It's been said that there's no crying in baseball, but you know what there is in church softball? Camaraderie, kinship and a little bit of competition. For decades, the Donegal Area Church Softball League (DACSL) has been offering players a chance to get out on the field and indulge in a game they love.
At its peak, the league featured 28 teams from towns in the region, including Elizabethtown, Mount Joy, Hershey, Middletown and Mountville. Today, the league is composed of nine teams, which play a 13-week regular season followed by two weeks of playoffs. The season runs from mid-April through July.
"Church softball is a little more relaxed in terms of competitiveness compared to a rec league," said John Grosh Jr., president of DACSL. "The players just want to enjoy a fun game of softball. Sometimes, they aren't the very best softball players, but it doesn't matter."
While the league is not technically considered coed, since there are separate regulations for coed teams, it does welcome and encourage female players. "We also allow players as young as 12 years old," Grosh noted. "It's a good mix of players, and I like that part of it."
Games are played on two fields at the Armstrong World Industries campus, 1507 River Road, Marietta. One of the fields is named for Chuck Jackson, a former Elizabethtown Area High School teacher and active member of the softball league who served as league president for many years and pitched on the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren team. "I think of him as 'Mr. Donegal Softball,'" Grosh stated.
Grosh, who has been president of the league since 2004, began playing church softball in the 1970s with the Mount Calvary Church team in Elizabethtown. He moved away from the area for several years, but upon his return, he became a member of another church and today plays on the Hershey Free Church team.
Although this season's teams are already set, Grosh noted that the league is always looking for new players for upcoming seasons. "I would love to have more teams," he said. "Church softball leagues everywhere have gotten smaller over the past 20 years, but I'd love to see this one grow."
He encourages people to come out to see a game and noted that spectators will be treated to a game played by people who truly love the sport. "Because these are church teams, you get players with no foul language, and players are careful about displays of emotion and anger," Grosh said. "We're interested in fellowship as much as we are in softball. A lot of the players know players on the other teams, and they feel friendly with these guys. These games are a chance to come out to have a good time with people you've known for a long time."
A schedule of games can be found at http://www.dacsl.net. More information about the league can be found at the site or by contacting Grosh at jgrosh@juno.com or 717-898-0799.
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