Softball in the state of Pennsylvania has always been a thriving recreation.

Whether played by talented girls at the youth level, superb women at the adult level, or as an alternative to baseball by men, the Pennsylvania softball community has always been a vibrant one.

Nowhere has that been more prevalent than in the southeastern part of the state, in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Many state champions have come out of the Philadelphia area at many levels of competition over the years, and in turn, more and more of our best players and teams are being recognized in the ASA of PA Hall of Fame.

Part of that rich tradition in southeastern Pennsylvania is the ASA of PA District 6 Softball community which encompasses Delaware and Chester Counties.

The largest Men's league in the state still plays there. Arguably the best men's league in the state is located in West Chester. A lot of the top youth travel teams are in the area and many girls, who go on to star for their high school teams, have had great success, including the Springfield High School team that won its school's first state championship last June.

Southeastern PA softball has also come together in many different ways to raise money for charities and peoplein need. You can't throw a stick in that area without hitting a tournament raising money for the American Cancer Society, or Breast Cancer Awareness, or children without medical insurance. It's a great community with a big heart.

Yet, for all the positives that are taking place in the softball community in the area, there is one negative - and that's the dictator the ASA of Pennsylvania has put in charge of the district.

In short, the gentleman currently running the show rules over the community with an iron fist, and allows for no dissenting opinions to his own.

He has forced many leagues to fold, for his own benefit, and constantly comes down hard on players and managers for not complying with his wishes on how things are to be done. People who just want to play softball as a recreational activity are often forced to look elsewhere for their ball-playing enjoyment because of the rift this gentleman has created in the community.

His actions forced an entire segment of the community to seek other associations to play for in the area. He personally sabotaged a charity event run by a local newspaper to raise money for cancer to have it diminish into a much smaller event and nearly disappear entirely after 30 years -were it not for the efforts of some in the community to save the event.

His continued actions, threats and demands on people looking for something to do on a weeknight after work, or on gorgeous summer Sunday afternoons, has reduced the amount of participants in the area because they no longer want to deal with his tyrannical nature.

Players and teams are tired of being banned, suspended, league secrecy, playing favorites, intentional attempts to ruin other leagues, teams and players, backstabbing and the possibility of even financial uncertainty with where league and team monies end up in the long run.

Many have complained to the state leadership about him before, but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears. However, maybe seeing a petition signed by hundreds of people who are tired of his shenanigans and built-up drama will make a difference.

For the sake of a sizeable community of players and teams, parents and children, and other concerned fans of the sport who do so much for so many, the time is now to create the changes that are necessary and to bring the world of softball in District 6 back to life as a shining example of what positive changes sports, teamwork and community can mean to not just the people involved, but many, many others who benefit from the fun created within that softball circle.