VIRGINIA ‘GINNY’ HEATH

      Virginia “Ginny” Heath began her softball career at the age of 12 by playing in a softball league in Hanover, PA.  Three years later a travel team was formed to participate in the York City league.

     Ginny began playing in York’s Salvation Army League in 1970 and played for the Arena News in 1973.  In 1974 the Arena News was sponsored by Bob Hoffman and became the Bob Hoffman’s Products team.  While playing with Bob Hoffman’s Products team they won the state championship in 1975 and while playing on her own team Ginny and Fran Hershey started coaching a 13-15 year old team.

      In 1976 the Bob Hoffman’s Products team, being coached by Danny Miller, was successful in placing 2^nd in the state tournament, 1^st in the Central Atlantic Region and 2^nd at Nationals in Hamilton, Ohio.  This was a great year for Ginny as not only did she play on the winning team but also playing on the team were her two daughters along with her husband, Skip, being an assistant coach.  Since this was a “family team” her son would also travel with the team until he got older and developed other interests.

      Ginny was appointed the Junior Olympic Commissioner for District 5 in 1983.  Ginny was instrumental in the development of the Bob Hoffman Slow Pitch Appreciation Tournament in 1985 and along with Barry Sharp started a Women’s Slow Pitch Invitational Tournament in 1986 hosting two or three tournaments a year.  In 1992, youth slow pitch tournaments were redirected to youth fast pitch tournaments with two invitational tournaments being hosted a year by she and Barry Sharp.

        A Women’s 55 & Over team was chosen and coached by Ginny in 1991 to attend the Senior Nationals in Syracuse, NY.  The team didn’t place in the highest ranks but was a totally enlightening experience for Ginny.  She and her husband, Skip, coached the team thru 1995 and then Ginny decided to play for the team and played until 2003.

      Ginny has made softball an enjoyable experience not only for herself but with everyone she has come in contact with over the years whether as a player, coach or as a representative of the ASA of PA promoting ASA softball.