Wiffleball game in Massachusetts

Vermont will soon be home to a new professional sports league.

Wiffleball. You've seen it played in parks, at barbecues, and in backyards by people of all ages but chances are you've never seen it played like this before. 75 mph pitches, corporate sponsors, and custom-sized ballparks are all sights you'll see associated with the GSWL (Golden Stick Wiffleball League). The league started in Massachusetts in 2002. The league has grown from eight original franchises to almost 30 in its home state alone and last year expanded into neighboring New York. Four other states across the U.S. were chosen to receive leagues this year. California, Missouri, Philadelphia, and right here in the small state of Vermont. The season will kick off with a tournament June 6th. Vermont Regional Director, John Anderson, explains the significance of the tournament.

"It's just a small tournament to kind of get to know everybody, for new regions especially, it's to get to know people, get to know the rules, and all of that stuff but for established regions and also for smaller, newer regions it's to kind of get a look at the type of competition you'll be facing for the year, to see what teams look like."

Swinging for the fences

Vermont is like many of the league's other regions in the sense that the geographic area covered is large. Many players travel long distances to play weekly games. For the players of the GSWL it's worth it no matter how long the trip is. President of GSWL, Lou Levesque, talks about the dedication of the players.

"It is 100% worth the 2-hour drive each way, 100%, it's not even deniable. We've literally got guys who are flown in, we've got teams from here that drive 3 and a half hours every week both ways, and they have been doing it for 4 years."

With teams forming from California to Boston GSWL is well on its way to building a national Wiffleball league.