Danville High School softball’s third annual Launch it for Louie fundraiser was held July 19 at D.A.R.C.I. Field, home of Danville softball, and the event raised $10,200, with full funds going to finance a four-game road trip to South Carolina at the start of the 2024 season.
Danville softball coach Charlie Duncan said the Launch it for Louie hit-a-thon was started in 2021.
“In 2021, the softball team was in need of a pitching machine,” Duncan said. “Looking for a unique way to raise funds, the team came up with a hit-a-thon. At the time, every girl had been coached by Louie Mickley during their youth league days. Louie Mickley was a great man. He built fields, concession stands and coached youth league teams for many years.
"Louie lost his battle with cancer in 2019, but to see Louie you would never have known he was sick. He was always doing something for the youth of Danville and putting other people first."
Duncan said the players, and a group of friends and family who offered to match what Danville raised in the hit-a-thon, came up with the idea of honoring Louie by calling the event "Launch it for Louie.”
“With the blessing of Louie's family – Bobbi Mickley, Rachel Mickley, Lauren Mickley, Erin Mickley and Darren Mickley – the event was born,” Duncan said. “Rachel Mickley, who was a part of the 2017 state runner up team, threw out the first pitch during the first year.”
In the first hit-a-thon, the money that was raised went to purchasing a new pitching machine, and the team named that pitching machine Louie. It's still used by youth league and high school teams.
According to Duncan, the second annual Launch it for Louie event did even better, and the entire amount of money raised went toward getting Danville’s indoor restroom and concession stand press box started. The press box is currently being built and is expected to be fully functioning for the 2024 season.
Duncan said this season’s third annual Launch it for Louie money will go toward funding the varsity and JV teams as they plan to start the 2024 season in South Carolina during spring break.
“This is something we have been trying to do for the last few years," he said. “Dates not matching up, lack of funds or something always prevented us from being able to pull it off. Next season, the opening week of the OHSAA softball season falls on Danville's spring break and with the funds raised at Launch it for Louie this year, everything just fell into place. “
How Hit-a-thon works
Players on the team finds sponsors who can pledge money for a player, by the foot (distance homers were hit) or a flat donation.
“Each girl gets to hit 10 balls off our pitching machine, Louie," Duncan said. “We have spotters in the field and beyond the outfield fence. We record the player's farthest ball hit out of the 10."
If a sponsor pledges 25 cents a foot and the player hits the ball 200 feet, that sponsor donates $50.”
This year 11 home runs were hit. Some were monster shots, led by Grace Gronberg, who hit the longest ball of the night at 334 feet. She was followed by Alicia Humphrey, who hit one 325 feet, Maddy Payne (268), Merista Brown (262) and freshman Kenzi Staats (232). Ruby Bartok was able to hit one 329 feet at a previous date and all other Danville players hit at least one ball 205 feet or farther. The players won awards for their hitting prowess. On the night, Humphrey led the home run derby with four bombs, and Gronberg hit a pair.
Each year, Duncan and his wife give away free hot dogs for the fans and the Staats family supplies an ice cream machine to treat all fans to free ice cream.
“We had more than 100 people in attendance and the energy was great for every hitter that took swings,” Duncan said. “The Danville varsity football team even made an appearance after their practice ended, by lining the third base fence. The support athletes have for each other here at Danville is amazing. Some great kids that are happy for others' success as they are their own.”
Duncan thanked those responsible for the event’s success.
“What an amazing night. We are so blessed with the amount of support and energy this community has. Thank you to everyone that sponsored each girl. I hope the fans that came out enjoyed the show, the ice cream and hot dogs," he said. "Thanks to the Staats family for the ice cream and generators, to the Humphreys and Johnstons for running the grill to Scott Mickley for the filming and supplying the home run horn, to Mike Vess for the great pics and to Missy Duncan and Jill Durbin for serving.
"Thanks to Tony Mickley and Jeremy Brown for spotting distance on hits, to MB Designs for donating ‘Launch it for Louie’ T-shirts, to the coaches for putting this event on and to all the fans and sponsors. Almost every girl covered their trip next spring. We can’t do it without you, the Devil Family."
Finally, Duncan gave a shout out to the Danville football team for coming out and showing support.
“Our student body is pretty amazing,” he said. “So many people made tonight amazing.”
