COVINGTON, Ky. - Are you the type of softball player whose team barely scrapes together runs with a few “seeing-eye ground balls” and Texas Leaguers in the gaps?

 

Or do you wow the crowd with tape-measure shots that cause pitchers to look down in disgust and outfielders to pivot in place and watch the crushed ball sail off into the night?

 

If your batting style is more "go for the fences" than “check-swing and leg it out,” then the City of Covington is planning an event for you:

 

On June 29, Covington will be sponsoring a one-day softball festival featuring a home-run derby with prizes not only for the furthest hit but also for the number of machine-pitched balls blasted over a “fence.”

 

The event replaces the annual Covington’s Adult Softball League, which is being canceled because of lack of interest despite an extended registration deadline.

 

“We wanted to keep the spirit of adult softball alive, and we think this event will be different and fun,” Parks & Recreation Manager Rosie Santos said.

 

“Obviously we’re disappointed to have to cancel the League, since it’s such a long-standing Covington tradition,” she said. “But we weren’t surprised: Year in and year out, interest in adult softball has been waning both here and across the nation.”

 

Details of the softball event are still being worked out, and anyone who is interested should watch the Covington Parks & Recreation Facebook page, HERE, for future announcements.

 

The event is tentatively set for June 29 and likely will include a range of prizes for various accomplishments, including number of home runs and the furthest-hit ball, among other things. Players will be encouraged to pre-register, and the number of pitched balls each player will receive will depend upon the number of participants, Recreation Program Coordinator Jess Link said.

 

The event will likely be free.

 

“We’re constantly adjusting our priorities to match our resources and activities to the interests of our Covington residents,” said Neighborhood Services Director Ken Smith, whose department oversees Parks & Recreation.

 

“Over the last few decades, the programs and activities we offer have changed considerably as the hobbies and interests of our residents have changed,” he said. “This is just another example of that.”

 

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