THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 1, 1994 TAG: 9408010056
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
In the button-down, gray flannel world of sports administrators, Dave Munden stands out.
Black hair tied in a ponytail cascades to his shoulders from beneath a baseball cap. His arms are covered in tattoos. The 44-year-old Elizabeth City native looks more like a biker or a rock star than the state coordinator of North Carolina Babe Ruth Girls' Softball.
But in his six years as the top man, Munden has seen the sport explode.
Now celebrating a decade in North Carolina, Babe Ruth Softball has grown to 420 teams, with more than 6,300 participants statewide. The expansion is an outgrowth of the increasing number of athletes who participate in softball at the youth, high school and collegiate level. In fact, North Carolina recently approved fast-pitch softball at the high school level. The girls' softball boom has given a new twist to the phrase, ``Diamonds are a girl's best friend.''
``In North Carolina Babe Ruth Softball, we started out with five organized leagues,'' Munden said during the state championships, which drew 44 teams to the Outer Banks last week. ``Now we're up to 101. And this year, for the first time, we are able to hold district championships at every age level. That means that the 44 teams in this year's state tournament truly earned the right to be here.''
Munden got interested in girls' softball 10 years ago in his job with the parks and recreation department just near Raleigh.
``We started a recreation-type program for girls, where they would play their 10 games or whatever and go home,'' he said. ``The parents expressed an interest in all-star teams and tournaments. But the parks and recreation department balked at that. The parents responded, `You do the same thing for boys, why not give the girls the same opportunity.' ''
The suggestion grew into a private organization, Garner Area Youth Softball League, and four years later Munden assumed the role of state coordinator.
And while many of the volunteers for Babe Ruth around the state have children participating in the program, Munden's daughters now exceed the age limit set by Babe Ruth softball. The Brigham Young University graduate and father of six sees his work as something more than sports.
``I'm in a position as a parks and recreation administrator to give kids the opportunity to belong to something. The Town of Garner has been very sympathetic and supportive of Babe Ruth. They've lent me our facilities and time to do this job.''
As coordinator, Munden said he gives about 10 hours per week, year-round to Babe Ruth.
``But in tournament weeks like this, there's a lot more time that goes into it, a lot more,'' Munden said.
The growth of the girls' game is based on a number of factors, Munden said.
``I think everybody is finding out that girls have as much athletic potential as boys,'' he said. ``Title IX has helped. There are much more opportunities now for girls than there used to be.''
Munden, who has coached baseball, basketball, soccer and softball, finds his greatest joy in his job something a little more fundamental than one might expect.
``One look at a kid's face when she has had trouble all year long catching a fly ball, and then finally she catches the ball, that makes it all worthwhile. This is not about winning or tournaments. This is about having fun. That's the lesson in all of this. It doesn't matter what her ability is, as long as she has fun.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Dave Munden
Great joy in his job
by CNB