BY IAN STOKELL
San Diego LGBT Weekly
Batter up San Diego! The fall league of America’s Finest City Softball League (AFCSL) begins Sept.11, offering both the novice and experienced player alike a chance to strut their athletic stuff during a 12-game season played over a six-week period.
Founded in 1981, the LGBT league had expanded to include 32 teams and almost 600 athletes during its spring league earlier this year. The league’s co-ed and women’s divisions are sub-divided into classes according to softball playing ability.
While the spring league generally offers a mix of very serious teams vying for inclusion in the Gay Softball World Series, which the AFCSL has hosted twice, informal beginner teams just playing for fun and a comfortable social environment, the fall league tends to be much more relaxed.
Says league co-commissioner Roman Jimenez, “Fall is our much less formal season, with only about half of our teams competing. That means it’s a great opportunity for a new player just wanting to try it out to get picked up.”
Individuals are always encouraged to join the league and they do not need to be in contact with any team prior to joining. Says Jimenez, “While softball is obviously a team sport, you do not have to come in to the league as part of a team. If you don’t have a team, and you’re serious about playing, regardless of your skill level, we will find you a team that matches your abilities.”
The all volunteer AFCSL has no paid staff and maintains that “it is the largest gay sporting organization in San Diego as well as the largest single-day softball league in San Diego.”
The league tries to ensure new players are teamed up with teams of equal abilities and skill sets. Says Jimenez, “For our LGBT athletes, the AFCSL offers different things for different folks. For those who may have grown up uncomfortable around sports, it’s a chance to try it out in an environment that makes them feel welcome and comfortable, no matter how limited their skills are. However, because our league is so big, we not only have a group of teams that are comprised of mostly new players, we also have a group of teams made up of those folks who grew up with a glove in their hand, for whom sports are second nature.”
While the spring league has new player clinics where a player’s abilities are evaluated so they can be assigned a team that fits them best, in the fall that is not the case. Says Jimenez, “In the fall there are no new player clinics so anyone interested in playing only has to contact the league and we’ll get them placed.”
Fees are just $25 per person, while team fees are $250.
Any individual or team wanting to be part of the softball fun can e-mail Co-Commissioner Jimenez at OpenCommissioner@afcsl.org, or go to the league’s Web site at afcsl.org to learn more.
