Field of Dreams Tournament Comes to Door County

Door County is commonly recognized as a one of the top travel destinations in the United States. However, Marcello Falcone thinks the rest of Wisconsin still needs to get on board.

Falcone wants Wisconsin to recognize Door County as a more than just a family tourism depot.

“I hope to make Door County a softball destination,” he said. “I hope we can help Door County offer families with teenagers some sports amusement to add to the attraction of the area.”

His dream starts this weekend, as Sturgeon Bay hosts the 2012 Field of Dreams Fastpitch Softball Tournament. The county will be treated to competitive fastpitch softball for age groups of 12 & under or 14 & under. Falcone is the tournament director and has the vision and goal to not only run a successful tournament this year, but also make Door County a summer softball location throughout the future.

This festivities will begin on Friday, June 22 at Sunset Park with a Pitch, Hit, and Run competition from noon until 4 pm, followed by an information and organization ceremony from 6 pm to 9 pm.

The games begin the morning of Saturday, June 23 and will continue throughout Sunday afternoon. The Sunday, June 24 slate will likely provide the best atmosphere of the weekend, as the USSSA sanctioned tournament offers a World Series bid to the championship team from each age bracket. This would qualify teams to play in tournaments in either Oklahoma or Missouri.

The implications alone are enough for a trip to Sturgeon Bay, and are large enough to attract across state boundaries. Falcone noted that teams from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois will take the field this weekend, as Door County is located almost perfectly between metropolises such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and the Twin Cities.

The location and travel allure are the two main reasons for Falcone’s desire to establish a yearly event in Sturgeon Bay.

“My goal would be to host at least two tournaments in Door County,” Falcone said. “Hopefully, down the road, I would like to see Door County compete for the right to host a state tournament.”

A tournament of that nature would host around 60 to 70 teams, and would surely bring even more vacationers to one of the best places in the nation. With a little support from Door County this weekend, a great softball tournament will take place and Falcone’s dream will take another step in the right direction.