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Forest Park Review<\/a>
\t\t\t\t\tA hyperlocal information website dedicated to in-depth reporting on points regarding Forest Park, Illinois.\t\t\t\t
All through her 50 years being concerned in softball, Joanie McElligott has seen loads evolve with the sport. But she\u2019s as devoted as ever.
\u201cIt\u2019s been the very best instances,\u201d McElligott advised Forest Park Evaluation in an interview. \u201cI\u2019ve made lifelong associates and met lots of people. It\u2019s been nice competitors and I\u2019ve had numerous enjoyable enjoying.\u201d
McElligott, now a Brookfield resident, has had a embellished profession as each a participant and a supervisor. Consequently, she was inducted into the Chicago 16-Inch Softball Corridor of Fame in 2022, an honor she nonetheless finds humbling immediately.
\u201cIt was an awesome feeling,\u201d McElligott stated. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I performed for, the truth is, again then it wasn\u2019t round. It was an incredible honor. 
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\u201cIt was a fair larger honor when my workforce, Chaos, received put in final yr,\u201d she added. \u201cI used to be comfortable to go in with all my associates. It was an awesome expertise.\u201d
McElligott first began enjoying when she was 14 years previous on the Northwest Aspect of Chicago. That\u2019s when she says her love affair with softball started.
\u201cI grew up throughout the road from Athletic Area (a Chicago Park District facility),\u201d McElligott stated. \u201cI might go watch the video games and ultimately I began enjoying in a (girls\u2019s) league.\u201d
McElligott went on to DePaul College, the place she performed volleyball and softball. However the Blue Demons performed with a 12-inch ball and gloves, which meant McElligott needed to make an adjustment.
\u201cThe sport was totally different,\u201d she stated. \u201cThe coach observed the hitch in my swing.\u201d
After faculty, McElligott continued to play throughout a number of leagues within the metropolis and suburbs. She additionally grew to become a supervisor, and her groups loved loads of success on account of their give attention to enjoying collectively and having enjoyable. For years, McElligott has participated within the Y-Me Match in Chicago\u2019s Mount Greenwood neighborhood. Not solely is it the most important all-women match within the space, it additionally serves as a fundraiser for organizations devoted to combating breast most cancers.
For some time, girls\u2019s leagues loved nice reputation. However McElligott feels the standard has been diminished lately, and he or she has a few good causes for it.
   \u201cWhat occurred is that there\u2019s numerous co-ed softball now,\u201d she stated.  \u201cGirls don\u2019t have a chance to play as a lot, and in the event that they do it\u2019s co-ed. 
\u201cWomen play with 12-inch balls at school and on membership groups,\u201d she added. \u201cWe don\u2019t have as many parks providing 16-inch leagues for ladies as we used to. The parks are the place we discovered tips on how to play.\u201d
To fight this problem, McElligott hopes that clinics provided by the Corridor of Fame will assist flip issues round and get girls\u2019s pursuits peaked.
\u201cIt\u2019s just about phrase of mouth. We have to introduce the women to (16-inch softball),\u201d McElligott stated. \u201cEverybody that performs 12-inch in highschool and faculty isn\u2019t going to be an expert. My factor is, they should perceive that\u2019s going to go away ultimately, and 16-inch softball will all the time be accessible to them.\u201d
However in addition to the give attention to constructing curiosity for the ladies\u2019s recreation, McElligott feels total that softball itself is prospering within the Chicago space. 
\u201cSignificantly the lads\u2019s recreation,\u201d she stated. \u201cThere are tournaments in all places and there are 50 leagues.\u201d
McElligott, who additionally sits on the Corridor of Fame committee, has attended many No Gloves Nationals tournaments. Nonetheless, she gained\u2019t be at this yr\u2019s match \u2013 however it\u2019s for a superb cause.
\u201cI\u2019ll be enjoying in a Senior Division 11-inch match in Des Moines, Iowa,\u201d she stated. \u201cI\u2019m enjoying with No Strain, which is new to me. I took just a little break from softball and I\u2019m coming again into it now. I simply turned 64 so I\u2019ve received to look at it.\u201d
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Join our free newsletters to get your weekly information roundup, information on issues to do in and round Forest Park and breaking information. We\u2019ll preserve you updated on what\u2019s occurring and what meaning for you. Forest Park Review A hyperlocal information website dedicated to in-depth reporting on points regarding Forest Park, Illinois. All through her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-371418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n