2022 Female Player: Karen Williams Joyes
/Karen Williams Joyes, Loves Park, IL
Karen Williams Joyes started playing in the USSSA Women’s slo pitch league at the Ace of Diamonds at the ripe old age of 13 for Brenda Paulson. Her older sister Kim played shortstop on Diamond Bar, and she wanted to play too. There was an 18 years of age or out of high school age minimum in the Rockford Park District but not in the newly formed USSSA Women’s league. Karen became the youngest female to play in leagues and tournaments in the USSSA program in Illinois.
Bozo (named by her teammates) started her career at 3rd base. And she was fearless! Playing against Class A and B male players in Co-Rec throwing guys out at first base. Then she got moved to right field. To say Karen was displeased would be a huge understatement. Brenda was her ride to games and tournaments, and she dealt with it the best she could until the Class B State Tournament in Joliet.
Playing now as Valley Furnace, the team added some pretty good players and 2 shortstops. Playing Class A and B tournaments a strong arm was needed in right field, and thus the move.
At the B State Tournament in Joliet, the umpires picked the MVP and Best Defensive Player of each game. At the end of the tournament, Karen had won both of those awards at the tender age of 15. Karen then decided she liked throwing runners out from the right side.
That was the beginning of the many awards Boz would collect over the next 31 years! Numerous All-Tournament Team Awards in Women’s and Co-Rec tournaments, batting league titles at Forest Hills Diamonds for 6 years. All Star Teams, 24 years. By her late twenties Boz started pitching (out of necessity, she says) and spent the next 20 years on the mound. More of her favorite memories include pitching in the elite Women’s Class A World Series in Lexington, SC, with the Lith Club, finishing in 5th place, and pitching a No-Hitter at a tournament on April 26, 1990. (This was listed at the USSSA National Office and was printed in the USSSA Slo-Pitch Game rulebook for several years.
Notable Class B teams Karen played on were Valley Furnace, State Street Station, Kinney Shoes, Improv Press, Lithuanian Club, Blackhawk Athletic Club and Add-a-Bath/DeMartini in the Women’s Program and Competitive Co-Rec teams included Diamond Bar, Diamond Dave’s, Steele Sports and Blackhawk Athletic Club. Bozo’s predominate team in the Women’s program was the Lithuanian Club (The Lith Club) where she pitched for over 10 years. Many of these teams were State Champs, NIT Champs, and a Divisional Champion. And, Bozo won numerous All State Tournament Team, All Tournament Team, Golden Glove or Best Defensive Award and MVP Awards.
Karen has been retired from softball for several years and has two grown children, Samantha (Patrick) & Kyle (Jesi) and 3 beautiful grandchildren Delilah, Carson, & Piper that she now chases around with only one good knee. But hey, that can happen when you play a sport you truly loved for over 30 years.
