PRESS RELEASE

Slo-Pitch Ontario and Slo-Pitch National are excited to announce their plans to enhance their working agreement starting in the upcoming 2023 slo-pitch season.

What does this mean for teams and players? It means more consistency and better communication between the two slo-pitch programs, more opportunities for teams to play, and more commitment to the game we all love.

For years now, the two organizations have worked together to honour each other's suspensions with the intent to keep the game safe and protect players from individuals who choose to cheat, sandbag and abuse the rules of the game.

The differences in rules in each association were to help maintain choices for teams but, in recent years, with so many new players and officials  to the game, the differences could sometimes lead to confusion. Costs to run programs, events and championships are ever increasing, and the volunteers required to assist in the running of programs, events and championships, are increasingly hard to come by. Both organizations acknowledge that the costs to participate during the tight time frame of a season is also a challenge for teams, team contacts, coaches and players.

After a series of meetings over the past year, it became clear that a possible solution to these issues was to enhance our working agreement to include the sharing of ratings and classifications of players and teams, simplify the rules used in Qualifying Tournaments and Ontario Championships, and provide opportunities for teams to compete at dual Qualifying Tournaments and Events across the Province.

We both do what we do because we love the sport of slo-pitch. Each of our organizations have particular strengths, as well as areas that each are not as effective or successful as we've hoped for. By recognizing each other's strengths and working together, we feel it will only be beneficial to each of our Memberships - the players and the teams who are the heart and soul of our programs - and we will be better together and committed to building a stronger game.

Committees have already been formed to look at differences in rules and procedures and guidelines and to identify new ideas that will be exciting and beneficial for the slo-pitch community!

This is a real game changer.

Yours in slo-pitch,

Tom Buchan

CEO of SPO

Trish Harrow

President of SPN