The Over-The-Line (OTL) World Championships get into full swing this Saturday, July 15, on Fiesta Island and continue over two weekends of partying, athletic competition and fund-raising by the host club of civic-minded beach boys.
The 53nd annual gathering hosted by the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) will surround the 50 fields of sporting action with a spirited gallery of sponsor pavilions and eateries.
Last year, the big change in OTL traditions was that players in the tournament were required to use wooden bats only.
This year, big changes have been announced for the shuttle system and access to Fiesta Island. The shuttle bus will no longer run from Mission Bay High School, nor swing by Mission Bay Park’s Visitor Information Center.The free shuttle will still run from Bonita Cove east of the Big Dipper roller coaster at Belmont Park. A new shuttle bus route will go by the Linda Vista Trolley Station.
“You will be able to take the trolley to the OTL now,” OMBAC media rep David Horowitz said. “Also new to this year’s tournament is day-parking on Fiesta Island.”
Passes are being sold on-line at the www.ombac.org Web site for personal parking in a reserved area near the fields. Passes are available for one-time use on each day of the tournament.
In addition to the 3,600 competing athletes, between 50,000 and 60,000 guests are expected to attend the event over the course of the four-day tournament this weekend, Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16, and next weekend, Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23.
The celebrated sand softball contests are a unique spectacle as the not-suitable-for-print team names are announced over the PA system all day long ” the cleverer, the better. The resulting exercise of free speech is often hilarious and not recommended for children.
The sand softball action on the 50 courts involves men and women competing in nine age-divisions, from 18 to 80. Teams that make it to the second weekend of play in the double-elimination brackets are stocked with superior athletes.
Colorful team costumes and the most creative, politically incorrect team names highlight the first weekend of action. The most skilled play will be performed during the final day of the championships when the crowds are small but the competition is amazing.
OMBAC members consisting of lifeguards and friends invented the three-person-per-team sand softball game in the early 1950s.Teammates toss or “pitch” to each other from the point of a pencil-shaped field 55 feet wide. The game of place-hitting the ball into fair territory over a line 55 feet away has resulted in a unique golf-like batting technique that allows the very skilled batter to mask which direction the hit is aimed. Male players do not use gloves on the field, adding to the difficulty of a solid defense.
Scoring occurs after a third “hit” falls into the court, over the line. No one runs any bases. Fundamental baseball skills are tested, a lot of runs are scored plus the opportunity to make dramatic dives in the sand makes the game very popular to watch and challenging, while simple to play.
Also near the entrance to the homegrown San Diego beach party, the lovely Ms. Emerson 2005, Jennifer Hoffman, as well as other extraordinary former Ms. Emersons, will be available to autograph a program, shirt or hat.
Around noon on the second Saturday, a new beauty queen will be selected from 12 to 20 entrants. The reigning Ms. Hoffman will then turn over her tiara to a new OMBAC spokeswoman.
Along with the fun in the sand and sun, OTL is OMBAC’s primary fund-raiser to support their schedule of civic activities throughout the year. Funds raised are used to support youth sports, charitable events and community activities. Local youth organizations, such as Junior OTL, a wheelchair OTL tournament, wheelchair basketball, Boy Scouts, little league and soccer teams, receive OMBAC support. Student-athlete college scholarships, marathon sponsorship and Children’s Hospital also receive funds raised in July.
OTL tournament dos & don’ts include the four Bs safety tips: don’t bring any babies, bowsers, bottles or bikes into the playing area.
Do bring a beach chair or towel and suntan lotion and a relaxed attitude. Admission is free.
The 50 OTL courts are in constant use from 7:30 a.m. to around 6 p.m., with the three-person teams leaping, diving and slugging the special orange softballs.
Coolers are allowed, but OMBAC has food and drinks available at four locations, along with souvenir shirts, hats and programs.
Bicycles are also a good means of arrival and can be secured to fencing at the tournament entrance.
More information is available at www.OMBAC.org.