When longtime Kissimmee Klassic softball tournament director Roger Jones passed away in September of 2018 from cancer, there was inevitably the question of how it would impact the softball event that’s become one of the best in high school fastpitch.
Jones worked with longtime Osceola softball coach George Coffey to create the Klassic and in April of 2018 the event was renamed in his honor.
The worries of how the event would proceed have been put to rest as this weekend sees the Klassic again feature many of the top teams in the Sunshine State
Kevin Jones, the son of the founder, feels it’s important to keep the Klassic going in memory of his father.
“I really never realized how much time he put into this,” Kevin said on Friday. “Up to the moment, he died he worked on this tournament. It was 24/7 for him. This event was his passion and keeping it going, it has been very rewarding. I know he is thrilled to see it continue.”
It’s not just the Kissimmee Klassic has continued, it has stayed at the same high-caliber level his father would have been proud of.
“I’m so happy with the event,” Jones continues. “With the fans the teams and the quality of play, I am glad to maintain the caliber of teams this year in a pandemic.”
There is another family tie to the Florida event also.
“My dad started this event way back when my sister—now a college softball coach at Presbyterian—played as a Kissimmee Kowboy with current Kowboys’ head coach and now tournament director Miranda Watford.”
Coach Watford says: “We had 30 teams sign up for the event and only lost one team after spring break.”
In fact, Coach Watford says that the event is already locked in for 2020.
“Our dates next year are March 31st, April 1st and 2nd.”
It hasn’t been easy to continue over the last few years but it’s apparent the event will be around for a long time and that’s the key for the son of the event’s namesake.
“We have faced so many challenges not just the pandemic but the new complex (the traditional complex is being torn down) and the new regulations thanks to the pandemic, but it’s working and it has been a great weekend so far.”
The future looks bright, Kevin Jones concludes.
“I’m happy to help continue this event in my father’s honor. This is his legacy.”
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Kissimmee Klassic Schedule & Scoreboard (all times EST)
Thursday, April 1
Blue Bracket
- River Ridge 8, Winter Springs 2
- Doral Academy 9, Jacksonville Trinity 2
- Newsome 4, Lake Nona 1
- East Ridge 11, Deltona 0
- Bartow 5, West Nassau 4
- Lake Brantley 6, Oakleaf 1
- Lake Region 8, Alonso 2
Gold Pool Play
- Robinson 11, Viera 10
- Matanzas 8, Merritt Island 5
- University 8, Osceola 1
- Viera 14, Osceola 0
- Canterbury 15, St. Cloud 3
Friday, April 2
Blue Bracket
- Lake Brantley 3, Rockledge 1
- Alonso 8, Lake Nona 7
- East Ridge 13, Doral Academy 12
- Bartow 5, River Ridge 0
- Newsome 12, Lake Region 2
- Trinity Christian 12, Oakleaf 8
- Winter Springs 14, Lake Nona 3
- West Nassau 14, Alonso 2
Gold Pool Play
- Robinson 17, Osceola 3
- St. Cloud 18, Merritt Island 3
- Canterbury 12, Matanzas, 6
- University 5, Robinson 4
- West Nassau 4, Winger Springs 1
- Trinity Christian 3, Deltona 0
- Oakleaf 12, Coral Reef 7
- Matanzas 8, St. Cloud 5
- Canterbury 6, Merritt Island 3
- Coral Reef 15, Deltona 0
Saturday, April 3
Blue Bracket
- Doral Academy 17, Rockledge 1
- River Ridge 3, Lake Region 1
- Winter Springs 9, Coral Reef 5
- Alonso vs. Oakleaf
- Lake Nona vs. Deltona
- Lake Region vs. Rockledge
- Newsome vs. Barstow
- Lake Brantley vs. East Ridge
- Semifinal games, 1 pm
- Championship, 5 pm
Gold Pool Play
- Viera vs. University, 9 a.m.
- Robinson vs. Frostproof, 11 a.m.
- Championship, 3 pm
