams are often made up of women 50 years old or younger.
"When we’re in the field, they don’t know what we look like and when we go through the lineup at the end of the game they go, ‘Man you guys are really impressive,’" said King.
The youngest player on the team is 71-years-old. The oldest player is 81.
"Love it. We love playing this team. We always have a good time," said one of the 30-somethings playing against them Wednesday. "I hope I’m still playing when I’m their age."