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Ray DeWorth: Q: How long have you been an active participant in softball in this
area?
Lance Fossitt: A: I started playing around 1994.
RD: Q: List all of the teams
you have played for or been apart of in the past? > This is your opportunity to mention any accomplishments you may have
achieved
in your career.
LF: A:
Boat's Boys
Hitmen
AQW
Trimex
Southern Rental
RD: Q: Last year you were part of the "B" powerhouse Southern Rental. As we
all know, that team is
defunct now. The core of that team has left for Reds
Boys and Berardi's except you. You have now resurfaced with Trimex.
Southern
Rental is trying to rebuild itself with what is leftover. Why did you choose
to leave? It seems that if you
choose to stay along with Rick Dunaway(Trimex
coach) that there would still be a solid core left with Southern to do some
damage in 2003. Was there internal problems with Southern Rental?
LF: A: There were a few internal problems but
nothing more than any team faces during a year I don't think. I decided to play for Trimex because of Clink who got me started
playing competitive ball a few years ago. I still have many friends on Southern and you will still see me playing with them
at times when Trimex isn't playing.
RD: Q: I want to congratulate you on being voted MVP
of the team you threw
together to win the Bash for Cash. . That is a nice accomplishment to have
hanging on your wall.
That team was a majority of Berardis. Did they get all
of the winnings or did it get split up with Classic Car Wash?
LF:
A: If I gave out the awards I would have given our whole team the MVP award. We hit almost .700 as a team in that tourney.
As far as the money, once we paid back the wash for the balls and entry fee we just split it up among us.
RD: Q: Lance, it is no secret that you share a tight bond with 2002 player of
the year Jim Perry. He has played
a prominent role in bringing you along
with your game. It must be nice to have a mentor the likes of Jim Perry.
If
anyone has ever seen you hit the softball they know you can blast them with
the best. How much does Jim have to
do with your development as a power
hitter?
LF: A: I used to run up on the ball and hit it mostly to right
and right center. I had no idea where the ball was going. Jim pitched to me a LOT to get me used to standing still and also
helped me with some of my mechanics. He's done all he can now it's just up to me to swing at good pitches....which I seem
to find hardest of all.
RD: Q: Do you ever feel you are in Jim Perry's shadow?
LF:
A: No. Jim has played for some of the best teams on both sides of the river. Most people don't know who I am or who I play
for.
RD: Q: Tell us what is going on in the land of Trimex Trucking? Who do you
guys
have this year and what are the expectations?
LF: A: We have a mix of veteran players and some younger talent added
in. We will have our share of teething problems along the way but if the younger guys can perform at the C and B level we
should be fine come mid summer.
RD: Q: Rick Dunaway is the coach of Trimex trucking.
You either love this guy
or you dont. He has somewhat of a controversial personality. You have played
for him in the
past and you have chose to play for him once again in 2003. Do
you think these are fair assessments of Rick?
LF:
A: Those that don't like Rick are mostly those that only know him from on the field. Rick tells you like it is and thats a
rare thing nowadays in softball. His on the field tirades have also gotten better and don't distract his team like they once
did.
RD: Q: Lance, there are not many people who have the sheer power that you
have at the plate. You have been able to drop balls 35 feet beyond the fence for
somtime now with consistency. I could
only imagine what you did with the
Ultra 2. What is your opinion of bats of these capabilities. Its obvious you
dont need them to crush the ball but are you for or against these type of
bats?
LF: A: If they are going
to leave the game the way it is I say ban them. If not there are 3 ideas that I think need to be discussed by the softball
powers..
1. Play 11 in the field (that gives you one up the middle)
2. Move the fences back to 325 (if you cant hit
it that far with a Miken give it up)
3. Move the pitcher's mound back (even the best can't react off the Miken)
One more thing on the Miken. The teams that don't have them are at a disadvantage to the teams that do. It's that simple.
RD: Q: If you could change one thing about the game of softball what would it
be?
LF: A: The time limit
on league nights. I've seen/been in far too many 6th inning games where it was called due to time limit with only a couple
runs difference. We pay high league fees, pay to get in the park only to be cut short on the time we get.
RD: Q: Give me in your opinion what you think are some good and some not so good thing about todays game
of softball?
LF: A: Good things are competition, making new friends on the field, sponsors that are willing to
play for this game we play.
Bad things are paying to get in parks, everyone thinking they are homerun hitters, and players
that only worry about what free stuff they are getting.
RD: Q: Fill in the blank. The biggest misconception
about Lance Fossitt is
________?
LF: A: He won't travel!!
RD: Q: Without
using any Trimex players give me a list of what would be Lance Fossitts all star team.
LF: A:
1B - Casey
Stewart
2B - Jimmy Roberts
SS - Rusty Scott
3B - Chad Johnson
P - Jim Perry
C - Jerry McGonegle
2 Outfielders
- Kevin Hall, Steve Shields
AH - Jeff Young
RD: Q: Who would you say is the most under rated player in the
game today is?
LF: A: Jimmy Roberts - Some of the best hands in Nky and he hits in year in and year out. Steady as
they come. Just don't listen to anything he says.
RD: Q: Who would you say will be the
biggest Rival for Trimex this year?
LF: A: I guess Southern will be. Mark seems to want to beat all of us ex-Southern
players. But it will be a friendly rivalry.
RD: Q: Lance everybody who plays sports at
a high level has a sports figure
that they have chose to be theyre idol. Do you have one and if so who is
he/she?
LF:
A: Rocky Marciano
RD: Q: Of all of the parks you have played at which ones would you say
were
the best and the worst and why?
LF: A: Expressway was the best, the fields were in excellent shape.
Green
Mountain - Do I really need to say why
RD: Q: If your softball career was over tomorrow, how
would you like people
to remember Lance Fossitt as a player?
LF: A: I try to play hard no matter where I am playing
or who I am playing for. So basically that he played hard at all times.
RD: Q: Give
me your personal top 5 teams in the area in the "C" and "B"
divisions.
LF: A:
1.Red's Boys
2.Nky Softball
3.Base
Bandits
4.J-Law
5.Trimex
RD: Q: Finally Lance, alot of players got theyre softball
careers started
at Green Mountain. You have played theyre also and I think that is where you
started out also.
If not correct me on this, but I know you have played your
share of innings there. Give me your best Green Mountain story?
LF:
A: Well there was this one time that we played against guys in cowboy boots, and this one time they ran out of balls, and
this one time they hadn't mowed the infields and this one time...........
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