Past Our Prime Softball League honors local high school seniors

It was a night to honor a future generation at the annual POPS 40 and Over softball league scholarship ceremony held June 18 at the Merrick Public Library. POPS (which stands for “Past Our Prime Softball”) presents scholarships each year to select graduating high school seniors who will be attending college in the fall. The scholarship recipients are children of the more than 650 players in the POPS league, and were chosen based on a combination of academic achievement, athletic participation, and involvement in community service.

Thirteen individual certificates were presented by POPS Commissioner Dr. Keith Pastuch, who cited achievements of each recipient to the crowd of parents, players and members of the POPS Board of Directors. The recipients boast impressive resumes, including things such as participation in high school sports, charitable activities, raising money for charitable organizations, helping local kids and membership in high school clubs.

Some of the scholarships were memorial, honoring POPS players who have passed away. In addition, POPS gave scholarships in the memory of Ron Gies. Ron was very involved with local Little Leagues and was a firefighter who lost his life responding to the events of 9/11. There were also the Peggy Carlock scholarship and Oceanside Department of Community Services Scholarships, given to recognize their support of the vision of the POPS Commissioner to start a softball league for men in their 40’s.

In addition, two booster club awards were presented earlier in June at Calhoun High School and Bellmore JFK High School, honoring high school seniors who excelled in sports.