- July 10, 2025
Since her husband, Mark, died two years ago, softball hasn’t had the same appeal for Palm Coast’s Doreen Chase.
“I went through some depression,” she said. “It’s pretty hard when you lose your best friend, your soulmate.”
Chase, 61, has played softball in the World Masters Games in Canada, Australia, Italy and New Zealand, winning three bronze medals. But she’s only played in a few tournaments the past couple of years.
“I’ve played in some tournaments in Florida, one in Georgia,” she said. “But softball is still something I love to do. That’s my passion. I’m ready to get back into it.”
Her first major tournament back will be the National Senior Games on July 24-Aug. 4 in Des Moines, Iowa. Chase, a shortstop, will play for the Sluggers 60-plus, a team consisting of players mostly from around Florida. She has played in tournaments with the Sluggers over the past three years.
Her last tournament was the 2024 World Tournament of Champions in Tampa. Her team finished in third place and Chase was selected “All World.”
The last time Chase played in the National Senior Games was in 2022 in Fort Lauderdale. Her tournament ended early when she pulled a hamstring.
This year’s National Senior Games will be the second largest in the event’s history with over 12,400 athletes in 25 sports representing all 50 states and 10 countries.
To get back in softball shape, Chase has been going to the gym and taking grounders from a friend she knows from a senior softball league.
“I feel pretty strong. I have confidence. I’ve played since I was 6 years old, and I know how to play my position,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it. I like playing teams we’ve never played. A great part of it is the friendships you make.”
