Community softball tournament to raise scholarship dollars for UHV
It’s a Saturday of co-ed softball to raise scholarships funds for students in need.
The University of Houston-Victoria Letting Education Achieve Dreams, or LEAD, program is looking for participants and sponsors for the first Achieving Your Dreams Softball Tournament at 9:30 a.m. July 18 at the Victoria Adult Softball Complex, 510 Proctor St.
“This is a great way to raise scholarship funds and promote higher education in the community,” said Billy Lagal, LEAD community college program coordinator and softball tournament organizer. “It’s a really fun way to get everyone involved.”
All proceeds from the event will go to fund UHV scholarships for first-generation college students and those belonging to groups underrepresented in higher education, such as minorities and nontraditional students, he said.
Each team will be charged a $100 entry fee, plus a $10 per-game umpire fee. The tournament is open to 12 teams of 12 or more players each who will compete in a round-robin format. Each team will play five times during the day. Teams are encouraged to register by June 26.
The tournament winners will receive individual trophies and a larger traveling trophy. All participants will receive two limited-edition event T-shirts.
LEAD also is raffling off several items in a winner-takes-all drawing.
The prize pool, valued at about $600 so far, includes 16 free games at Century Lanes, a $75 gift card to T&T Tacos, a $50 gift card to Long Leaf Coffee Co. and a Samsung Rugby phone from VCS. Tickets will be on sale at the games for $1 each or $5 for six. They also can be purchased at the LEAD office in Room 120 of UHV University West, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. The drawing will be held at noon on game day, and the winner does not have to be present.
“Local businesses have been very generous so far,” Lagal said. “We welcome any assistance anyone in the community can offer us.”
Local firms also can support the scholarship campaign by buying ads in the tournament program with prices ranging from $25 to $100. Additional sponsorship packages are available ranging from $20 to $1,000.
“Our goal is to raise about $4,500 to $5,000 in scholarships to help students achieve their dreams through education,” Lagal said. “We hope to see a huge crowd show up to watch the games and be part of the fun.”
LEAD hopes to make the event an annual affair.
For more information about the tournament, to register a team or become a supporter, contact Lagal or call 361-570-4865
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
