Vernon Horseshoe League looking for members

VERNON — The spring season brings something besides flowers to the Vernon adult community — the sound of horseshoes will once again ring.

In its fourth year, the Vernon Horseshoe League is beginning its season. The pits have been maintained and are ready for action.

Horsing around
President Don Couser is looking forward to a great year. Being his daughters’ softball coach for 16 years, Couser did not want the family time to end. Growing up playing “shoes” with his father, Couser found horseshoe leagues in other counties.

After making the trip a few nights a week, his wheels started turning about forming a local league. He then learned of possible interest from other and his idea to “get people out of their backyards” brought him to the Vernon township offices.

Couser found the Veterans Memorial Park to be a great location. With the playground and ball fields close, but not too close, it is convenient but out of the way of the children. It took two years of work, and there is still more to be done, but you can hear the ringing of the shoes at the Vernon Crossing Road park once again.

Couser has been talking with the town hoping to get lights installed so that games can go past dark. There is a possibility of teams also playing at the Vernon Hotel where they are improving their pits and have lighting.

Games run two nights a week at 6 p.m. There are four to seven members on a team and scores are kept by the team.

All members welcome
Currently there are 15 teams totaling 96 members. This number is down from last year and the league is always looking for new players to join. Singles will be placed on a team and couples are welcome.

Members from all over Sussex County are welcome and need to be 18 years old to play. Any talent level; men and women are invited. In fact, this league is the only co-ed sport in the area.

Cindy Ferrazano, a veteran in the league calls the nights she and her husband play, “date night.”

Member Tom Friesena has also been a member of the league since the beginning.

“If nothing else, every year you get to know people a little better,” said Friesena.

The group is involved through the National Horseshoe Pitchers association (NHPA) where they will play at the NJ Farm and Horse Show in August. They have two tournaments during the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of the fair.

For more information on the Vernon Horseshoe League visit www.facebook.com/vernonhorseshoe.league.7.