Colleen Douglas - Roselle, IL

Played second base for the Fox Valley Lassies for 9 years, finishing runner-up twice, at the Women’s Class A World Tournament. Colleen was placed on All-Tournament Teams in many State and NIT events. The Lassies dissolved after the 1987 season, and Clark’s Wax Shop, a Class B team was formed. They won the Great Lakes Class B Divisional Championships and she was awarded All-Tournament Team honors in 1988. Colleen retired after the 1988 season, still a champion.

Priscilla Posick Rollmann – Menomonee Falls, WI

“Sammy’s” main positions were outfield and shortstop. Class B teams included: Roger’s Cartage, Team DeMarini/Add-A-Bath, Team DeMarini/Guiness (won 2012 World Tournament), Team DeMarini/Blackhawk A.C. Her teams won numerous State and NITs and participated in many Divisional, National, and World Tournaments. As a result, Sammy was selected to numerous All-Tournament Teams, Best Offensive Player, Best Defensive Player, and MVP honors during her career. She played for 30 years in the USSSA program. Priscilla (Sammy) retired in 2017.

Mike “Mac” McCormick – Rio, WI (formerly of Rockford, IL)

“Mac” began playing USSSA in its infancy in 1976 in the Class C program. Two of those teams, Whalen Const. and Lithuanian Club were Class C State Champions. He moved to the Class B level with Hollywood, Body Language, and Roger’s Drywall participating in Class A and B tournaments. “Mac” also played many years with competitive Co-Rec teams and in both Men’s and Co-Rec programs, he received All Tournament Team, Best Defensive Player and All State Team awards. “Mac” played the outfield for 20 years and he retired in 1996.

Don Schlenbecker – Elk Grove Village, IL

Don played outfield, he accumulated a .675-.700 batting average with more than 500 career homeruns. He played with KA Softball competing in both Class A and B programs. He received many All-Tournament Team awards in State and NIT tournaments, and All-Tournament. In 2006, he received All-Tournament Team awards in the Class B World Tournament and the Class B Nationals. Don started his USSSA participation in 1998 with Player’s Inc. at the Class C and D level. He then joined KA Softball in 2003. KA Softball participated in the Class B Worlds, Nationals, and played in the Major World Series at the Disney Wide World of Sports stadium in 2005. “Horse” retired in 2007.

Ryan Thiede - North Aurora, IL

This first baseman/additional hitter with a .710 on base percentage in the Men’s Major Conference series, began his USSSA career in 2006 with KA Softball. In 2008, he joined in the Major Program with Rope Club/Hennessy’s/Easton, Long Haul/Phonemaster, Dan Smith/Menosse and Laservision/Easton, all competitive Major teams. From 2006-2014, Ryan was a 16-time All-Tournament Team member and a two-time All World Selection. In 2014 while playing with Precision Softball/Easton, they won the Class B World Tournament. Ryan also served as a Player Representative for bat manufacturers, Louisville Slugger, Miken Sports, and Easton Sports. Ryan is currently playing softball with PK/FP Softball.

Johnny “Tiger” Frisella - Rockford, IL

Tiger Frisella is a true pioneer and he began his softball career in the Rockford area in 1969 with powerhouse Club 51. He played with Club 51 for 4 years along with two other IL Hall of Famers, Clancy Horn and Ken Franzen. He also played with Cypress Lounge and Pabst (Freeport) which traveled to the Class A World Tournament in New York (1977). Being a left-handed batter and lead-off man on 60 foot bases in the early years in the park district and tournament play and, with no outfield fences, at most parks, his speed was legendary.

Stan Craven – Lockport, IL (recently moved to North Carolina)

Stan began umpiring USSSA in 2003 in the Joliet area with the Will County Softball Umpires Association (WCSUA). It wasn’t long before Stan started traveling with his local umpires to State, National, NIT, and Divisional Tournaments in the Men’s and Women’s programs. In 2007, Stan was asked to join the umpiring crew of Tommy Seddon, Mike Mackey, Tim Sewing, Adrain Foster, and Jeff Myles (all Illinois Hall of Fame members) to umpire the Men’s and Women’s World Series events at the Disney Wide World of Sports in Florida. They umpired at this event every September for 10 years.

Bruce Runkle, Sr. – Yorkville, IL (now living in Schereville, IN)

Bruce began his long career with USSSA as a slo pitch player/sponsor and then he began his umpiring career in slo-pitch in 1979. He worked Men’s and Women’s State, NITs, and Divisional Tournaments. In 1995, he began his second career in umpiring, Girls’ fast pitch. He umpired and became a UIC and Site Director at many State Tournaments in Rockford and Joliet. He umpired many qualifying, State, and World Series events. He also became a Tournament Director in the Joliet State Tournaments. Bruce has a total of 39 years affiliated with USSSA!

Gene Head – LaGrange Highlands, IL

Gene became affiliated with the USSSA as a coach with the Lyon Township Blazers in 2004, and then became that organization’s liaison with IL USSSA. LT Blazers hosted between one and four yearly tournaments in Lyons for 13 years and during this time, Gene became an Area Director and a right hand to the State Director. Gene became the IL Roster Manager for the fast pitch program for 5 years. He was awarded Rookie of the Year in 2007 and the Award of Merit in 2013. He retired from coaching and the IL USSSA in 2017.

Rockford Park District – Rockford, IL

This 8-diamond complex in Rockford was the first in Northern Illinois to have multiple diamonds located at one location with 300 foot fences. This allowed the IL USSSA to host larger State and National Invitational Tournaments, and to be a competitive bidder for National and World Tournaments/Series to be held in conjunction with the 3-diamond complex, Forest Hills Diamonds. In the fall of 1982, Clarence Hicks, Superintendent of Recreation of the Rockford Park District attended the USSSA National Convention in Nashville. He had gone to the “other” organizations Annual Convention the week prior. In 1983, the Rockford Park District registered all of their teams (200+) and umpires (50+) under the USSSA banner. This led to 36 years of USSSA affiliation with the Rockford Park District.

Dottie Ferguson Key – Rockford, IL (formerly of Canada)

Dottie spent 10 of her 12 playing years as a Rockford Peach. If you were lucky enough to live in the Rockford area, you could have seen her playing at Beyer Stadium from 1945 to 1954. Dottie’s obscurity came to an end when the movie “A League of Their Own” was released in 1992. Dottie and her husband Don would travel to any tournament event she was asked to attend. It didn’t matter if it was slo pitch or fast pitch, and she was never too busy to sign an autograph for anyone. The best Ambassador for the City of Rockford and all girls’ and womens’ sports anywhere. Her beloved Don passed away in the fall of 2002 after 53 years of marriage and Dottie passed away a few months later in 2003.

Hall of Honor Team

KA Softball - Chicagoland

Ken Adams (IL Hall of Fame, 1999) didn’t just put together a perennial softball team, he put together a team of winners. KA captured Championships at the Class B State Tournaments between 2001-2007, National Championships in 2005 and 2006, they finished as the runner-up in two World Tournaments, they finished 1st or 2nd in 10 NITs and 3rd place in the Men’s Major in Milwaukee in 2005. But the highlight might be when they qualified and participated in the Men’s Major World Series at the Disney Wide World of Sports in 2005 after receiving a Major World Series berth while competing as a Class B team. Sixteen team members of KA Softball have been inducted into the IL USSSA Hall of Fame and an additional 3 players that began their climb to the Men’s Major program through KA Softball will be inducted on November 4, 2023.