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 There are many ways of keeping the body in
shape, such as daily walks, using exercise equipment, swimming, riding a
bike or joining an aerobic exercise group.
For many of the residents in Royal
Highlands, however, their preferred form of exercise is getting out on
the community’s diamond and playing softball. It’s an activity that
“gets the blood going” and it’s a great opportunity for fellow residents
to get together as a group and have a lot of fun.
The softball program consists of five teams
(a sixth team is now being formed) that play in three different leagues.
There are about 80 residents involved in softball, either as players,
coaches, scorekeepers, or volunteer umpires.
The first group is the “Sun and Fun” league,
which includes residents from age 55 to 79. There are actually three
teams in this group, each one playing in a different division with
players from other communities extend-ing from Clermont to just north of
Lady Lake. The second group is the “over 65” team, and the third group
is the “over 70” team. Some players participate in more than one team,
so they are able to play as much softball as their bodies will allow.
 A recreational team serves at an entry-level
to help residents with less experience play while they develop their
skills for the other teams.
Phil Massie serves as the Chairman of the
Softball Activities Committee, and he is responsible for setting up and
raising funds for the teams. Each team is sponsored by a local business
whose name appears as part of their team’s name; David Knowles
Insurance, United Southern Bank, Benjie’s Lawn Service, G & B Lawn
Service, and the Monarch Golf Club provide funds to purchase team
uniforms. Other community activities, such as flea markets and spaghetti
dinners, are used to raise funds for maintenance and softball equipment.
When the need arises, as many as 30 volunteers meet to spruce up the
grounds and make improvements. In fact, there are about ten volunteers
who do not actually play softball, but they enjoy supporting the teams.
Games are played twice a week from November
to April. In the summer, when many players are on vacation, game
scheduling is much more informal.
 The Softball program was started in 1997
when John Snyder, Bob Murrill and Darrell Ewing went door-to-door asking
residents if they wanted to “play ball”. At the time there were only 40
homes in the community, and there were no wins at the end of the first
season. However, that record has improved as more residents have started
to play.
From the very beginning, specific rules were
established to prevent injuries to the players from unnecessary contact
and collisions. “These rules were designed to maximize the fun and
minimize injuries,” says Phil. Because of these rules, players at all
skill levels can enjoy getting together to play ball and have some fun,
without having to risk serious injury.
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