Panthers to play in four tournaments downstate
A group of softball players from the county are set to take their act on the road. The Panthers, a softball team comprised of girls from Rogers City, Onaway and Posen, will play in the first of four tournaments beginning this weekend in Bay City.
The team, coached by Mike Tulgestke and assisted by Gary Bisson, is an 18 and under team comprised of Emily Marx, Katie Tulgetske, Greta Grambau, Logan Schuiteman, Jenny Fleming, Sami Brege, Moni Cercone, Amanda Lenard and Chelsey Plume of Rogers City. Onaway?s participants include Allie Nave, Melissa Pomranke, Christine Pomranke, Danielle Cleaver and Amanda Pomranke. Christina Bednarski is Posen?s lone participant. Coach Tulgestke says the program will cost around $8,000, which will be covered by the players and donations from fundraising events. He said getting the program going would not have been possible without assistance from John and Mary McLean, Gary Pietsch, Glenn Budnick, Karl Grambau and the Stan Wozniak Insurance Agency.
The team has borrowed equipment from the schools and purchased uniforms for use in the tournaments. Costs are typically $400 to enter a tournament, plus membership costs to the various sponsoring organizations. ?We have had a bunch of good practices and we are coming together as a team,? Tulgestke said. ?It should be fun. We are working on team-building skills and camaraderie.? College scouts, Tulgestke said, providing a good showcase for the players, frequently attend these tournaments.
Each weekend tournament begins on Friday with at least two games, followed by usually three games or more on Saturday. Sunday will have usually two or more games to be played.