Council will consider pro women's softball team proposal

Dec. 14—OXFORD — The Oxford City Council has requested a written proposal that could make Choccolocco Park the home of a professional women's fast-pitch softball team.

Rick Schiffhauer, owner and president of Smash It Sports based in Rochester, N.Y., made a presentation to the council Tuesday night concerning the idea.

Schiffhauer said he helped co-found the WPF, Women's Professional Fastpitch, along with USA Softball and the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) after considering the need for gender equality in the sport.

"It was important to me we give them options after college," Schiffhauer said. "The primary motivation for this league is to give opportunities for girls to play and keep their dreams alive."

He said the new league currently has four teams in Rochester, N.Y.; Viera, FL; Oklahoma City; and Dallas.

Schiffhauer said the plan had always been to move the Florida team "to a permanent home after one year."

"We have obviously talked with you and have another option in Louisiana we are talking with, and my goal is to have some decision within the next week," he said. "The whole thing for me is trying to create a 'win-win' situation wherever I go."

Schiffhauer said he sees a lot of "long range potential in Choccolocco Park" in terms of hosting USA and USSSA national tournaments.

"We are excited to be involved in that process to help bring future national tournaments to the park," he said. "I already have commitments to being future tournaments there [should an agreement with the city be approved)."

Schiffhauer said recent games played in Indiana were "sell-out crowds" with as many as 3,000 in attendance.

"A big tournament to me is 150 to 200 teams," he said. "And, the economic impact is monumental."

He said WFP is proposing a 25 percent share of gate proceeds to the city as part of any agreement.

"If we can bring in 150-team tournaments, that's huge," Schiffhauer said adding his organization has "a lot of things we can do to attract teams."

Oxford Parks and Recreation Director Don Hudson said it was his opinion that professional softball "is going to be here for a long time."

"I would hope we could get in on the ground floor with this," Hudson said. "I'm also sure Major League Baseball is going to play a big deal in this at some point in time. If this is successful, Major League Baseball is going to jump on the bandwagon."

"This would give us a leg up on other cities that have facilities that want to host a team," Hudson said.

Schiffhauer added youth participation "is vital to me."

"If I'm involved in Oxford, the youth program will be vital to me and if you don't have city-run youth leagues, we'll have to create them," Schiffhauer said. "We want to bring girls into the sport and then create a strong travel program playing out of Oxford that can go anywhere and rival other teams."

Schiffhauer said Oxford would have a "huge advantage to recruiting talent to play for us and developing talent from the area."

"We'll have the professional players non-stop hosting camps, clinics, popping into practices and talking with the girls — really making them feel they are part of the organization which they will be," he said.

Schiffhauer said his 12-year-old daughter plays one of the 14 such teams in his New York state home area.

"I think we can make it the fastpitch mecca down here," he said. "It starts with the youth, energy and cultivating a winning attitude. We are looking to plant roots. I'm not looking to come to Oxford, stay a year and shop for another deal. I don't have the time to do that. If you decide for us to do business together, I want you to feel it is your team, too. The city's name will be on the uniforms and we'll be promoting Oxford as much as you will be promoting us."

Council members gave Hudson permission to seek a written contract proposal from Schiffhauer to be formally considered at a later date.

Staff Writer Brian Graves: 256-236-1551.