John Cook, 49, rounds third base in Mooresville. He plays on the same team with his wife, Pam Monty Howell | INstride

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Most of the grandmothers you see at softball games are cheering on their kids or grandkids.

Penny Rhoda does get a charge watching her daughter slice a line drive up the middle, but she’s not your typical grandma fan.

Rhoda’s seat isn’t on the bleachers, but in the dugout.

Rhoda is the coach of the Horton’s Logging women’s softball team that plays at Murray Forest Park in Bedford. In almost 30 years as coach, she has become like a second mom to the players. Some team members have come and gone, and sponsor names have changed over the years, and only a core of players has remained—but with Rhoda always at the helm.

Many of the players were teenagers when she met them and later married and became moms themselves. Most have been on the team longer than typical employees hold a job.

“I feel like we’ve been a family and not just ballplayers that get together for a game,” said Rhoda.

Sisterhood and high-fives aside, they are a family with a healthy appetite for competitive softball.

Rhoda estimates the team has played in 20 state championships, maybe more, finishing in the top three in nearly all of them. The team has traveled all across the country competing in national tournaments, with the highlight coming in 1991 when the team finished ninth in a national event in Oregon.

“There were about 30 or 40 teams in it,” she said. “All really good teams.”

Despite the team’s success and passion for playing, no one can really say how many tourneys or league titles they’ve won, but Rhoda recalls many years of taking first place in the local league and dominating at the state level.

Looking for players who could contribute to the team is only part of the team’s formula for 20-plus years of success.

“They love the game. The majority of them have been so dedicated,” said Rhoda. “They not only love the game, but they are good sportsmen, too. It’s made my coaching so enjoyable. I think I’ve gotten as much from them as they’ve gotten from me.”

Rhoda got involved when her daughter Kim Wheeler joined the team. Wheeler has been on the team 28 years.

“I had coached her at the Girls Club, so I just migrated along with her,” said Rhoda.

When the coach at the time moved on, Rhoda took the job.

Michelle Riester was 16 when she joined the team. Now 41, she counts her teammates as some of her best friends.

“I was one of the youngest at the time. Everyone else was a little older than us,” she said. “Playing with the older women helped.”

Her early mentors were players among the region’s top women players.

“Sis Johnson was so amazing to watch. She would field the ball with the glove on her left hand, flip the glove off and throw with her left hand and she was so quick,” she recalled. “I always looked up to her. I played with Tina Boruff, Jo Underwood, Diana Voorhies, all great players.”

Riester is out of the lineup after breaking her foot playing soccer a few games into the softball season. The summer league ended in July, but the team is still playing in preparation for the national tournament.

“This is the first year I’ve had to deal with an injury,” she said. “I’ve never been injured playing softball.”

Up until this season, the challenge has been finding time for softball amid work and parenting.

Riester has two children.

“I played when I was pregnant with Michael all the way through the season and with Hannah up until I was about six months pregnant,” said Riester with a laugh. “I was really sticking out, so I had to quit. It’s not been easy. We all juggle our kids. Either they come with us or dads and grandparents help out.”

Diane Budd has been a member of the team for 31 years.

“Did I think I’d play this long? No. But getting to know the women on the team and staying active is why I still play,” said Budd, 51.

Budd had gained a lot of weight a few years ago and she said it was getting harder to play softball. Her weight was slowing her down, but she didn’t want to give up her sport of choice.

“I started working out and walking and now I walk all the time,” she said. “A lot of us also play basketball in the winter.”

Budd came of age just as Title IX passed, which opened the doors for women to play sports. She started playing softball because there wasn’t much else for girls.

“I see so many girls now who have the talent to be really good, but maybe don’t realize it,” she said. “I wish I’d had the opportunity to do all those things.”

Team chemistry has been as important to the team’s longevity as base hits and double plays.

“They’ve been together so long, they pretty well know what’s expected of them,” said Rhoda. “Now I go to enjoy the game. I do the lineup and they take it from there. The key is fitting personalities to have a true team, not just individuals seeking glory. Sometimes a team fails because they can’t get along together. We haven’t had that issue like some teams. We all win and we all lose the game.”

The team has had to manage a few games without Rhoda this season. She had knee replacement surgery and is just getting back in the dugout.

Prior to the surgery, she would occasionally be called on to take the place of a player who couldn’t make the game.

Rhoda laughs when recalling her most recent entry into a game.

“Each year it gets a little harder. They all have a good time with that,” joked Rhoda. “Every once in a while I hit the ball pretty good.”

Scratch the itch

For Jason Chambers, the softball itch begins in February.

Knowing it will be another month at least before he and his buddies can get outside, they drive to Greenwood to an indoor batting cage. It’s not the same as hitting under the lights, but it’s close enough.

Chambers, 34, grew up playing baseball. When he wasn’t on a ball field, he was watching his dad play softball. During high school he joined a church league team. He shifted to a more competitive league and plays in local leagues, as well as out-of-town tournaments on weekends.

Chambers plays first base for Nolan’s/Classic Title. He’s also the president of the Bedford Softball Association.

“Our goal is to get more players involved,” he said. “We’re very player friendly and a proactive association.”

Another goal is keeping it affordable.

“We try to keep costs as low as possible,” he said. “People want to play, but it’s hard to find a sponsor. More and more teams have three or four different sponsors. Our league fees are a lot less than other surrounding communities.”

Chambers’ team has won five state tournaments.

“We’re all former baseball players so we’re all really competitive,” he said. “We’re to the point where we have to go to Indy or Louisville to play against equal competition.”

Now that many of the teammates are married and have families, Chambers said it gets harder for everyone to make time to play.

“My daughter is still pretty young, but other guys have kids who play baseball and they go to their games. My dad gave up softball to watch me play baseball.”

As much as they love the sport, the team jokes that they would miss more than the game.

“We’re all friends. We joke around that at some point we’ll have to play golf instead so we can still get together.”

Gil Mordoh, front, and Tim Stout, background, watch their teammates play softball at Twin Lakes Softball Complex in Bloomington. Chris Howell | INstride

Horton Logging Team Manager Penny Rhoda poses at Murray Forest Park GARET COBB | INstride