Robson Ranch Desert Rats softball team
Ken Muhlbeier
On Jan. 20 and 21, the Robson Softball Club sponsored a five-team tournament at the Robson Ranch field. Teams from active-adult communities as far away as Sun City and Tucson as well as a team from nearby Palm Creek were in competition during the two-day event. The Robson boys were able to field two teams to compete in the tournament. At the end of the day on Saturday the only undefeated team was the Robson Ranch Desert Rats.
Coach Randy Petersen said, “I chose the name Desert Rats because many of the players play together in the summer when we play double headers and it routinely hits 100+ degrees before the games are finished. Friends and family have questioned our sanity, and when they ask me how we can handle that kind of heat, I always tell them, “It’s alright—we’re a bunch of desert rats.”
Playing inspired softball, the Rats seemed to feed off the energy created both at the plate and in the field. Overcoming some early inning sluggishness, they continued to fight for runs and produce impressive, one-sided, victories. Coach Petersen commented, “Winning the tournament was truly a team victory. Solid defense and excellent hitting proved to be an unbeatable combination. Every single player made an important contribution to the team.”
Pleasant weather and enthusiastic fan support made the total experience worthwhile. Coach Petersen was particularly impressed with the camaraderie and spirit of his team, and said, “I think the most important attribute is our positive attitude and the encouragement we give each other.” Being part of a winning team in any sport is a special feeling. Being a senior and getting the opportunity to compete often awakens the feelings of youth and vitality. Unfortunately, those emotions don’t enable us to run, hit, or throw like we used to, but we are all familiar with the saying, “the older I get the better I was.”
Robson residents are encouraged to come out and enjoy softball either as a spectator or as a participant. The club currently has teams playing in the Palm Creek league and hosts games every Tuesday and Thursday here at Robson Ranch. Game times are 9 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. In addition, the in-house Saturday league plays games every Saturday starting at 9 a.m. The Saturday league is for Robson Softball Club members.
Volunteers in the score booth are needed for various tasks such as announcing, score keeping, and scoreboard operation. On-the-field umpires are volunteers as are field maintenance personnel.