July 13, 2009
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THINK DETROIT PAL JUNIOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL ALL STARS ADVANCE IN LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
TDP WILL PLAY TEAM FROM PORT HURON DISTRICT IN SECTIONALS JULY 18-19 

DETROIT,Mich.—Think Detroit PAL’s junior league softball team advanced this to sectionals after a successful run at the Michigan 6th District Little League tournament last week.   

The junior league team, composed of all stars from TDP’s Untouchables and champion Love Train, squeaked out a 5-4 win versus L’anse Creuse in a nail biter on Sunday.  The team had already played the heavily favored L’anse Creuse team twice, winning the first game 11-10 and losing the second game 32-7.  TDP began the tournament with a 14-4 win over Harper Woods/Grosse Pointe on Wednesday.

TDP will host the winner of the Port Huron district tournament from July 18-19.  The best of three series will be played at Bishop Field, behind Northwestern High School.  Games will be at 12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday with a third game, if necessary, Sunday afternoon.  

 
“We are very proud of our girls,” said Raina Harmon, assistant director of athletics and commissioner of softball at Think Detroit PAL.  “These teams played hard all season and now they have come together to represent our organization.  We knew they would be competitive.” 

This was the second year Think Detroit PAL’s all star baseball and softball teams competed against other Metro Detroit teams for the chance to play in the Little League World Series.  Think Detroit PAL sent more than 100 players aged eight to 16 to the tournament this year.  The teams, which represent Southwest, East and Northwest Detroit, were selected via try outs towards the end of the regular season.  The junior league softball team joined the boys’ senior league team as the only Think Detroit PAL teams to advance.

 
 “Little League is a kids-first organization, which is right in line with our philosophy” said Tim Richey, director of program, player & coach development for Think Detroit PAL.  “That is why we are excited to participate in this tournament and give our all stars a chance to experience higher-level play.”

Think Detroit PAL was formed on March 1, 2006, by the merger of two of the leading youth development organizations in the Detroit area:  Think Detroit, Inc. and the Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL). The organization is one of the largest non-profit urban youth leadership programs in the nation, and serves nearly 12,000 youth annually.