TAMPA, Fla. — On this softball field, no one is under 50-years-old, over 50 is the requirement. 

What You Need To Know

  • The North Tampa Bay senior softball has grown tremendously over the past 10 years

  • This league is for women over 50, men over 60

  • Linda Marsonek is only 1 of 2 females on this team

  • Games are played every Friday morning

"We're so diversified," Walt Bruschi told Spectrum Sports 360's Katya Guillaume. "It's a brotherhood, across the board from all walks of life. It's brought so many different people together. That is the biggest thing."

Walt Bruschi is the current commissioner.

He said before he moved down from Pittsburgh, he'd never seen anything like this league before, retired Officer Michael Parrish agreed.

"Everything's different," he said. "There are accountants, there's some that work in aviation, and some were marketing. In fact, the third baseman is an engineer, and we're just out here to have fun."

Fun, that's the purpose on this softball field, and these seniors are having a lot of it. 

Linda Marsonek has been on the team for seven seasons. 

She said, "One day I was cleaning out my garage and I used to play. When I got out of school. I started playing for the county, and in my late 20s, I started playing for the county. Found my old glove and I said, Oh, my God, I really would love to see if I could still do this."

Many in their senior years, take this opportunity to relax and take it easy. Not these guys.

"We're all fighting something," she continued. "Replaced his knee surgery, you know, there's something so we're and just that kind of support that keeps you going, you know, because there are those days where you think I can't do this anymore, you know, but you do know if you stop it's too hard to pick it back up again if you stop."

Ed Madeo, who also plays on the team said, "When you're retired since you don't have your job, you need something to regulate your life. Here we have our games on Friday and I actually play in two leagues so one weekend a month, I'm playing Saturday and Sunday, two games Saturday and two games Sunday."

The North Tampa Bay senior softball has grown tremendously over the past 10 years. 

Bruschi added, "They started with nine guys then it got to 12 then it got to 20, word spread, then they get to 40, 60, and now 10 years later, which last year was our anniversary, now we have seven teams 100 people participating."

The league invites men over 60 and women over 50 to come and play. They now have six teams of over 10 players each. 

Marsonek said she hopes this league will inspire other seniors to stay active, the same way she was inspired.

"Walt, he's in his 80s. I mean, those are the people that are the inspiration for me to continue to play," Marsonek

Parrish added, "You know, it's fun. You got a bunch of group guys, a good group of guys. You know, and you joke around and you see some of the camaraderie that go on here."

That's what it's all about. Staying in shape, despite the challenges aging might bring while still having fun.