Fred Dresser
The 32nd season of the PebbleCreek Senior Softball Association (PCSSA) started on Oct. 24 at the Robson Field of Dreams.
Thirty-two years of softball and it seems that it was only yesterday that a group of guys approached Ed Robson and convinced him that “if he builds it, they will come,” build it he did and they came.
Let’s take a trip back to how it all began.
September 1995: A group of guys get together at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse to discuss interest in playing softball. As a result, Jim Snyder was appointed to spearhead resident interest in playing softball. PebbleCreek Softball begins to take shape as two teams were formed with a total of twenty-one players from PebbleCreek. Tuesdays and Saturdays were selected as play days as the ladies took over the golf course on Tuesdays and Saturday. The games were played at the Old Litchfield Park field across from the fire station on Old Litchfield Road.
November 1997: Games begin play on a field that became known as the “Rock Pile” in PebbleCreek. The field was located North of where the current tennis courts in Eagle’s Nest are currently located. The field received its name due to the players needing to pick up the small rocks on the field to avoid an injury to a player. In addition, two PebbleCreek teams also played in Glendale in the 55-plus division and the 60-plus division.
October 1998: The league consisted of six teams. There were two teams from PebbleCreek along with teams from Sun City Grand, Rosie’s Restaurant, Happy Trails, and El Mirage. Arizona Traditions joined the league in 1999, raising the number of teams to seven. As the popularity of the sport grew, the Robson organization was contacted by Dave Smith, Del Chafe (passed on), Ron Van der Hei, Mick Mauer, and Don Wyman about the possibility of a ballfield being constructed that would accommodate the growing interest of softball in PebbleCreek. Mr. Robson was instrumental in the development and construction of the current Field of Dreams.
January 2000: The Field of Dreams became a reality. The backstop and bleachers were moved from the infamous “rock pile” to the new field. Seven teams now played on our field. Four teams from PebbleCreek and three outside teams. Between 2001 and 2003, the league grew to six teams made up of exclusively PebbleCreek residents.
2004: The league expanded to 10 teams with 16 players per team. The league continued to grow with two more teams added, bringing the total number of teams to 12.
League Growth:
2016/2017: Thirteen teams and 156 players.
2017/2018: Fourteen teams and 168 players.
The 2019/2020 season marked the 25th year of play for PCSSA and the league grew to 15 teams.
The 2026/2027 season began with 23 teams, all proclaiming that they will finish the season in first place.
The PCSSA, from its humble beginning at Old Litchfield Park to the “Rock Pile” to our current Field of Dreams ball field, could not have happened if it were not for 21 players who had a vision of what could be.
If that’s not enough, the league has quite a few elder statesmen still either playing this game, coaching, or volunteering.
Play Ball!